Fern Britton To Leave This Morning

TV's Fern Britton has announced she is to step down from presenting ITV's This Morning after 10 years on the show.

Britton will leave the programme when the current series comes to an end in July.

"After 10 years with This Morning, I have decided to leave the show at the end of the current series," Britton said. "I will present my last show on July 17th - my birthday - which seems somehow inappropriate.

"The This Morning team are simply the best, and I will miss them all very much, but I am looking forward to the freedom of exploring other things I want to do, and also spend more time with my wonderful family."

She also thanked her This Morning viewers for their "kindness and loyalty" over the years.

Britton's co-presenter, Philip Schofield – who has worked alongside her for almost seven years - said they "clicked from day one".

He added: "I'm obviously very sad that after 10 triumphant years on This Morning Fern has decided to leave the sofa.

"I've been lucky enough to work with her for six of those years and can honestly say that they have been amongst the best of my career.

"We have cried together over stories and we have laughed ourselves breathless too. I'm really proud of what we have achieved together on the show."

Fiona Keenaghan, ITV Studios' controller of daytime and lifestyle features, added: "It has been fantastic to have Fern presenting This Morning and we'd like to thank her for the amazing job she has done. She is one of a kind and the team will miss her when she steps down."

Britton, who is married to celebrity chef Phil Vickery, recently appeared on the Question Time panel and was also a competitor on the celebrity dance show, Let's Dance For Comic relief.

Last summer she was forced to admit her dramatic weight-loss she originally attributed to diet and exercise, was result of having a gastric band fitted in 2006.

(JM/BMcC)