Eamonn Holmes has returned to GB News after taking a leave of absence to under go major back surgery. But while his return was long-await, it wasn’t all good news, as for his first day back Eamonn opened up about his frustrating experience with identity fraud.
Sharing how a scammer used his name to stay in a Belfast’s Europa Hotel for two weeks at his expense, along with purchasing, “building materials, slabs, marble fireplaces, all sorts of things” using a credit card under Eamonn’s name.
“In Belfast, there may only be one Eamonn Holmes, yet a guy was able to go and live in a hotel using my name for two solid weeks at the top hotel in Belfast,” he said.
Adding: “No one thought of saying, ‘you’re not as handsome as Eamonn Holmes, you just couldn’t be Eamonn Holmes’ but he went and he lived in a central Belfast hotel for two weeks.”
Opening up about how the incident, which occurred in 2011, impacted him, the Belfast man revealed he found it difficult to trust people after.
Sharing: “At the end of this, the judge said it’s a victimless crime so he wasn’t sent away.”
“The judge basically thought that I should meet up with this guy and reconcile with him, whatever it is, and I basically told him where to stick it.”
“It isn’t a victimless crime. You begin to suspect people around you, people who work for you, all sorts of things. So you suspect lots of things and there’s the stress about it.”
“I was very lucky in the fact that the bank reimbursed me but the idea that this is victimless is wrong.”
Eamonn’s return follows the major spinal operation he underwent in September.
Prior to the surgery, the presenter explained the Express: “This week a surgeon will cut into my back to hopefully relieve pressure on my sciatic nerves. It’s an operation that carries a 20 per cent risk of going wrong, but such is the pain and restrictions that I have been suffering for the past 18 months, I’ve decided it is a risk I am willing to take.”
While the operation went, the recovery process proved very challenging.
With the 63-year-old telling GB News: “It’s been a hellish few weeks. But day by day I’m improving and I am remaining positive and trying to look on the bright side.”
