Fern Britton shares why she quit This Morning – but it's not what people expect

Daily Mirror

12-06-2025

Highly regarded television presenter Fern Britton has opened up on her decision to leave This Morning in 2009 after spending an impressive 16 years working on the ITV show
Fern Britton has discussed her decision to leave the popular ITV show This Morning in 2009, after years as a presenter on the programme.
The 67-year-old began her broadcasting career as a newsreader on local radio stations, gradually working her way up to become the BBC's youngest national news presenter on Breakfast Time. She later took on various roles before joining GMTV as a presenter in 1993.
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That same year, she started guest presenting on ITV's This Morning, and by 1999, she had landed a permanent role on the show, co-presenting the Friday slot alongside John Leslie.
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Her role on the show became even more regular in 2002, when she began presenting alongside Phillip Schofield.
However, seven years later, Fern decided to leave the programme, sparking rumours about the reasons behind her departure. There were widespread reports of a fallout with co-host Phillip, which he later commented on in his memoir, stating that their relationship "turned sour".
Fern has also previously mentioned to Good Housekeeping that they are no longer friends, saying "we don't really (speak anymore)".
In a recent interview on the Spooning with Mark Wogan podcast, Fern sought to provide some clarity on the situation. Revealing the key reason for her decision to step away from the show, she said: "Well, it's 17 years ago, it's a long time. And I haven't really thought about that for a long time. I had a fantastic 10 years and I loved it."
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She continued: "But then after a bit, I needed to be back home again, as lots of things were going on. But the boys were about to do their A Levels, going into the two years of that, and the girls as well were leaving little school to go up. I was needed at home, and they needed to come home and know there was chicken in the oven."
Since her departure from the show in 2009, Fern has been a constant figure on television, participating in some of the nation's favourite reality TV programmes, including a stint on Strictly Come Dancing in 2012 where she was the fifth star to be voted off.
Last year, Fern took part in ITV's Celebrity Big Brother, where she reached the final, ultimately losing out to David Potts who took home the crown.
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However, fans can look forward to her return to television in the near future with her very own series, Fern Britton: Inside the Vet's.
The six-part series will follow Fern alongside TV vet James Greenwood as they delve into the daily workings of veterinary life, covering everything from vaccinations and sprays to dentistry and surgeries.
The much-anticipated Fern Britton: Inside the Vet's is expected to premiere next month.