‘I feel mentally better than I have for 20 YEARS'

Fern Britton opens up about life in lockdown after her separation from husband Phil, and she reveals who is helping her to find herself again

- SELINA MAYCOCK

While some love lockdown and others hate it, the past 11 weeks of isolation have helped Fern Britton on the road to recovery as she comes to terms with personal issues that she hasn’t had time to bounce back from, until now.

‘It’s given me a little time to recuperate,’ Fern explained. ‘I’ve had a tough couple of years – my mum died, my father died, my cat died, my marriage folded – so to get a chance to just sit and not have any responsibility or worries, it’s lovely. I feel mentally better than I have for 20 years.’

The TV presenter-turned-author’s struggles are no secret – Fern announced the end of her 20-year marriage to chef Phil Vickery back in January, just a month after losing her dad, Tony.

And despite the COVID-19 circumstances, family and friends are helping Fern build a brand new life.

A CORNISH RETREAT