Fern Britton has revealed she has no interest in getting into a new relationship anytime soon after splitting from husband Phil Vickery in January.
The TV presenter’s former flame, 59, was recently reported to have sparked a new romance with shepherdess Alison O’Neill, but Fern, 63, is more than happy to have her ‘autonomy’ for the time being.
Speaking to The Mirror, Fern said: ‘I am enjoying not having to share life with somebody else. I’m not a man-hater. Men are great. I don’t think I’m prepared to hand over my autonomy just yet.’
Honest: Fern Britton, 63, has revealed she has no interest in getting into a new relationship anytime soon after splitting from husband Phil Vickery, 59, in January
Fern, who was married to Phil for 20 years and ex husband Clive for 12 years, insisted she does sometimes miss being married.
She said: ‘That’s not to say I don’t miss being married, because I have been married to two incredible husbands for over 30 years, so I have been married for a very long time – two very interesting men who survived being married to me.
‘It is difficult and it is painful but let’s skip over that… I am not looking for anybody else.’
It comes after Phil was reported to have been exchanging flirtatious online messages with a shepherdess, following the end of his marriage to Fern.
Fern said: ‘I’m not a man-hater. Men are great. I don’t think I’m prepared to hand over my autonomy just yet’ (pictured with Phil in 2017)
The TV chef has exchanged a series of messages with Alison O’Neill, a Yorkshire Dales sheep farmer.
According to The Sun, Phil and Alison, 56, who is a divorced mother-of-one, first met while filming a segment for ITV’s This Morning.
Alison has had regular cooking slots filmed in the studio and at her home while they have also filmed segments on lambing at her 35-acre farm.
A source told the publication: ‘Phil and Alison became good mates. They have very natural chemistry. A few people have been gossiping.’
The pair often comment on each other’s tweets and, back in February, Phil retweeted some Valentine’s themed messages from Alison.
MailOnline has contacted a representative for Phil for comment.
Flirty: Phil has reportedly been exchanging flirtatious online messages with a shepherdess, following the end of his marriage to Fern
Split: The TV chef who split from Fern in January after 20 years of marriage, has exchanged a series of messages with Alison O’Neill, 56, a Yorkshire Dales sheep farmer
Last month, Fern shared a cryptic post about being ‘used’ and ‘betrayed’ eight months after announcing her split from Phil.
The television personality retweeted a cryptic social media post about ‘betrayal, falling out and being used’ and said the words ‘fit so perfectly.’
It read: ‘In life, you will fall out with people that you never thought you would. Get betrayed by people that you trusted with all your heart.
‘And get used by people you would do anything for. But life also has a beautiful side to it.
Meeting: Phil and Alison, who is a divorced mother-of-one, first met while filming a segment for ITV’s This Morning
‘You will get loved by someone you never thought you would have. Form friendships with people that will establish more meaningful and stronger relationships. And overcome things you never thought you would get over.
‘We all have chapters that end with people at some point in life. But take pride in knowing that the very best part of your book is being written.’
Fern then added: ‘Whoever wrote this KNOWS ! Xx.’
Back in June, Fern spoke about her marriage to Phil breaking down on ITV’s Lorraine, saying: ‘Unfortunately, we fell apart!’
A source said: ‘Phil and Alison became good mates. They have very natural chemistry. A few people have been gossiping’
Valentine: The pair often comment on each other’s tweets and, back in February, Phil retweeted some Valentine’s themed messages from Alison
The TV personality explained that she was trying to finish her book while everything in her personal life was going on, and confessed that she ‘needed the rest’ which was forced on her by lockdown.
Fern explained: ‘Unfortunately, Phil and I fell apart. And I had this book to write this book and get it out on the deadline.
‘And once all that was done, lockdown happened and it’s like three months of – I needed that rest, you know?’
Fern and Phil share daughter Winnie, 18, whilst the Ready Steady Cook presenter also has twins Harry and Jack, 26, and Grace, 23, with former husband Clive Jones.
Post: Last month, Fern shared a cryptic post about being ‘used’ and ‘betrayed’ eight months after announcing her split from husband Phil
She said: ‘We separated at the beginning of the year and fortunately it’s all smooth. We just came to the end of the road, you know, which is sad.
‘So, I’ve been adjusting to life as just me to think about, and my two daughters happen to be here because they got stuck in lockdown, happily for me.
‘It’s a time for me to really adjust my existence, which on the one hand is really quite exciting, but you’ve also got to process it for a while.’
The couple tied the knot 20 years ago in 2000, after Fern had split from Clive in the same year following a 12-year marriage.
The couple met on This Morning when Fern hosted the show alongside Phillip Schofield – who now hosts with Holly Willoughby – and the star previously said she never thought she would find love again as a mother of three children.
Honest: Back in June, Fern spoke about her marriage to Phil breaking down on ITV’s Lorraine, saying: ‘Unfortunately, we fell apart!’ (pictured in 2009)