Eamonn Holmes blasts reality TV

Eamonn Holmes has criticised reality television programmes and their presenters.

The Sky News Sunrise presenter branded Strictly Come Dancing "sad" and called The Apprentice "poisonous", The Sun reports.

"These days, our big shared television moments, our state events, are The X Factor and Strictly," he said. "Those are the only events families can talk about, which I do find sad. I would rather have my fingernails ripped out than watch Strictly."

Holmes, who also presents ITV's This Morning with his wife Ruth Langsford, went on to blast The Apprentice for promoting "greed".

"I'd hate to think my children could be as poisoned, ruthless and blinkered as the fools on that programme," he said. "I think this idolisation we have of business people is wrong. In society we have envy everywhere. Meanness is a trait I despise. That's what I see in The Apprentice. It promotes evilness and greed."

He also claimed that presenters of reality TV shows lack the experience to conduct interviews because they are not trained journalists.

"When I started I wanted to be Des Lynam," he said. "The trouble is there are no more Des Lynams. We don't hire presenters trained in journalism, as I was, because we want X Factor reality TV people."