Fern Britton's heartbreaking admission about distance from family after Phil Vickery split

By Kathryn Ingate, Deputy Editor of Trendswatch

Fern Britton split from Phil Vickery after 20 years of marriage (Image: ITV)

Fern Britton, who is making her TV return tonight on Richard Osman's House of Games, has admitted her grown-up children are "busy in their own lives", and she is always left wanting to see them more.

The former This Morning presenter shares her youngest child, daughter Winnie, with her ex-husband Phil Vickery, and is also mum to Harry, Jack, and Grace from her first marriage to Clive Jones.

In a candid interview with Hello! Magazine in November, Fern confessed she would like to have more quality time with her kids, but "we live a long way from each other".

She shared: "The boys are nearly 31 and they’re busy in their own lives, but they’re good guys. We live a long way from each other, but we speak a lot – they ask me how I am and that’s great. That’s all I need. I’d like to see them more, but that’s life."

Fern Britton with ex-husband Phil Vickery (Image: Getty)

Fern has been living with her daughter Winnie in Cornwall since her split from TV chef Phil, which was announced to shocked fans of the famous couple in 2020.

Praising her youngest daughter, the author added: "Winnie is amazing. She lives with me and works as a labourer on a building site.

"Then she sits at the sewing machine; she made me a jacket the other day out of a great big cotton shawl. They are very kind to me, and very thoughtful."

Fern recently said she and Phil have stayed in contact on a "basic level" for the sake of Winnie.

Fern Britton is a mum-of-four (Image: Getty)

The star told Woman & Home magazine: "On those basic levels [we connect], but I don't need to know what he's doing in his personal life. That's not my business anymore."

Fern and Phil first met on the set of BBC Two's Ready Steady Cook, before working together on other shows like This Morning.

They confirmed the news of their divorce on social media, with Fern saying: "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."