Fern Britton opens up on 'very brutal' twin university goodbye
DIRECT ANSWER: Fern Britton told Kate Thornton's White Wine Question Time podcast that waving off her twin sons Harry and Jack for university was "very brutal" — they left suddenly, did not want her to drive them, and the household shrank from six people to just her. She urged parents to expect emotional tension and small spats on moving day.
The former This Morning and Ready Steady Cook presenter spoke candidly after host Kate Thornton said her 18-year-old son was heading to university. Fern Britton's remarks, reported by The Mirror, have resonated with parents facing similar goodbyes.
Key Takeaways
- Fern Britton described her twins' university departure as "very brutal" and emotionally abrupt.
- She has four adult children: Winnie, 23; Grace, 28; and twins Harry and Jack, both 31.
- Parting with both twins at once felt harder than earlier farewells spread over time.
- She advised expecting morning tensions and minor arguments during emotionally charged move days.
- Fern Britton also returns Sunday for series two of Fern Britton: Inside The Vets on ITV1.
What did Fern Britton say about her twins leaving for university?
On the podcast, Fern replied to Kate's mention of a son leaving home: "It's very difficult. Yes. One minute there's six of you and then there's only you." She called the experience "Definitely. Very brutal. Just suddenly gone and didn't want me to deliver them or anything really."
That blunt honesty reflects how sharply the moment changed her daily life. Where earlier goodbyes with other children had been stretched across time, both twins leaving together removed two household members at once.
Why was saying goodbye to Harry and Jack so different?
Fern is mother to Winnie, now 23, with former husband Phil Vickers, and Grace, 28, plus twin sons Harry and Jack, both 31, with Clive Jones. She acknowledged that farewells with her other children had been more gradual, whereas the twins' exit felt immediate and independent.
She also offered Kate practical guidance for moving day itself. Fern explained that because everyone is emotionally involved, "there's going to be little spats like 'I'll take your bag! I can do it mother' all the sort of stuff." Those friction points, she suggested, are a normal part of a high-stakes morning rather than a sign something has gone wrong.
What lessons did Fern Britton learn from the farewell?
Fern said the experience "taught me some things like to accept that they are going to be tensions on the morning." Accepting that friction may surface when emotions run high can help parents navigate the day without taking every exchange personally.
Her broader reflections on difficult family transitions echo comments she has made elsewhere about divorce being far from pain-free. For readers following stories about personal loss and life upheaval in our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries section, Fern's willingness to describe family change without softening it stands out.
When does Fern Britton return to TV with Inside The Vets?
Alongside her personal reflections, Fern Britton is back on screen for a second series of Fern Britton: Inside The Vets. According to Vet Times and TV Zone UK, the documentary returns Sunday 12 July on ITV1, following day-to-day life at The Grove Vets, a family-run practice in Bristol.
The season two premiere features a Romanian rescue dog with a lump in his mouth, a Doberman with a sore paw, cavalier King Charles spaniel sisters due for spaying, and Fern helping groom a long-haired cat. It marks a return to the warm, behind-the-scenes format that launched last summer.