Phil and Fern THE WAR RAGES ON?

They put on a show of unity but the 13-year tension between Fern and Phil still simmers

- CHLOE THOMAS

The sugary video message suggested that the well-publicised feud between Phil and Fern has been laid to rest, all the rancour of the past, forgotten.

Hand on heart, Fern Britton, 64, paid tribute to her old This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield, congratulating him on his stellar 40-year career in television.

In her sweet trademark tone, Fern gushed, ‘40 years is an incredible milestone, I wish you a very happy future, congratulations and keep going.’

But now body language expert Judi James tells us that Fern’s message appears to be dripping with insincerity and that the veteran presenter, who was replaced on This Morning in 2009 by Holly Willoughby, may still be quietly fuming.

Speaking to Woman, Judi said, ‘Fern threw herself into the heart of the gush like someone going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Fern’s appearance hinted at a thawing of any potential frost, but her body language and words look a little less convincing. Verbally there was a lack of affection or flattering comments about Phil’s personality.’

And with mounting speculation that Phillip’s days on This Morning are perhaps numbered, Judi James says that Fern appears to be dropping her old nemesis a hint, that his time on the show is up! ‘Fern adopts a nurturing parent tone, seeming to tell him it’s ‘time for you to stop’ and to have a ‘very happy future’.

Bitter rivalry