Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Tom Bryant

Phillip Schofield's rival Fern Britton didn't text when he came out after bitter feud

Phillip Schofield has revealed his "heartbreak" over his feud with Fern Britton - who he claims didn't contact him when he came out as gay.

The TV presenter, 58, said that he had tried to "make it right" over the years but she had moved on and he "misses her deeply."

He came out as gay in February and then did a highly emotional interview with his co-host Holly Willoughby live on This Morning just minutes later.

Writing in his new book Life's What You Make It about Fern's reaction, Phil says: "When I came out, she didn't text me. She did text Steph though, which was really kind."

Phillip Schofield has revealed his 'heartbreak' over his broken friendship with Fern Britton (ITV)

Phillip claims that he and Fern had a row in a makeup room in 2009 over the content of a show – and he was "stunned" when she accused him of "meddling."

He says: "I walked back into the makeup room and calmly said, 'Please don't do that to me again.'

"I think, for whatever reason, that was the point Fern decided she didn't want to do This Morning any more."

Phil came out as gay earlier this year (S Meddle/ITV/REX)

In the book Phil shed some light on their close bond before they fell out.

He even had a hilarious nickname for her - Minty Minge - that viewers never knew.

It came after Fern dropped a bottle of mint sauce on the floor and it went up her nightdress.

Phil's new book is out now (Instagram)

Phil started calling her Minty Minge, and would make her laugh on TV when he shortened it to 'Minty'.

He added: "She made me roar when she said that once, she was closing a sash window whilst naked.

"She suddenly realised the next-­door neighbour was looking up at her and immediately repeated the pose in front of the bedroom mirror to see how she looked!

"She thought she must have looked like the three of spades!"

* Life's What You Make It by Phillip Schofield is out now

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.