Beloved television presenter and author has opened up about her health struggles over the years, detailing how chronic conditions and a devastating injury pushed her to the brink.
Now, at 67, Fern is celebrating her recovery – but the road to full health has been far from easy.
Fern’s most recent health battle began with what seemed like a mundane household chore.
While changing the liner in her bin, she suffered a severe shoulder injury.
In her new book, The Older I Get, she wrote: “I opened the bin lid and thrust the bag forward.
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Fern Britton has been hospitalised several times for difficult health conditions (Image: Instagram Fern Britton)
“But instead of a sense of childish achievement, I felt an immediate searing pain. Instantly, I knew I’d done something serious.”
Despite being in “agony” for over a year, Fern didn’t seek medical attention right away due to the -19 pandemic backlog.
When she finally saw a surgeon, she was told she needed a total shoulder replacement.
She revealed: “I was so relieved that he knew I wasn’t making the pain up, I cried.”
The operation, which she went through with in Cornwall last October, was a success, and Fern has credited it as a turning point in her life.
Fern’s most recent operation saw her left shoulder completely replaced (Image: Getty)
Once Fern realised she faced a long wait for surgery, the presenter decided to use the time to overhaul her health and fitness.
“If the surgeon was going to help me, I was going to help him by getting fitter in readiness for the op,” she explained.
She embraced the Couch to 5k running program, revamped her diet, and quit smoking.
Despite suffering from arthritis in her knee and shoulder, Fern found joy in physical activity, particularly cycling.
She often shares her adventures on her electric bike, which she says is ideal for regaining confidence and tackling hills effortlessly.
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Before that she suffered from sepsis (Image: Getty)
This isn’t the first time Fern has faced a life-threatening health scare. In 2016, she secretly battled sepsis and pneumonia following a routine hysterectomy to address long-standing fibroids.
Recalling the ordeal for Prima magazine, Fern said: “This time last year I was fighting for my life. I’d gone into hospital on 13 July for a routine hysterectomy… The procedure went well, and I received fantastic care. But when I came home three days later, the problems began.”
After experiencing excruciating pain and being dismissed by both her GP and an emergency call handler, Fern’s life was saved by a receptionist who called her an ambulance.
Once at the hospital, it was discovered that Fern had several abscesses and E. coli.
She had emergency surgery, but after hearing her prognosis she was not sure she would survive.
“On the night of the procedure, I was resigned to dying,” she said. “The theatre nurse offered to put a plaster over my wedding ring. Instead, I took off my ring and gave it to my daughter. I hated the thought of them taking it from my dead body to give to her.”
Just days after the operation, Fern’s lung collapsed, and she developed pneumonia.
Thanks to the care she received, she made a full recovery and now raises awareness about sepsis through her social media platforms.
Fern’s health battles have inspired her to focus on self-care and embrace a more active lifestyle.
She credits her transformation to a mental shift, saying: “About a year or so ago, I realised that I wasn’t looking after myself—physically or mentally. Suddenly, it was like I flipped a switch and thought, ‘No, you’ve got to look after yourself.’”