Fern Britton has talked candidly about the breakdown of her first marriage and her struggle to conceive when she was 40 during a chat with Kate Thornton on her White Wine Question Time podcast.
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Touching upon her former relationships, the This Morning star reflected on her split from TV executive Clive Jones and explained: "Unfortunately my marriage broke up when she [Grace] was five months [old]. So that was a tricky one so I had a year of really digging deep, but then a year later I met Phil."
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Fern and Clive had married on 12 November 1988, and together they welcomed three children. In 1999, a year after her split from Clive, the TV star began dating celebrity chef Phil Vickery. They tied the knot in 2000 and welcomed their daughter Winnie a year later.
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Fern, 64, went on to discuss her struggles having children with her second ex-husband Phil, whom she parted ways from in 2020. "We were married after a year so that was two years since Gracie was born," she said of Phil. "And then the last chance saloon, I always say it's late-night shopping just before the doors close, Winnie arrived.
"Anyone who has been through IVF knows about those drugs and the enormity of building your hopes and dashing them, it's extreme."
Fern with her second husband Phil
Fern and Phil announced their separation in January 2020 by posting the same statement on social media, which read: "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."
The couple share daughter Winnie, 21, whilst the Ready Steady Cook presenter also has twins Harry and Jack, 28, and Grace, 25, with former husband Clive.
Appearing on Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh in October 2020, Fern touched upon her personal life after the host asked: "Now life has changed for you, you are down in Cornwall on your own - are you happy, content?"
"Well you know it's another chapter and we all have chapters," she replied. "But yeah, I'm in Cornwall and I'm living in a dear little house and I'm doing a bit of work to it, getting it nice. I'm building a little office, where I can sit and write."
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