Eamonn Holmes says ‘it’s hard to be white man in 60s’ as you ‘don’t tick boxes’

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    Eamonn Holmes believes he falls into a category that is "bottom of the list" as a white man in his sixties when it comes to being cast for jobs.

    The broadcaster, 63, presented GMTV for 12 years until 2005 and went on to lead Sky News Sunrise for eleven years until 2016.

    From 2006 to 2021, he co-hosted This Morning on Friday's alongside wife Ruth Langsford before being replaced by Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond.

    READ MORE: Eamonn Holmes tells Prince Harry to 'grow a pair' over fights with William

    Speaking on Kay Adams's How To Be 60 podcast, the TV star discussed being an older, white man and explained "no one is interested" in them in the industry.

    He told the Loose Women star: "It's a hard time to be a white bloke in his 60s, absolutely without a doubt.

    "No one's interested in casting you, no one's interested in planning a programme around you, no one's interested in your experience. You do not tick the right boxes for them in terms of your sexuality, your ethnicity.

    "You're bottom of the list when it comes to choices. I read things like, 'Eamonn is male, pale and stale' and I think, 'What are you talking about?' I see myself as top of my game."

    The Irishman also revealed he once told an ex-boss to "f*** off" when he was told his Radio 5 show was attracting too many old listeners.

    He recalled the time a BBC Radio Live boss took him for lunch in 2009 and told him he was "attracting the wrong type of people".

    Despite his listenership ratings being "excellent," an executive made it clear they wanted to go down a new route and pursue a younger audience.

    "So we lasted the first course, then I basically told him to f*** off and that was the end of that," Eamonn said.

    He added: "I'd carry on working until my 70s. I feel I've got lots to contribute, I'm across world events. I don't think I'm an old fuddy duddy."

    He went on to say: "In our industry, this obsession television has with youth is laughable."

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