Little Britton: Fresh-faced Fern before she piled on the pounds

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But in newly-revealed photos taken in the 1980s, Fern is seen with a sensationally slim waist, after weekly work-outs in the gym.

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These never-before-seen photographs show a slim-line Fern relaxing after an exercise session in the 80's

Cheers: The popular TV presenter was a Panto star in 1988

Fern danced the night away at a sixties-themed bash at the home of a millionaire

Fern was headhunted by TVS in Southampton by new managing director Greg Dyke in 1985 and became co-anchor of the nightly news magazine, "Coast To Coast", with Fred Dinenage.

During her time with TVS, figure-concious Fern would pay weekly visits to a city centre gymnasium for a thorough workout.

One of the previously unseen photos shows her flopped down on a bench after doing sit-ups.

And slimline Fern also enjoyed a good party, managing to squeeze into her mother's clinched-waist dress for a sixties-themed bash at the home of a millionaire in the New Forest.

She arrived astride a luxury motorbike ridden by a mystery date. The pair danced the night away, at the mansion near Lyndhurst, Hampshire.

She also appeared in Panto, with Paul Nicholas, at Southampton's Mayflower Theatre, in an equally slimline outfit, in 1988.

An ITV1 source said: "Fern has always been a beautiful, classy lady."

Shrinking star: Fern has famously dropped four stone from a size 20 to a size 14