Television presenter Fern Britton has spoken candidly about the breakdown of her professional relationship with Phillip Schofield, admitting that their friendship "wasn't right." Britton, 69, quit This Morning in 2009 after co-hosting the programme alongside Schofield for many years. He departed the show in May 2023 following his admission of having a relationship with a younger ITV employee.
Mixed Emotions and a Difficult Departure
When quizzed in a recent interview about her reasons for leaving, Britton said: "I don't really want to go into that. I probably won't ever, but yes, it was a day that turned on a sixpence, and suddenly I thought, 'I've got to get out of here.'" Addressing speculation surrounding a falling-out with her co-host, she added: "It was hard, it was very difficult, very upsetting."
Despite this, Britton maintained that the pair had shared a genuine friendship. She told the Guardian: "I don't backtrack on that, but then, you know, give it time, and it wasn't right." Elaborating further on her feelings towards Schofield, she said: "It was very mixed emotions for me, that one. I can't really explain it, because we did have a very good working relationship, until we didn't, so it was tricky. I wish him well. I hope it all settles down and he finds some happiness."
Britton's Career Beyond This Morning
Alongside her long stint on This Morning, Britton has also graced the screens on Ready Steady Cook, Strictly Come Dancing, and BBC Breakfast. She has also addressed her departure from BBC Breakfast, revealing she was left "decimated" after being told she was "terrible" while filming was still under way. Britton fronted Breakfast Time from 1983 to 1986 before leaving to pursue opportunities elsewhere.
Traumatic Experience at BBC Breakfast
Speaking on James O'Brien's Full Disclosure podcast, Britton recalled one particular incident that left a lasting mark on her. She said: "I left because I was very unhappy there. The editor hated me, Frank hated me. It was made very, very difficult for me. There was one morning when the editor walked in at 8 o'clock sort of halfway through the morning and he came through the forest of cameras and he said to me: 'You are terrible, you are awful, now sit down there and do another hour.'"
Britton continued: "After the show, he called me into his office and locked it, he was in there with his deputy editor and they just shredded me and I cried and cried and cried." She subsequently revealed that following the confrontation, she was instructed to improve her appearance before being permitted to leave his office and was compelled to apply make-up before departing. She said: "It was a Friday and he said you're not leaving this office until you put some make-up on. I said 'It's in the bag, on the desk' and he went and he got my bag and I had to put my makeup on in front of him....What he did was really bad, it really decimated me."
