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Annie Roberts

Channel 5 Watercolour Challenge 2022: Fern Britton's divorce from This Morning chef and how her life was turned 'upside down'

Former This Morning presenter Fern Britton is heading to Wales in her new Channel 5 show the Watercolour Challenge.

The 64-year-old star, who lives in Cornwall, is known for a variety of roles from presenting on television to penning a series of novels.

From This Morning, to Ready Steady Cook, a stint on Strictly Come Dancing and a recent appearance on ITV's All Star Musicals - Fern has been part of British TV industry since the '80s.

Read more: Channel 5’s Watercolour Challenge: The Swansea NHS hero behind these beautiful works of art

We've taken a look back through the presenters colourful career and her marriage and divorce to celebrity chef Phil Vickery.

Fern Britton's career

Many may remember Fern Britton for launching her career as BBC One co-host of Breakfast Time in the 1980s.

But later in 1994, she became known for hosting the cookery game show Ready Steady Cook, she stayed in the role with BBC One until 2000 working alongside chefs such as James Martin and Antony Worrall Thompson.

In 1999, she started hosting ITV's This Morning permanently alongside Philip Schofield and in 2008, she joined Phil to host the revival of All Star Mr & Mrs.

TV presenters Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton (Dave Hogan/Getty Images)

In November 2008, Fern said she was taking a break from hosting This Morning and then returned in early 2009 saying the leave would be permanent.

In 2020, reports revealed the real reason behind her departure. Speaking on The Ray D'Arcy Show on RTÉ Radio 1, Fern had said: "I began not to enjoy it so much and the morning I resigned, I didn't know I was going to resign.

"Something happened and I thought, 'That's it really' and I walked away and resigned. I was treated pretty poorly, actually. And after awhile I just thought, 'Sod it'."

In 2011, Fern wrote her first book, New Beginnings, and has now got 13 fictional books to her name. A year after her first book was published, Fern joined the 2012 Strictly Come Dancing cast and was partnered with Artem Chigvinstev - the pair finished in 10th position.

Fern Britton and Artem Chigvintsev (Rui Vieira/PA Wire)

Most recently in 2021, Fern appeared on the Christmas special of ITV's All Star Musicals where she performed to ABBA's Super Trouper after receiving training from the likes of Elaine Paige and Samantha Barks.

At the start of 2022, she can be seen on TV screens hosting Channel 5's new TV show the Watercolour Challenge

Who is Fern Britton's ex husband?

Fern has been married twice, her first marriage was to Clive Jones from 1988 to 1998 and they share three children together.

In 2000, she married celebrity chef, Phil Vickery, after meeting on Ready Steady Cook but he is also known for working on This Morning since 2006.

Fern Britton and her now ex husband Phil Vickery (Ian West/PA Wire)

In January 2020, they announced on social media they had separated after 20-years of marriage. The pair share a child together, Winnie.

At the time Fern posted on Twitter: "After more than 20 happy years together, Phil and I have decided to go our separate ways.

"We will always share a great friendship and our lovely children. We would appreciate it if our privacy is respected at this time. Thank you for your continued kindness and support."

In December 2021, Fern appeared on Loose Women where she spoke of how she had gone through a period where her life was turned "upside down".

"My life did go upside down not just unfortunately with my marriage going wrong but you know my mum died three years ago and my father died two years ago this Christmas.

"And so I'm having to, I think after 30 years of being married, to two different men," she laughed: "but 33 years altogether and wonderful men I have to say... I am now having to learn how to do a lot on my own and make my own decisions."

Fern's personal life

Fern was born in London in July 1957 to actor Tony Britton and his then wife Ruth Hawkins.

The TV star sadly lost her father in 2019 and her mum in 2018.

The Mirror reported in early 2019 how Fern was finding it "difficult to accept" she had lost her mum.

“I’m finding it very difficult to accept that my mum is no longer here," Fern said: "I still can’t quite believe it because she’s so very present in my mind.

"I can still hear her in my head, I dream about her and the dreams are so vivid. She’s always telling me off about something.”

The mum-of-four has previously spoken about how she didn't have children until her late 30s. The Mirror reported in 2015 that in an interview with The Telegraph, the star had revealed how she'd had four cycles of IVF “which was very grim" before a successful cycle, which saw her give birth to her twin boys.

"By the fourth round I’d decided that was it," Fern had said: "And I couldn’t do it any more, and then of course that was the one that worked.

‘‘You pin your hopes on it, and you go through all of the horrible injections, which I got very good at doing myself. But it messes up your thinking process and your emotions."

When is Fern next on Watercolour Challenge 2022 on Channel 5?

Fern is currently hosting Channel 5's Watercolour Challenge TV show and the next episode airs on Channel 5 on Tuesday, February 1 from 4pm.

This week the show will be visiting Welsh landmarks such as St Donat's Castle, the Brecon Beacons, Rhondda Heritage Park, the River Usk and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Catch up on all the episode on My5.

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