Eamonn Holmes, 64, is locking horns with girlfriend Katie Alexander, 42, on two major issues

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Eamonn Holmes and girlfriend Katie Alexander have locked horns, MailOnline can reveal. 

Katie, 42, is said to be desperate to go public with their romance but the TV presenter, 64, has been delaying announcing the news in order to protect his estranged wife Ruth Langsford's feelings. 

The GB News host is instead limiting their dates to time spent in his new apartment in Richmond. 

As a result Katie is said to be frustrated by having to spend so much time in Eamonn's boiling hot apartment and not being able speak publicly about their romance. 

A source told MailOnline: 'Katie wants the world to see they're a couple but Eamonn is keeping things low-key at the moment.'

The insider continued: 'It's pretty hot in [his apartment] because he has no air-con so she'd love to go out and enjoy dates in public.

'Eamonn is excited about their relationship but he wants to remain respectful by not going public yet.' 

Eamonn's representatives declined to comment when approached by MailOnline.  

In May, Eamonn and Ruth announced their plans to divorce after 14 years of marriage and it later emerged that he was dating relationship therapist Katie. 

Earlier this month, reports circulated that the couple were engaged, but this turned out to be false and Eammon is said to have sent his estranged wife a reassuring message amid the furore.

The rumours were sparked after Katie was spotted wearing a sparkling diamond ring.

However, friends close to them later denied they are engaged.

In a bid to protect Ruth's feelings, Eamonn is believed to have contacted her to pour cold water over the engagement speculation. 

A source told MailOnline: 'There are other people in this and I know Eamonn had to message Ruth to say there was nothing in the engagement speculation.'

The insider added that while Katie is keen to take their relationship public, after it blossomed from a close friendship, Eamonn is reluctant.

They said: 'Katie just wants to get it over and done with but Eamonn is less keen because he doesn't want to hurt Ruth's feelings.'

Eamonn previously shared his hopes of maintaining a friendship with Ruth, telling The Mirror: 'It’s too early to say but I hope we can still be friends.'

The TV star had become intimate with Katie - a counsellor specialising in 'affair and betrayals.' 

The star showered Katie with gifts and trips and befriended her kids as their close relationship developed further.

The breakfast host treated Katie and her family to a Woburn Safari Park trip in Bedford in February – even sharing snaps on social media of their outing.

Eamonn did not publicly reveal that he was on a day trip with his new companion.

Katie's head was just visible in the back of a jeep which he posed in front of. 

He treated her and her two youngest kids to a stay at Center Parcs last year as well as a trip to a Beyonce gig last.

Die-hard Manchester United fan Eamonn gave Katie and her kids his tickets to a Premier League game at Old Trafford last season. 

And in a further hammer blow to his now estranged wife Ruth, on multiple occasions, Katie left her northern home to stay at the four-star Brooklands Hotel in Weybridge, Surrey - just a 10 minutes' drive from Eamonn's marital home.

Katie was spotted at the sprawling spa destination - next to Mercedes Benz World and a motor racing track - in March and was described as a 'frequent visitor'.

The counsellor told her pals she had enjoyed a 'wonderful weekend' and she also visited Northern Ireland with Eamonn.

Also last October, the TV star attended a small fundraising event in Yorkshire mental health counselling charity Platform 1 – agreeing to become a patron. It was just minutes from Katie's home.

The charity – a nine-hour round trip from Eamonn's home - is where Katie worked for two years.

Divorcee Katie met Eamonn via Twitter after she commented on a post and it sparked a conversation in 2015.