Eamonn Holmes loses job at Manchester United

Eamonn Holmes, well known as a TV broadcaster and lifelong Manchester United fan, has lost his role with the Manchester United Foundation after almost 19 years of service.

Holmes had been one of the longest-serving members of the charity’s board since the Foundation was established in 2006.

Companies House filings show that Holmes resigned as a director on 1 March 2026, with the termination resubmitted on 14 April due to filing errors.

The Daily Mail reports that the departure was not Holmes’ choice, with a source close to the situation explaing the chair of the board has exercised discretion to impose a mandatory “break” on the GB News presenter.

The decision is understood to be in line with governance practice that recommends board members do not exceed nine consecutive years to maintain independence.

Holmes had served two consecutive stints, however he departs the board alongside fellow journalist and broadcaster Virginia Buckley.

The Foundation’s website has already removed both from its list of board members, though neither has updated their own social media profiles.

The change comes shortly after Ashley Hackett succeeded John Shiels as Foundation CEO, ending Shiels’ 18-year tenure.

Eamonn Holmes leaves Manchester United Foundation amid rough personal spell

For Holmes, the timing could hardly be more difficult.

The presenter recently suffered a stroke and has been off air at GB News while he recovers, with his son Declan reportedly managing his affairs and girlfriend Katie Alexander supporting him through treatment.

Alongside this, Holmes is also in the process of divorcing his former co-presenter and wife, Ruth Langsford.

Holmes’ connection to United runs deeper than most public-facing supporters, as he was personally invited by the Best family to lead George Best’s funeral in 2005, a role he has previously described as one of the proudest duties of his life.

His ties to Old Trafford have been a family tradition spanning generations, from being arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act on his first trip to a match as a child to attending fixtures with his own children for decades.

In recent years, his mobility issues, stemming from a 2016 double hip replacement and subsequent spinal complications, have changed the nature of that connection.

Holmes recently revealed he had gifted his £15,000-a-year season tickets to his son because the seats could not accommodate his wheelchair, with his board role giving him access to the directors’ box area at Old Trafford instead.