Fern Britton confirms grim moment ex Phil Vickery 'stopped talking to her'
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Fern Britton has revealed that her ex-husband Phil Vickery ceased all communication with her following the death of her mother. The 67-year-old television personality and the This Morning chef were said to have kept a "basic" level of contact after their separation in 2020, but Fern has now disclosed that she hasn't heard from him since her mother Ruth passed away in 2018.
Speaking to Yours magazine, Fern confessed: "He hasn't spoken to me for six years now. As soon as my mum died, he stopped talking to me."
The Celebrity Big Brother 2024 participant maintains that she makes a concerted effort not to speak ill of Phil for the sake of their 23 year old daughter Winnie.
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She stated: "Winnie adores him. I'm not going to bad-mouth him in front of her; at least, I try very hard not to. I was the child of divorced parents and my mum never bad-mouthed my father."
Fern also ended her first marriage to TV executive Clive Jones, which was finalised in 2000 after they separated in 1998 following a decade of matrimony. The presenter, who has now left the television industry to pen her own novels, says she's channelled her heartbreak into her new career, reports the Mirror.
Fern, who shares 31 year old twin sons Jack and Harry, and a 27 year old daughter named Grace with Clive, admitted: "Like many people, I've been through divorce so I have an understanding of it. And that made it easier to write about in the new book."
The television presenter has expressed her gratitude for her children's support following the loss of her parents, Ruth and actor Tony Britton. She shared: "Mum was in her 90s but, no matter how old you are, you're still a child to somebody.
"As soon as I heard, I went and told the girls; they were both living with me at that stage.
"'I'm an orphan,' I announced and they burst out laughing. It was exactly the tonic I needed."
After shedding five stone by having gastric band surgery in 2006, Fern's weight fluctuated following her split from Phil after two decades of marriage.
Bella magazine reports her saying: "It took me about a year to realise that I put a lot of weight on. Looking back, I was in a very bad place and gradually I started to pull myself out of it."
Fern is now focused on maintaining her health for her children's sake.
She emphasised: "It is my duty to stay as healthy as I can for the sake of my children.
"I don't want them to feel guilty about not seeing me or be worried about me."
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