Fern Britton has disclosed that bullying and mistreatment were the real reasons behind her departure from BBC Breakfast Time in the 1980s. The 68-year-old former presenter said she was 'decimated' and branded 'terrible' by the show's editor during a broadcast.
Speaking on James O'Brien's Full Disclosure podcast, Britton recalled an incident where the editor walked in during the programme and told her she was 'terrible', then ordered her to continue. After the show, she was called into his office, where he and his deputy editor 'shredded' her, leaving her in tears.
Britton said she was then forced to compose herself and apply makeup before being allowed to leave. 'What he did was really bad, it really decimated me,' she said. The clip drew support from fans, including Supernanny Jo Frost, who called it 'abuse' and 'misogynistic behaviour'.
Britton co-hosted BBC Breakfast Time from 1983 to 1986. She later presented This Morning for a decade from 1999 to 2009, leaving suddenly after what she described as being 'treated poorly'.
