Presenter and author Fern Britton: I’d like not to be so emotional
PRESENTER turned novelist Fern, 57, lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband Phil Vickery and has four children.
'My nickname is Fifi. I didn’t know my name was Fern until I was seven'
Not a lot of people know this but I’m very good at… ironing. The bigger the board, the better, and you need to have a very powerful iron.
My best friend is… I have three or four special friends who I am very fond of and love dearly, but I won’t say who they are or they’ll get bothered.
The best day of my life was every one of the days my children were born
My nickname is… Fifi. I didn’t know my name was Fern until I was seven.
The bravest thing I’ve ever done was… abseil off Smeaton’s Tower in Plymouth Hoe live on television. It was some time in the 80s and I nearly killed myself, but it was fun.
'The best thing my parents taught me was to have independence'
My favourite TV show is… always Coronation Street. I can’t miss an episode.
My perfect evening… would be getting into my pyjamas at about four o’clock, Phil and I ordering a takeaway then sitting and watching Coronation Street together.
My first kiss was with… I think it was Nicky Baldwin who is now Dr Nicholas Baldwin. He looks after a college near Oxford and we got married at his seventh birthday party.
One thing I’d change about myself is… Oh, what would I pick? There are so many things. I’m over-emotional – I’d like not to be so emotional.
The best thing my parents taught me was… to have independence.
Fern Britton loves a bit of muffin!
The last time I cried was… quite a while ago. At Christmas I watched the Victoria Wood drama musical That Day We Sang, with Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton, and it was so moving I cried while I watched that.
The first record I ever bought was… My Boomerang Won’t Come Back by Charlie Drake.
It’s not good for my image but I like… Celebrity Big Brother. Love it!
My greatest weakness is… lip gloss.
The shop I can’t walk past is… Waterstones.
My perfect Sunday is… If it doesn’t involve a bike ride, I would have a nice breakfast and then at 10 o’clock I’d take my radio, turn it on to The Archers, go to my greenhouse then start re-potting my seedlings and things like that.
My favourite place in Britain is… Cornwall. I lived there in the 80s in a beautiful little village called St Dominic on the River Tamar. I lived in a gorgeous little cottage next to a farmer and his wife – they were like my Cornish parents.
My last holiday was… about 18 months ago to Aspen in the US. Unfortunately, I got terrible altitude sickness, but then we went to Atlanta.
The best day of my life was… every one of the days my children were born.
If I had half an hour left on Earth… I’d gather Phil and all the children together then we’d eat bacon sandwiches and drink a pot of tea.
Fern’s latest novel A Good Catch is out in paperback (Harper, £7.99) on April 7. See Express Bookshop expressbookshop.co.uk.