Fern Britton claims she was 'sacked' TV show after savage comment to producer

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5 hours ago

Fern Britton claims she was 'sacked' TV show after savage comment to producer
Former This Morning presenter Fern Britton has claimed she was 'sacked' from a show after giving her honest opinion to a 'rubbish' producer behind the scenes
Fern Britton has shared one particularly brutal comment a colleague made to her
(Image: ITV )
This Morning veteran Fern Britton has shared her experiences of the cutthroat nature of the industry, revealing she was axed from a programme for giving candid feedback to a producer.
Amid news of significant job cuts within ITV's daytime team, Fern reflected on the stressful nature of television work. Speaking to the i newspaper's 7 Days magazine, she recalled one particular incident where she was summarily sacked after challenging a producer's ideas.
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"I worked with a producer on a show years ago and she was giving me instructions that were utter nonsense," Fern said. "I went, 'This is rubbish. This isn't any kind of research. This is all wrong.' Within a week I was off that show."
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Her career has seen quite a few tough moments, including being let go after returning from maternity leave in the mid-1990s while grappling with post-natal depression. Fern was dismissed after breaking down in tears during an interview with a terminally ill cancer patient.
In 2001, after welcoming her daughter Winnie, Fern faced pressure to return swiftly to her role on This Morning beside John Leslie. She was brutally told that, if she did not return to work straight away: "There's no job for you."
Fern eventually departed from the morning show that she says she "loved," reportedly due to ongoing tensions with Phillip Schofield, who had stepped in as John Leslie's successor.
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Fern has reinvented herself as a novelist
(Image: PA )
Dismissing speculation that she left the programme due to a salary disagreement, she explained: "There was also a persistent rumour that I left because Phillip was being paid more than me and I always say to people 'Why would I leave a show to go to nothing if I was worried about money?'"
Though she hasn't disclosed the precise incident that marked the end of her strained partnership with Schofield, in a conversation with Ray D'Arcy, she revealed: "Something happened and I thought, 'That's it really' and I walked away and resigned. I was treated pretty poorly, actually. And after a while I just thought, 'Sod it'."
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When she participated in Strictly Come Dancing, she claimed her professional dance partner Artem Chigvintsev had been physically tough with her.
Fern moved permanently into her Cornish holiday home in Padstow five years ago
(Image: PR HANDOUT )
Reflecting on her experiences, she said: "I remember once I burst into tears and sobbed that I wasn't enjoying it, Artem's response was, 'You're rubbish, that's why you're not enjoying it,' so I picked myself up and ploughed on."
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Artem denied all allegations made against him, claiming: "I treated her with respect and care."
Aware of the brutally competitive nature of television, especially for those off-camera, she added: "It's harder for the people behind [the cameras] because they're having to deal with the budgets and with `upstairs'. Presenters, you've got to take it on the chin and you're lucky to be there, really".
Simultaneously, she admits she can comprehend the bosses' rationale as they mandate the massive job cuts: "There are times when everything does need a reset. So maybe that's it. Maybe they're planning a reset."
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Fern will soon be back on TV, taking viewers inside a vet's surgery
(Image: ITV )
Today, at 67, Fern is contentedly residing in Cornwall with a profitable career outside of television as a best-selling author. However, she still makes occasional appearances on screen and will soon return to ITV with a new six-part series titled Fern Britton: Inside the Vet's.
Describing the programme, she stated: "Every pet has their story and every owner has theirs, so I'm absolutely thrilled to be part of this new series for ITV. Animals have always been a huge love of mine and getting a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible work the veterinary team does every day has been a privilege.
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"Handing your pet over to the vet for any procedure is a worrying time. This series gives us a glimpse of what happens beyond the consulting room door, and is full of heart, fascinating stories, and, of course, plenty of adorable animals-I can't wait to share it with viewers!".