Eamonn Holmes, 65, was left choking back tears after he sat down with former world champion boxer Barry McGuigan, 64, during an upcoming instalment of his new podcast.
Titled Things We Like with Eamonn & Paul, Eamonn and co-host Paul Coyte chat to a whole host of big-named stars about their lives in the spotlight and what simple pleasures they find joy in.
The podcast series launched on Thursday, May 15, with Eamonn and Paul chatting to acting legend David Jason, 85, about all things Only Fools, the BBC, and rather irksome co-stars.
GBNews.com has been given exclusive access to the next instalment of the podcast featuring Barry, and much like the first, Eamonn and Paul had a lot of fun getting to learn more about their guest.
Paul Coyte and Eamonn Holmes during a recording of their podcast, Things We Like
THINGS WE LIKE WITH EAMONN & PAUL
However, with a friendship spanning decades, both Eamonn and Barry also bravely opened up about dealing with losses within their respective families and how they continue to remember their loved ones who are sadly no longer around.
In particular, the pair reflected on the memories they have of their fathers. Eamonn's dad, Leonard, died of a heart attack in 1991, aged 64, while Barry's father passed away at just 52 in 1987.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Barry McGuigan's episode of Things We Like with Eamonn & Paul will be released soon
GETTYThe candid and emotional conversation arose during the second episode of Things We Like with Eamonn & Paul when Paul discussed the reception Barry received after returning home as a world champion for the first time in 1985.
Barry reflected on how 250,000 people lined the streets to welcome him home and celebrate his victory over Panamanian boxer Eusebio Pedroza.
Reminiscing about his memory of Barry's famous victory, Eamonn recalled the role the boxer's dad played in forming the champion he turned out to be.
"Your dad was a special man, and I know he was very special to you," Eamonn said. "Paul, Barry used to come out into the ring -"
Eamonn Holmes and Barry McGuigan have been friends for decades
PA
Paul interjected: "I know, I watched it when I used to watch the fights. I know what you're gonna say!"
"Danny Boy," Eamonn said. "He used to stand out. It's a song, and I'm sure Barry's exactly the same, it brings tears..."
Eamonn began to get choked up over the significance of the song and the emotional meaning it had between him and his own father.
Speaking through tears, the Breakfast presenter continued: "It brings tears to my eyes because of my own dad, for reasons I won't go into, but you know, it's...
"How emotional was that for you, Barry?" Eamonn managed to ask, to which an equally emotional Barry also struggled through tears to answer.
"I can't... my old man... my dad was very important to me," Barry replied as he became audibly moved. "He saw me win the world title, and he died unfortunately... at 52.
"So he was only a young man, but he was great, he was a really big part of my life. Everything about my life was generated by my old man.
"He brought me everywhere, we went to spar all over the country, we went to Dublin, and we went to Belfast because all the best amateur clubs were in Belfast or Dublin.
"It meant him travelling and bear in mind he was out probably four nights a week with his band and he still found the time to get me that extra quality sparring which brought me on leaps and bounds. He was an amazing guy.
"As I say, we were all destroyed when he died. So if I get into talking about the tragedies that I've had," Barry continued, which prompted Eamonn and Paul to weigh back in with their supportive comments before the trio moved on with the rest of the podcast.
This isn't the first time Eamonn has candidly opened up about the loss of his father, bravely reflecting on his death during an interview with RTE's The Meaning of Life in 2021.
Speaking about his father's generosity, Eamonn told the programme: "He's been gone 31 years now, but I still miss him every day. I can't recall my late father without thinking of how he always wanted to provide… even when I had a successful career.
"I think, like all of us, he just liked to be needed. All he did was give us a big hug, or whatever... All he did was say things like, 'Do you need any money?' I was on Ulster Television, earning £12,000 a year.
"He wasn't earning £12,000 a year or anything near it. One day, my mum said, 'Let him give you some money'. I did. I was like, 'Yeah, dad,' and he'd give me twenty quid."
Eamonn and Paul will be speaking to more famous faces throughout the debut series of their podcast.
Things We Like with Eamonn & Paul is available to download and subscribe to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. New episodes are released every Thursday.
