Fern Britton's love life from bitter first divorce to why she left Phil Vickery

12 March 2024 , 19:50

912     0

Fern Britton and Phil Vickery were together for 20 years (Image: ITV)

Celebrity Big Brother star Fern Britton has sworn off marriage after enduring several heartbreaks.

The former This Morning presenter, who this week stunned her fellow housemates by admitting to regularly going commando while wearing jeans, has led a rollercoaster love life behind the scenes. From a fiery divorce to a sad split, the 66-year-old has earned plenty of hard-won wisdom when it comes to matters of the heart - and she knows exactly what she wants when it comes to any future suitors.

Fern married her first husband, TV executive Clive Jones in 1988 and they welcomed three children together, twins Jack and Harry, and daughter Grace, but their happy ending wasn't to last.

Fern and Clive split over a secret IQ test (Rex Features)

Fern tied the knot with TV chef Phil in 2000 (Getty Images)

When Grace was five months old, their marriage broke down and the couple separated in 1998. Over two decades later, Fern revealed that their divorce was prompted by her secret IQ test. She claimed Clive was 'furious' after she went off and did a Mensa test, and passed, with the situation opening an 'immense rift'.

She told the Walking The Dog with Emily Dean podcast: "He had this degree and I don't. I secretly went off and did the Mensa. I lied, I said I was going somewhere else, and it took a day to do this test. I passed - and quite well too. Then he was furious so he did it because he's got a huge brain. But he's not a problem solver and he didn't get it. So an immense rift opened."

Reality TV personality Stephen Bear faces court over fence row with council

Fern and Clive divorced in 2000, and that same year, she married celebrity chef Phil Vickery. The couple met on the set of BBC Two's Ready Steady Cook and were together for 20 years until they announced their shock split in 2020. They share a daughter called Winnie together.

Phil and Fern met on Ready Steady Cook

In 2022, Fern opened up about the reasons for the split, explaining why she walked away. She told Woman & Home magazine: "We simply needed to follow our own paths. Over time we realised we weren't necessarily having the kind of life we once did. It seemed right to say 'thank you' and move on. But we do have a good friendship.

"Phil and I had the greatest fun together and we have the most beautiful daughter together, Winnie... so we will always be connected." She added: "Life has changed for me in the last 10 years, especially with my career. So it's lovely to think I can just concentrate on writing, the kids and getting on with life. This feels quite comfortable, and Phil and I knew it was the right thing to do."

Last year, she confessed that she's not ready to settle down and will not get married again, but the door to a new relationship is 'half open'. Fern told OK! Magazine: "I don't want anything much at all - just somebody who's there. That would be lovely." The star listed kindness, intelligence, humour and the ability to hold a good conversation as the traits she's looking for.

Celebrity Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX. Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on , , , , , and .

Nia Dalton