Fern Britton has opened up about what she considers the worst part of marriage, describing a specific moment of dread. The former This Morning presenter, who split from TV chef Phil Vickery in 2020, said the sound of a key turning in the lock could make her heart sink.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Britton explained: 'That moment when you hear the key in the lock and your heart sinks because things haven't been going well. What's the mood? What's the temperature? That feeling of here we go again.' She had been married twice, first to Clive Jones and then to Vickery, with whom she shares a daughter, Winnie.
Since her separation, Britton has embraced single life. Speaking to Woman's Weekly in September 2025, she said: 'I'm in a good place... I'm enjoying life and having fun.' She added that she relies on a close network of female friends and is not looking for a new partner, stating: 'I don't want to live with anyone - and I don't want to get married again.'
Britton also reflected on her difficult departure from BBC Breakfast in the 1980s. She told James O'Brien's Full Disclosure podcast that an editor told her she was 'terrible' and 'awful', and that a subsequent meeting left her 'decimated'. She recalled being locked in an office and being told to 'put some make-up on' before leaving.
A BBC spokesperson responded: 'We’re sorry to hear if anyone has had a bad experience in the past. Today’s BBC has robust policies and processes in place to ensure duty of care for all who work for us.' Britton will appear on Richard Osman's House of Games on BBC Two tonight.
