Veteran broadcaster Eamonn Holmes has shared a candid account of a notorious interview encounter with global pop superstar Mariah Carey, which ended with him storming out in frustration after being kept waiting for hours.
The Infamous Four-Hour Delay
Speaking at an Audience With live event held at London's Hippodrome Casino, hosted by Hayley Palmer, Holmes recounted the incident in vivid detail. The interview was scheduled for 11 o'clock in the morning, but Carey failed to arrive on time. Holmes described waiting patiently as the hours ticked by, with her team repeatedly assuring him that she would be there shortly.
"Bearing in mind I'd been up since four o'clock that particular day, so I'm going, 'what the hell's going on here?'" Holmes explained. "I said, 'right, if she's not here in the next 10 minutes, I'm going.'"
A Chaise-Longue Confrontation
When Carey finally appeared, she immediately lay down on a chaise-longue and closed her eyes, a move that left Holmes baffled and angry. "I said, 'what the f**k is going on here?'" he recalled. Her team informed him that "Ms Carey is very tired, she's been up from nine o'clock this morning."
Holmes responded with disbelief, pointing out his own early start: "She's been up from f***ing nine o'clock? I've been up from four!" In a bold move, he walked over and lay down beside her, proposing an ultimatum: "One way this interview is happening, either we both lie down, or we both sit up."
When her team insisted that Carey would not be sitting up, Holmes retorted, "Well, Mr Holmes certainly won't be doing the interview," and promptly left the scene.
Holmes' Blunt Assessment of Carey
Reflecting on his history with the singer, Holmes did not mince words. "I have interviewed her a number of times, and she is always a complete pain in the a**," he stated bluntly. This incident highlights the often-tense dynamics between celebrities and interviewers, where professionalism can clash with star power.
Other Revelations from the Event
During the same live show, Holmes also touched on his past feud with Anthea Turner, his co-host on the GMTV breakfast show in the mid-1990s. He revealed that they are now best friends, having reconciled after he realized she was playing a role dictated by producers. "There used to be real hatred between us, and then I realised that Anthea was playing a part that she has been told to do. She has been very successful at it," he said, noting they had spoken earlier that evening.
Additionally, Holmes shared his views on the state of television, criticizing budget cuts and what he perceives as a lack of talent on screen. "I see people on television who have no talent whatsoever. I don't find it funny, and you see some useless person who can't read, write, or get a joke out. It is incredible," he remarked.
He expressed concern for the future of ITV, predicting it could be sold to an American company and transformed into a streaming service if it fails to justify its audience. "It is a great pity. If you can't justify the audience, then it's over. ITV will be the next one down the tubes," he warned.
This story offers a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes challenges of celebrity journalism, underscored by Holmes' no-nonsense approach and candid storytelling.
