Eamonn Holmes has reflected on the “honour” of leading the funeral of Belfast football legend George Best, 20 years after his passing.
The GB News presenter described Best as his “personal hero” and revealed he was personally invited by the footballer’s family to conduct the service at Parliament Buildings in 2005.
The Belfast-born footballer, who died aged 59, remains a global icon for his brilliance on the pitch and his larger-than-life lifestyle off it.
Speaking today, Eamonn said: “It was amazing. You probably could never get a phone call from a family like that.
“I thought they were calling to invite me to the funeral, but they said ‘George wasn’t religious, and we’re not religious, and we didn’t want this to be claimed by any particular side’.
“They asked me to conduct the funeral, without any religious bias, and I thought, ‘right’, they basically want me to be the priest.
“But what a what a tribute. I mean, what a privilege to be the master of ceremonies for George.
“We were in Stormont, in the Parliament buildings in Belfast. There were 100,000 people gathered there, all down the driveway and out and about.
Eamonn Holmes reflected on the honour of leading the funeral of his hero
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GB NEWS
“The weather was the foulest I’ve ever seen in my life. The audience was full of well-known names and faces, and just being there, paying tribute to a man I adored as a child, was incredible.
“I wanted to be like him. I wanted to wear my socks like him, my shirt outside my shorts, socks down around my ankles, everything.
“Obviously, nobody could play like him, but what an influence. What a guy.”
In the past, the GB News host has recalled his first meeting with the footballer.
George Best died 20 years ago today
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GETTY
He said: “I first met George through Jackie Fullerton. He came into the studio to be interviewed by Jackie and he came with Angie.
“I think Calum was with them as well, he would have been a baby.
“Ever since that day I have been friends with Calum and Angie. That bond stayed.
“Jackie did a pre-recorded interview with George and it was a big thing. And I was starstruck meeting my idol.
“George had star quality. He had the film star looks and the swagger.
“He was a humble man, until the alcohol made him slightly less humble.
“He had the right to be arrogant, such was his genius.”
Mr Best was instrumental in Manchester United’s success in the late 1960s, winning league titles and scoring the winning goal in the 1968 European Cup final against Benfica.
He was named European Footballer of the Year in 1968.
Later in life Mr Best struggled with alcoholism and other personal problems, which impacted his career and health.
He received a liver transplant in 2002 but died from complications in 2005.