Exclusive: Ruth Langsford on the daytime TV star who secretly inspires her and the heart-healing therapy after her marriage breakdown

Ruth Langsford has revealed the daytime presenter she secretly wishes to be more like - Janet Street Porter.

In an exclusive interview with woman&home, the former This Morning host admitted she admires her fellow Loose Women panellist’s authenticity and lack of need for external validation.

Ruth said of the 78-year-old broadcaster, “Janet is so irreverent. I sometimes think, ‘I wish I could be more Janet’. She doesn’t care what people think about her. I don’t care as much as I used to. I know very much who I am now but I do care a little bit. We all want people to like us.”

Shop Ruth's velvet outfit

She also credited her Loose Women co-presenter Coleen Nolan, 60, for her “wit” and “one-liner” jokes as well as her die-hard support during life’s tougher times.

Ruth said, “Coleen is a great mate of mine, who’s also an agony aunt, and full of wise words. You need the shoulder to cry on and the advice but sometimes you just need to laugh and she makes me roar.”

Speaking about one of the hardest times of her life, following her elder sister Julia’s suicide in 2019, Ruth praised a close-knit group of girlfriends for their physical and emotional support.

“With my sister, they were there when I was falling apart, they were there when I went back to work. You don’t always need opinions. You just need an ear.”

It was the same story following the breakdown of Ruth’s 14-year marriage to TV presenter Eamonn Holmes, 66 - her partner of 27 years - in May 2024.

“I have a very close-knit group of girlfriends who have known me a long time, so I have felt completely supported by them,” said Ruth, who confirmed she has sought professional help to overcome the emotional hurdle of becoming unexpectedly single in her mid-sixties.

"I've had counselling, which I never thought I would have and that’s completely different. Friends let you rant and rave and they’ll rant and rave with you. Counselling is different.”

Explaining that she was encouraged by a close pal to give therapy a shot, Ruth went on, “In the end, a very good friend of mine practically begged me to see her counsellor. I did it to shut her up and I had one session and absolutely loved her [and] loved it. [I] felt different afterwards."

“I don’t have it very often now but I’ve kept it up. It’s not just about relationship stuff. Now it’s about life, generally, new chapters, moving on, my age. I’ve found it very helpful. I didn’t ever think I’d be a person who had counselling.”

Fronting woman&home's January issue, Ruth - who has had her own fashion collection with QVC for nine years - looks radiant, resilient and effortlessly stylish.

An image of renewed strength, in her first look, she is red carpet-ready wearing a burgundy beaded floor-length dress and chiffon cape by Veni Infantino, adorned by statement Laurence Coste jewellery. Later, Ruth later delivers a masterclass in off-duty winter chic wearing a Holland Cooper cape and trousers combo before plumping for full-length cosiness in a cashmere faux fur ivory coat.

In another shot, she is photographed in a vast garden at a location house wearing a luxurious red velvet structured blazer and trouser suit before creating pure evening drama in a show-stopping and ultra-feminine sequinned maxi-length red Goddiva gown.

And in the exclusive accompanying interview, Ruth - who is a devoted mum to her son Jack, 23 - tells us how she is striding into a new year and a fresh chapter of life with grace and a determination to achieve her biggest dreams, including writing a book, Feeling Fabulous.

Responding to the question of what she most wants from the next decade, Ruth replied, “To be happy, to have fun and to travel more. I never plan things in my career, because being freelance, I can’t. Things can change all the time so I am much better now [in my personal life] at going with the flow and thinking, ‘Let’s see where this takes me’.”

Ruth also opened up about her work on Loose Women, not ruling out meeting someone else, the fitness programme she has revived from her past that is transforming her body.

You can read Ruth's full interview in the January 2026 issue of woma&home, on shelves from December 4th 2025.