Ex-This Morning presenter ‘revealed’ as Celebrity Big Brother housemate

Star will reportedly be among 10 famous faces to enter house next month

One of this year’s Celebrity Big Brother housemates has been “revealed”.

The reality show is set to return next month for its first run since ITV rebooted the series, and rumours are swirling about which stars could be entering the house.

Now, days after one potential star claimed they have been “dropped” from the series 10 days before the launch episode, it’s being reported that a former This Morning presenter has signed up to the show.

According to The Sun, Fern Britton, who hosted the ITV daytime series from 1999 to 2009, will be one of the Celebrity Big Brother housemates.

Britton presented This Morning alongside Phillip Schofield, who dramatically quit the series in May 2023 after admitting to lying about an affair with a younger male colleague.

During their working relationship, Britton clashed with Schofield, with the latter revealing in his 2012 memoir Life is What You Make It that Britton once accused him of “meddling” with the daytime show’s content, forcing him to “calmly” tell her: “Please don’t do that to me again.”

When Britton quit the show, being replaced by Holly Willoughby, she released a statement addressing the show’s team in general – but did not specifically name Schofield.

Schofield also claimed in his book that their previous row “was the point she decided she didn’t want” to be on the show any more.

In 2013, Schofield told Heat that he and Britton are “not really” in touch any more, with Brittontelling MailOnline: “Like Morecambe and Wise, we chose not to live in each other’s pockets. We were a great professional partnership but we never went on holiday together.”

Fern Britton has reportedly signed up to ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ (Getty Images)

Rumours of a rivalry between the pair resurfaced when, during This Morning’s 30th anniversary episode, the latter claimed she wasn’t invited to a ceremony honouring the series.

“Congrats on the Bafta,” she said, adding: “That was absolutely wonderful and brilliant. I would have loved to have been there but I didn’t get an invitation.”

When Schofield pointed out that she was on stage in Scotland at the time of the event, Britton replied: “I wasn’t on Monday night – I would have come but I wasn’t invited.” Schofield told his social media followers that Britton had “memory loss” and would have been welcome to attend.

A source told The Sun of Britton’s rumoured CBB appearance: “She wants to show the public a different side to her – unscripted and unapologetic. She has a lot of stories to tell and she won’t hold back when it comes to her relationships with people like Phil. They don’t speak anymore so there are no bridges to burn as far as she is concerned.”

Fern Britton and Phillip Schofield hosted ‘This Morning’ together (Getty Images)

An ITV spokesperson told The Independent: “Any names for Celebrity Big Brother are purely speculation.”

Celebrity Big Brother, hosted by AJ Odudu and Will Best, launches on ITV1 and ITVX on Monday 4 March.