Fern Britton has opened up about the personal reason driving her impressive five-stone weight loss, insisting her transformation is less about appearances and more about family and health.
The former This Morning presenter, 68, admitted that while her new lifestyle began in 2023 ahead of shoulder surgery, it quickly became about something bigger: her children. “This is about staying fit for my kids, so they don’t have to worry about me, and it’s about enjoying this stage of life,” Fern told Woman’s Weekly.
Over the past two years, she has quit smoking, taken up running with the help of the Couch to 5K app, and committed to a diet rich in protein and vegetables. She says the combination has boosted her energy and allowed her to approach life with a newfound sense of freedom. “Actually, I’m very proud of myself. People are obsessed with what size you are, and this isn’t about that.”
Fern, who shares twins Harry and Jack, 31, and daughter Grace, 27, with her first husband Clive Jones, as well as daughter Winnie, 23, with chef Phil Vickery, stressed that her biggest priority is being present and healthy for her family.
Her journey with weight loss has not been easy. In her memoir The Older I Get: How I Repowered My Life, she recalled having gastric band surgery in 2006 when she was a size 22. While it initially helped her shed weight, she admitted the years that followed were challenging, with sugar-filled treats slipping past the band all too easily.
This time, Fern’s strategy has been focused on fitness and balance rather than quick fixes. The results have not gone unnoticed—fans flooded her Instagram with praise when she promoted her latest novel A Cornish Legacy. “Omg you’re looking amazing!” wrote one admirer, while another gushed: “You look absolutely bloomin gorgeous.”
