Eamonn Holmes confesses he cried at news he is to be a grandad

Eamonn Holmes has confessed he was surprised by how emotional he was at learning he is to become a grandfather for the first time.

The 61-year-old TV presenter kept This Morning viewers guessing by revealing he had a "very important personal announcement" to make on the ITV show he co-hosts with second wife Ruth Langsford.

Holmes, who has been suffering from severe chronic pain in his back, announced: "It's been a very tough year for so many people, there's not been a lot of good news around and I've been having a very tough week.

"It hasn't been a good time and I've been in tears... and I've been been in tears again because Declan, my eldest boy, and Jenny, the love of his life, have just announced that [they are having a baby], which means I am going to be a grandad."

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He joked he was "far too young!".

Declan, 32, is the eldest of three children Holmes shares with his first wife Gabrielle Holmes.

Holmes revealed they did not yet know if the baby, due in July, would be a boy or a girl, but he just wanted the child to be "happy and healthy".

The former GMTV presenter admitted: "It's very good. We're very happy. I didn't think I would be so happy but some good news – I got very emotional. Maybe it's because I was a bit down, lovely news – regeneration."

Holmes shared pictures of himself with Declan as a baby, revealing he was 32 himself when he became a father for the first time.

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The proud father told his son: "That's the happiness that you'll have ahead with having a wee baby."

Holmes is currently walking with a stick and undergoing multiple daily physiotherapy sessions and cold showers to help ease his back pain, which has prevented him from sleeping at night.

A spokesman for Holmes previously told Yahoo! UK: "A month ago his pelvis went out of line so he needs physio most days as the pain is intense."

The TV presenter underwent a double hip replacement in 2016. The surgery was carried out to tackle excruciating hip, leg and back pain he had secretly suffered for more than 20 years.

Holmes married Gabrielle in 1985 and they also had daughter Rebecca and son Niall together before publicly separating in 1995.

Read more: Eamonn Holmes determined to win battle with chronic pain and insomnia

He and fellow presenter Ruth Langsford have been together since his first marriage ended and have a son, Jack, born in 2002. They were married in 2010.

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