Eamonn Holmes talks of regret at not being able to attend his own mother's funeral due to health problems

TV presenter and North Belfast man Eamonn Holmes has opened up about exacly how he felt at being unable to attend his own mother's funeral.

His mum Josie died in November 22, 2022, aged an impressive 93, as the popular TV anchorman was dealing with his own ongoing health issues.

The TV presenter instead spoke through a video link at his mum's funeral.

Speaking to the How To Be 60 podcast with Kaye Adams, Eamonn spoke about how important he feels funerals are.

He said: "I also have been quite sad that I haven't been able to make certain funerals, particularly this year because of my restrictiveness and getting across, getting on a plane, getting across the Irish sea, whatever, and looking after myself at the other side.

"I do think it is a tremendous mark of respect to be able to turn up at someone's funeral and just be there for them. Be there..."

Kaye said: "You spoke at [your mum's] funeral but it had to be, you know, through a video link, didn't it?"

Eamonn replied: “Yeah... well, at least you know, at least it happened.

"It was a terrible thing to ever have to contemplate that I wouldn’t be at my own mother’s funeral, that I wouldn’t be lifting her coffin.

“I was able to tell her before she died... I was in a hospital bed, she was in a hospital bed, we did a video link and I said, ‘Mum, I won't be able to be there, I can't be there'.

“And she said, ‘I don't want you there anyway'.

"I said, 'that's a terrible thing to say, what do you not want me there for?’

“She said, ‘Because if you go, it'll all be about you. Everybody will be looking at you and they'll all be talking about you, and it's not your day, it’s my day'."

He then laughed as he added: “So she didn't want me there anyway, so that was fine."

Kaye said: "So your mum knew that she was dying... and how she did deal with that?"

Eamonn replied: “Well she was very, very good... all her nieces and nephews and people who came to see her.

“She was very, very good with everybody around her and she told everybody she loved them.

"It was very, very nice. Her mind was absolutely, you know, pin sharp. Her body was incredibly frail.

“And you know, that was it. She just faded away eventually."

Eamonn was then asked how he dealt with his mum's death.

He answered: "I found it very, very hard to deal with the fact that I couldn't be there. That was just the big thing... [I] just couldn't be there and as a matter of fact, I still haven't been at her graveside although I get pictures of the headstone and various things.

"The biggest consolation we had was that my mum genuinely believed that when she died, that she would be immediately... the first person she would see or meet will be my father..."