Afternoon:
14°c
An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
NEW: Taxpayers have been handed a £143,000 bill for protecting BNP leader Nick Griffin during his appearance on Question Time, it has emerged
More...
Weary-looking Fern Britton makes a puffy-eyed return to This Morning after four-day absence
Last updated at 21:33pm on 11.06.08
The once big and bubbly Fern Britton looked tired and strained yesterday as she returned to ITV's This Morning.
The 50-year-old presenter missed four editions after the revelation that she had had a gastric band fitted two years ago to trigger weight loss.
Previously she had claimed she had shed five stone solely by diet and exercise. She even became the face of Ryvita diet snacks.
Tired: The stress showed all over the Fern Britton's face as she returned to This Morning, make-up failing to cover up the heavy bags under her eyes
She's back: Fern, showing off her nipped in waist with a thick brown belt, was absent from the show for four days
Some fans were outraged to learn that she had had her stomach stapled.
Miss Britton is understood to have nervous exhaustion.
On screen yesterday there were bags under her eyes and she seemed to have lost more weight - a fact accentuated by the belted red dress she wore.
She appeared distracted and on several occasions looked on the verge of tears.
Co-host Phillip Schofield was left to present the show alone on Tuesday when Fern failed to make an appearance for the fourth day running.
Addressing viewers, a tight-lipped Schofield then failed to explain Fern's absence, revealing only that he was 'flying solo'.
He made no mention of her absence yesterday.
Admission: Fern pictured yesterday and right, just months earlier in the same dress. She was forced to admit she had a gastric band fitted two years ago
The TV host had been expected back on Tuesday after taking two days off at the end of last week and missing Monday after she was forced to admit using a gastric band to lose weight.
A close friend of Fern's told the Daily Mirror: 'She is very down and we are are very worried about her. She feels she has let her fans down.'
'Flying solo': Phillip Schofield was left to present This Morning alone on Tuesday
'As her 50th birthday approached, Fern couldn't bear to look so big. She was determined to reach the big 50 a new woman.
'The surgery was a last resort so she was determined to keep it a secret. She asked her husband not to mention it around to other people.'
The presenter said she had been credited with making sweeping statements about her weight-loss, whereas she had actually said she was eating healthily and exercising - which was true.
She explained to the This Morning audience that she was forced to come clean after her representative - who didn't know she had had the operation - called her to say a Sunday paper was going to run a story on her having had a gastric band operation.
The popular presenter is now facing the sack from Ryvita, who reportedly paid her £200,000 a year to be the face of the health food crackers advertising campaign, which has the slogan, 'Britton Loves Ryvita'.
A spokesman for ITV, said: 'We are delighted to have her back.'
Related articles
Reader views (18)
Today's news is tomorrow's chip paper leave Fern alone it's her life and her body. People are just jealous fern.
- Jacqueline Musselle, Clitheroe
I think you ladies and gents need to get a grip on reality. I have never read so much dribble in all my life about your going to stop watching This Morning and you feel cheated. Your are not among the land of the living are you?
Fern is as human as you and I are. She would have lied to people if she said no I have not had gastric band surgery. By keeping quiet about it was not a lie, surely the British public should know the difference between lie and truth. She also may have been very embarrassed about it. I'm certain that it's a procedure that took a lot of consideration.
Now leave her be to get on with being who ever she wants to be and long may she continue to lose weight and enjoy her new lease of life with her family.
- Anon London, London
Leave her alone! I'd do it if I had the cash as would most people!
I don't remember Phillip Schofield getting this much grief when he went grey overnight!
- Emma, London
To be honest, she made money out of all those interviews she participated in once people started noticing how much she had lost, and giving out advice, she should have been honest. Having said that, it's not like she murdered someone! I don't understand the level of sheer vitriol and loathing this has stirred. So she didn't tell the truth or give the whole story, what does it matter really? How does it really affect anyone else except her? She still put the time and effort in as far as her diet and exercise regime is concerned along-side the surgery. At least she admitted to herself that she had a problem with her weight and did something about it.
