Fern Britton Opens Up About Marriage's Darkest Moment
Fern Britton has candidly described the 'worst thing about marriage' as that moment when you hear a key in the lock and your heart sinks. The former This Morning star, who has been married twice, shared her honest reflections in a recent interview with The Telegraph.
Britton, who split from TV chef Phil Vickery in 2020 after 20 years of marriage, revealed: '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.'
Life After Divorce: Finding Freedom and Independence
In September 2025, Britton spoke to Woman's Weekly about embracing single life. She said: 'I'm enjoying life. I'm in a good place, I feel that I've found the person that I used to be, and I'm enjoying life and having fun.' She credited a strong network of girlfriends who are 'good at putting the world to rights.'
When asked about the possibility of new love, Britton admitted she isn't looking. 'I don't want to live with anyone - and I don't want to get married again. I'm a very independent person and the older I get, the more I realise I like my freedom.'
Past Struggles: Leaving BBC Breakfast
Britton also reflected on her difficult departure from BBC Breakfast, which she hosted from 1983 to 1986. Speaking on James O'Brien's Full Disclosure podcast, she claimed: 'I left because I was very unhappy there. The editor hated me, Frank hated me. It was made very, very difficult for me.'
She recalled a specific incident when the editor told her she was 'terrible' and 'awful' during a broadcast, then called her into his office and 'shredded' her. 'I cried and cried and cried,' she said, adding that she was 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.'
Catch Fern Britton on Richard Osman's House of Games tonight (July 20) on BBC Two, from 6pm to 6.30pm.
