Ruth Langsford has excitedly revealed that she’s finally encountered her celebrity “crush”. The much-loved Loose Women host appeared alongside comedian Tom Allen in the latest episode of The Apprentice: You’re Fired on March 27.

The recent instalment of the BBC’s The Apprentice aftershow featured Ruth, aged 65, alongside Rickie Haywood-Williams, 44, and Claudine Collins, 56, as they formed a panel under the guidance of 41-year-old Tom. They gathered to chat with Max England, 30, who had just faced Lord Alan Sugar’s dreaded boardroom dismissal, to talk over his departure and future ambitions.

Post-show, Ruth couldn’t resist sharing a playful Boomerang video on Instagram from the You’re Fired set, showing herself and Tom flipping between the iconic ‘HIRED’ and ‘FIRED’ signs. Dressed in a chic pink blazer, form-fitting black trousers, and high-heeled boots, Ruth looked fabulous, while Tom, who succeeded Rhod Gilbert as host in 2019, was dapper in a two-piece suit and bow tie.

“I met my TV crush,” Ruth gushed to her 1.1 million followers.

Ruth admitted that Tom Allen is her TV ‘crush’ after appearing on The Apprentice: You’re Fired(Image: (Image: INSTAGRAM))

She also uploaded another snap to her Instagram stories, captioning it with heartfelt praise: “What a delight this man is!” Tom, currently partnered with presenter and entertainer Alfie Garston, hosted a special episode of Big Way Wedding on the BBC last year, reports the Express.

Ruth’s endearing confession about her “crush” comes nearly one year after she and her former husband Eamonn Holmes, also 65, went their separate ways.

TV presenter Ruth is embracing a fresh start as she settles into her new home, months after announcing her separation from husband Eamonn Holmes. The couple, who co-presented This Morning from 2006 to 2021, confirmed their split in May 2024, with a spokesperson stating their marriage was “over” and they were “in the process of divorcing”.

Recently, Ruth shared a glimpse into her new life on social media, posting a video of herself unpacking boxes at her Surrey home, where she has been living alone since the breakdown of her marriage.

Tom and Ruth were also joined by Rickie Haywood-Williams and Claudine Collins on the programme(Image: (Image: BBC))

In the clip, the Loose Women regular can be heard enthusiastically describing her afternoon plans, saying: “So this is how I’m spending my afternoon!” She then reveals the contents of the boxes, adding: “That’s handbags in there, this is all my spring/summer stock. Look at those lovely colours! That’s all got to be unpacked and hung up,”.

Sources close to Ruth have revealed that the past year has been challenging for her, but she’s determined to move forward. In an interview with Women and Home, she shared her perspective on coping with the end of her marriage.

“Relationship breakdowns are very difficult, but you deal with it and have to move on. You can let yourself crumble or you pick yourself up and get on with life. It’s a choice,” she said. “I’m not delighted my marriage is over, but I’ve accepted it. I’m trying to now embrace the fact I’m single and can make choices that are just about me.”

Ruth acknowledged that going through a divorce in the public eye can be particularly tough, saying: “Divorce is very painful. Most don’t do it in the public eye, with everybody having an opinion. But that’s the nature of my job. I’ve always had that and if you can’t cope, you shouldn’t be doing this job.”