Eamonn has been open about his health battles, but the big reveal came in 2026. He revealed he’d had major surgery on his back. I’m talking about a hip replacement and a discectomy—fancy words for “they messed with his spine.”
Before that, he was in constant pain from severe osteoarthritis. Imagine trying to host a live TV show while your bones feel like they’re staging a rebellion. Not cute.
The wheelchair isn’t a new thing, though. It’s actually a progression of a condition called ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. Say that three times fast. It’s basically where a ligament in your spine turns into bone, squashing your spinal cord. Ouch.
Wait, How Do You Even Get That?
Great question. It’s not like catching a cold from a door handle. Doctors think it’s either genetic or just bad luck. Eamonn’s case? It’s been brewing for decades.
He’s had back issues since his 20s—probably from all those years of lifting heavy camera equipment or just being a human who exists. But the real culprit is that ligament turning into a tiny, bony prison for his spinal nerves.
So, one day he’s walking. The next, he’s needing a stick. Then a walker. And now, a chair with wheels. It’s not a choice; it’s a necessity to stop the pain from going from a 6 to a 10, you know?
Eamonn Holmes is pushed in a wheelchair by son as he battles chronic
