08 March 2024 , 12:05
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Celebrity Big Brother star Fern Britton has finally broken her silence on her bitter fallout with with Phillip Schofield.
The pair were once upon a time thick as thieves as they co-hosted ITV's This Morning together before Fern, 66, suddenly announced her departure from the show amid rumours she had been unhappy that Phillip was being paid more than her for the same role.
Fern is most famous for being a This Morning presenter from 1999 until 2009 - and during the final seven of those years, she co-hosted the show with disgraced presenter Phillip, 61. However, their professional friendship ended on bitter terms - with Fern quitting This Morning.
Fern hasn't spoken to Phillip Schofield in 15 years (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)The pair have since made snide and savage comments about one other through the media in the years following - but they have never shared the true reason as to why they fell out.
In a new interview, Fern has broken her silence on their ongoing rift as she admits that she hasn't spoken to her former friend and colleague in over 15 years.
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Discussing if she will open up about their fall-out while on Celebrity Big Brother, Fern told Mail Online that she knows she will be asked about it, but she honestly has nothing to say given the fact she hasn't spoken to Phillip in over 15 years.
"I will truthfully say I have nothing to tell them about This Morning over the last few years, because I haven’t been there," she told. When asked whether it was her choice to leave the ITV programme, Fern said: "To leave This Morning? Ultimately, yes. I loved it and I would probably still be there if….Phillip and I were not getting on very well at that stage."
Fern left the ITV programme in 2009 (REX/Shutterstock)"Lots of the men you work with are much more fussed about their piece to camera and how many words they’ve got than they are about you," she added as she appeared to hint at why she left the show. And when asked if she has seen Phillip since leaving This Morning, Fern confessed: "I haven’t spoken to him, no."
It comes after Fern's most recent swipe at Phillip suggests she will be quick to quit Celebrity Big Brother if he was to enter the famous house. During Wednesday's instalment of the ITV reality TV show, Fern made her blunt declaration during a candid chat with Gary Goldsmith - the 58-year-old uncle of Catherine, Princess of Wales, 42.
Viewers watched as Fern opened up about her time on This Morning - and the recent spectacular implosion of Phil’s career. Phil quit This Morning in May last year as reports of backstage arguments with Holly Willoughby, 42, began to overshadow the show.
He quit in the hopes his exit would allow the show to carry on without more troubles - but then days later announced he was quitting working with ITV altogether as he admitted he had lied about an extramarital affair he had with a This Morning crew member.
Fern insisted she would walk away from Celebrity Big Brother if Phillip enters the house (ITV)Gary asked Fern if she knew any details of the scandal. Fern responded: “Genuinely I haven’t been there for 15 years. I got off the train and it's way over the horizon so I honestly don’t know. Anything I do say would be supposition.”
Of her time working on the ITV show alongside Phil, Fern said: “It was tricky at times. It is an institution that like the monarchy it rocks. I think Ben and Cat will do a great job. It’s a new era.” Gary then declared: “There were rumours that Phil was coming in here.” Fern looked alarmed by the idea and said: “Oh, well. That didn’t happen yet. Maybe that will happen as a surprise? I might have to leave at that point."