Fern Britton to quit This Morning in July

Fern Britton to quit This Morning in July
Fern Britton to quit This Morning in July (Image credit: PA Archive/PA Photos)

Fern Britton is to quit as co-host of This Morning after 10 years. Fern - who fronts ITV1's flagship daytime magazine show alongside Phillip Schofield - will leave when the current series ends in July, ITV confirmed on Wednesday. Fern said: "After 10 years with This Morning, I have decided to leave the show at the end of the current series. I will present my last show on 17 July, my birthday, which seems somehow appropriate." She went on: "The This Morning team are simply the best and I will miss them all very much but I am looking forward to the freedom of exploring other things I want to do, and also spend more time with my wonderful family. "So many thank yous to all our viewers who have shown me so much kindness and loyalty." Fern's exit marks the end of a seven-year This Morning presenting partnership with Philip, who was brought in to replace John Leslie in 2002. Phillip said on his website: "I'm obviously very sad that, after 10 triumphant years on This Morning, Fern has decided to leave the sofa. "I've been lucky enough to work with her for six of those years and can honestly say that they have been amongst the best of my career. We have cried together over stories and we have laughed ourselves breathless too. "From day one we just 'clicked' and I'm really proud of what we have achieved together on the show." In February, it emerged that Fern was only thought to be getting a third of the salary paid to Phillip for another ITV1 show they present, All Star Mr and Mrs. A source for the programme said that Fern would receive £15,000 a show, while Phillip would be paid £45,000 a show, when the series returns later this year. ITV denied these claims. Get exclusive access to your favourite stars. Subscribe to TV Times magazine

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.