- Kitty, London
I can't believe the fuss that's being made over this! Leave the poor woman along.
- J, London
So what if she had a band fitted? Ok, she didn't tell the truth about how she lost her weight, but Tony & Gordon have told much, much bigger lies over the years - have people forgot about that?
So wake up people & take notice of the bigger stories that actually affect you!
- Scott, London
I think Fern looks fantastic and so what if she didn't tell everyone. Its none of anyone's business. Her and Phil do a fab job and she has my full support.
Although why its of public interest I'll never know.
- Sarah, West Sussex
Can we put this in perspective. Fern lost weight, ok so she had some band inserted and kept quiet. In the grand scheme of what's happening in the world - ie 100 British soldiers have died fighting for our country, China have had catastrophic earthquake, Burma's Government won't let aid in etc et - is this really major news and does she really have to be enermy no 1! People obviously have little to worry about in their own lives.
Good for you Fern - you look great!
- Laurie, london
Fern Briton is a great presenter, a lovely woman, decent human being and a national treasure so back off Britain!
- Tina, essex
I'm sorry but her lying is an issue. She is someone who unfortunately a lot of women will follow. If she had this op done privately, fine. However as a tax payer I don't want what I work hard to earn to go to people who can't be bothered to really work hard to lose the weight the natural way.
- Louanne, London, UK
ha ha Monica you really need to get a life!
- Rachel, London
I suppose telling lies is hard work as you have to keep remembering what you said and topping up on them. No wonder she is tired. Perhaps it is now time for her to concentrate on her well being and family and just behave like a normal wife/mother instead of lying to the country/world. I think the worst thing about this story is that she made her family/friends join her in her deceit. I shall never watch This Morning whilst she is still the presenter, nor shall I watch any programme which involves her husband, ever again. I feel cheated.
- Monica, UK
I hope everybody wishes her well, and a speedy return to work.
I understand the issue, but it's not as though she had a dvd out on dieting or some other such publication.
The gastric band doesn't work on it's own. If you still eat the same as before it will make no difference, so she still had to eat less/better and probably exercise more. Which is all she has said when talking about it.
As for the Ryvita advert, she was doing this before she had the op - part of a self micky take on her size.
- Steve, Kent, UK
Why doesn't everyone stop giving Fern such a hard time. Ok, she was economical with the truth about the gastric band but come on who else wouldn't do the same in her position? It is a private matter after all and I really don't think it's anyone else's business. She never said (as far as I can make out) that she lost her weight entirely as a result of dieting and exercising only that she had been dieting and exercising. The press (and others) just assumed that it was only as a result of this - and we all know what assuming does, don't we?
- David, Cheltenham, UK
What Fern does with her life does not concern anybody else but she hid the facts about her weight lose and made us believe that dieting and exercising was enough to shed so much weight in such a short time. Shame on her! She's better than anybody else knows how painful is to be a big woman...why she did not want to help others telling the truth? I really don't understand
- Ampi, Aberdeen
I do not understand what the fuss is about. Fern hasn't done any harm to anyone. She only kept personal stuff personal until she decided to make it public. Who is the first to cast a stone? There is no perfect human being here on earth.
It just confirms like she is only human and like the rest of us. If she is sacked I will be so disappointed. There are more important issues to deal with in the world like poverty and finding a cure for diseases...
- Lyn, Student London
Fern - good for you! You look fabulous. Just remember that you can't please everybody, and the media will criticise whatever you do. The thing is to be happy, and if you are happy then what does it matter to anyone else. I too have a weight problem and wish that I could have the banding but it would have to be on the NHS - some hope!
Best wishes, see you on the telly again soon.
- Carol Callow, Portsmouth
I am an expat living in France and love the rapport between Fern and Phillip, it sets me up for the day. Fern is a champion to so many worthy causes and I feel it is despicable to hound her like this. Fern has done nothing wrong and I look forward to the day she returns to co-present with Phillip. Ruth is charming and a great presenter but Fern and Phillip go together like peaches and cream. Come back soon Fern and all the very best for the future.
- Doreen Dowling, Mellionnec, France.
