Eamonn Holmes has lost his voice.

Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes

Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes

The 'This Morning' host was forced to pull out of presenting the brunch time show today (19.01.18) - leaving his wife Ruth Langsford on her own - because he's laid up in bed with a "impossibly sore throat" and is unable to talk.

Taking to his Twitter account this morning, he said: "Things not good today folks ..... Got an impossibly sore throat. Don't need this - sooo much to do - but unfortunately Talking is my business. Bloomin Heck it hurts (sic)," followed by three pained emojis.

Ruth kicked off the show on her own, explaining why her husband was not beside her as usual, before Alison Hammond rushed into the frame with her suitcase in tow.

Ruth, 57, said: "They're dropping like flies in my house.

"Jack was off all week with the lergy, and this morning Eamonn woke up with no voice. He was literally having to write notes."

Alison added: "I woke up, was getting my son ready for school, was going to go to the gym as you do and then I get a message from boss saying: 'Al, can you do the show?' And I thought about ignoring it and then I thought about Ruth on her own and I couldn't."

The 42-year-old presenter - who usually does the celebrity interviews and is now doing the showbiz round up following Rylan Clark-Neal's temporary departure - then asked if Eamonn, 58, was OK before wishing him to get better as soon as possible.

Ruth - who has 15-year-old son Jack with Eamonn - replied: "No, he's literally lost his voice. He can't talk. Jack has been off all week."

Eamonn has also been forced to pull out of his Drive Time show on talkRADIO later on today because his throat is just "too sore" - but it's not yet known who will replace him.