CBB: Fern Britton to discuss Phillip Schofield with kindness

One of the biggest reality TV shows has finally returned after six years, following the civilian Big Brother reboot on ITV last year.

But as the 13 celebrities get to know each other, viewers will be wondering if any gossip will be shared, from Phillip Schofield’s time on This Morning to the whereabouts of Kate Middleton.

Fern, now 66, has said she will approach the discussion of Phillip with “caution and kindness.”

Best-selling author, iconic presenter and now Celebrity Big Brother Housemate... it's Fern Britton #CBBUK pic.twitter.com/7NpYkxuhHg

— Celebrity Big Brother UK (@bbuk) March 4, 2024

The pair worked together on the famous This Morning sofa for eight years before she exited in 2009.

However, Phillip left last year after more than two decades, before admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger colleague and stepping down from ITV.

This Morning's Fern Britton said she wasn't expecting to resign 'on the day I resigned'

Discussing her former co-host Phillip and her time on the show, Fern told The Mirror: “Apparently I've signed up to spill the beans! Well, right now, I can tell you that I think let's approach with caution and kindness. It’s fair to say that towards the end we were not getting on. Things were tricky.

"There are some things that I think as a collective almost nation there are things you can't and wouldn't want to hear or see or be talked about.

"I haven't been on that show for 15 years. I don't know anything that's been going on since then. And so it would be A, very old views. B, not terribly interesting, but I did love This Morning. I absolutely loved it. I wasn't expecting to resign on the day I resigned.

"There's a lot of stuff that I have obviously learned from and toughened up a bit. And it hasn't all been a breeze, but I don't regret, apart from if I'd put my mind to it, I could have done more."

Speaking about her “potty mouth” on Celebrity Big Brother, the mother-of-four added: “I think I've generally been myself [on screen]. They might be surprised at how much I swear! I’ve got a potty mouth.

"I taught all my children all of the words and how to use them properly. Context is always a thing. Context, never in aggression. Only ever for amusement!

"I've got to try hard not to offend friends of mine who might be offended by that, but hey. I asked all the kids separately because if one of them had said 'really don’t mum', then I wouldn't have, but they all wished me luck and have been very good.

"One of my girls, she's so funny, she does make me laugh. She said, 'well, of course I'm not going to watch it, mum. It's not my sort of thing'. But then last night she did say she’d watch me on fast forward!"

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Fern, who will have been in the TV industry for 44 years this year said she agreed to enter the Big Brother house because “I could do with an adventure and that was it.”

She explained: "Foolish! I realise somebody might say I’m expecting more work, no, I'm not. I'm just expecting to have an interesting time and have a laugh, really. Here I am, 67 in the summer and still looking forward to an adventure and everybody who's approaching 60 or is around this age, you can so easily lose confidence.

"The number of women who'd say, 'well, nobody looks at me anymore. I'm not whistled at anymore'. Invisible, that's the word. Well, maybe that's a superpower now because you can get away with anything. Let your 60s be your naughtiest decade. Get out while you're still working, while your body's still good, your brain's still good. Enjoy it.”

Celebrity Big Brother continues tonight (March 5) at 9pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.