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Inside Phillip Schofield’s ‘feuds’ with TV stars – from Fern Britton to Eamonn Holmes

There's been some incidences over the years

As Fern Britton enters the Celebrity Big Brother house, reports claim that she could dish on her past alleged ‘fallout’ with Phillip Schofield.

Phil left ITV last May after admitting to having an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague. Over the years, there have been rumours that he’s fallen out with some TV stars.

But who are they?

Fern Britton on This Morning
Fern has headed into the CBB house (Credit: ITV)

Fern Britton and Phillip Schofield ‘feud’

Phillip allegedly fell out with Fern around the time she left This Morning. Fern co-hosted the ITV show with Phil from 2002 to 2009 but reports claimed that he earned three times the amount she did.

The telly star always denied this as the reason she had quit but the pair stopped talking. Phillip even claimed in his autobiography Life Is What You Make It that they had rowed backstage over the content of a This Morning episode.

“I walked back into the makeup room and calmly said: ‘Please don’t do that to me again,'” he penned. “I think, for whatever reason, that was the point Fern decided she didn’t want to do This Morning any more.”

Four years after Fern’s exit, Phillip told Heat magazine: “We were involved in the show and mates at the time, but we don’t really [speak]. I see Phil [Fern’s then-husband, chef Phil Vickery] when he’s in This Morning… But we’re not in touch now.”

Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton smile as they host This Morning
Phil and Fern previously hosted This Morning together (Credit: ITV)

Fern Britton ‘buried hacket’ with Phillip Schofield

Fern appeared to bury the hatched in early 2021, however, as Phil celebrated 40 years in television.

In a recorded message, she said: “Forty years is an incredible milestone and it’s time for you to stop and look back and see all that you have achieved and be proud of it.”

Fern Britton to spill details on Phillip Schofield in Celebrity Big Brother?

Now, Fern has headed into the CBB house and could spill details on the ‘fallout’. A source told OK!: “She felt like she was really hard done by when she left This Morning and now she wants to tell her side of the story.

“She actually blames Phillip Scofield for her losing her job and felt he had a lot to do with the fact she got pushed out for a younger model, she’s not afraid to speak out now and she’s not taking any prisoners.

“Viewers can certainly expect fireworks. She’s using it as an opportunity to relaunch her career.”

Inside Phillip Schofield's feuds - Ruth Langsford
Phillip and Ruth Langsford had a tense on-air exchange (Credit: Splashnews.com)

Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes

Another star that Phillip allegedly fell out with was Ruth Langsford. An awkward exchange on live TV led to a reported fallout between Phil and former This Morning host Ruth.

In 2019, the silver-haired star interrupted Ruth during a Loose Women crossover – and it didn’t go down well.

Ruth told This Morning viewers what was coming up on Loose Women when Phillip said: “Girls we’re going to have to jump in and stop you there I’m afraid because we’re a bit tight for time.”

Reports even claimed that Ruth had made an official complaint against Phillip to show bosses.

Her husband, Eamonn Holmes, has since told the Daily Mail’s Weekend magazine: “Phillip is renowned for snubbing people. He’s very passive-aggressive.”

Eamonn has also spoken out about Phil on several occasions since his ITV exit. After Phil shared a statement last May to hit back at “toxicity” claims behind the scenes of This Morning, Eamonn tweeted: “Schofield has just put out a delusional statement. Like Holly [Willoughby] he puts it on Insta Stories so if it goes wrong there is no record after 24 hrs. I’m reluctant to give the liar any more publicity but believe me Pip if you are looking for a fight, you have picked on the wrong person.”

Inside Phillip Schofield's feuds - Kerry Katona
Kerry Katona accused Phillip of ‘double standards’ (Credit: Splashnews.com)

Kerry Katona

TV star Kerry Katona hit the headlines in 2008 when she slurred her way through an interview on This Morning with Phillip and Fern.

The Atomic Kitten star faced accusations of being drunk but her speech issue was actually the result of medication for bipolar disorder.

When Phillip grilled her on her talking, Kerry told him: “This is going to be made into a huge publicity thing.”

The star later said she struggled to get work after the interview and accused Phil of “double standards”.

Inside Phillip Schofield's feuds - Kerry Katona
Kerry said she lost work after her 2008 This Morning interview (Credit: YouTube)

Kerry told New!: “Everyone thought I was [bleep]ed – which I wasn’t. So you can imagine how upsetting I find it when Holly and Phil came on the show hungover the morning after the NTAs.”

She added: “That to me just screams double standards. When you’re the king of ITV you can get away with anything – yet people think I’m [bleep]ed on the show and it nearly ruins my career. Funny that.”

In 2021, Kerry admitted she had finally kissed and made up with Phillip.

“I mean I get on great with Phillip now, and he’s been absolutely lovely,” she said in a podcast interview at the time.

Inside Phillip Schofield's feuds - Amanda Holden
Amanda Holden has remained tight-lipped about her rumoured feud with Phil (Credit: Splashnews.com)

Phillip Schofield and Amanda Holden

In 2015, Amanda Holden co-hosted This Morning with Phillip while Holly was on maternity leave. But he later described his temporary co-host as “scary”.

Three years later, reports claimed Phillip had influenced a decision on who should replace Holly while she was in Australia for I’m A Celebrity – Get Me Out Of Here!.

The Sun claimed Amanda was in the running but the offer was suddenly withdrawn by ITV bosses.

Inside Phillip Schofield's feuds - Amanda Holden
Phillip reportedly described Amanda as ‘scary’ (Credit: YouTube)

Phillip strongly denied the claims, tweeting: “When you try for 35 years to be the easiest, most fun person to work with and you read such hurtful and wildly untrue stories from nameless ‘sources’.

“Obviously I’ll take it on the chin..I just hope you know me better.”

In June last year, Amanda fuelled ‘feud’ rumours by seemingly reacting to Phil’s exit from This Morning. She posted a ‘strong arm’ emoji on Instagram at the time.

Rylan Clark speaking on Lorraine
Rylan Clark and Phillip Schofield reportedly had some issues (Credit: ITV)

Rylan Clark and Phillip Schofield

According to reports, Rylan Clark and Phillip also didn’t see eyeto-eye.

At the height of Phillip’s scandal last year, many fans believed Rylan threw shade at him. Rylan at the time claimed that many people in his industry “weren’t nice,” stating that the “walls are starting to fall”.

Then, at the time of Phil’s TV exit last year, Rylan shared a cryptic message on social media. He shared a selfie as he put up the peace sign.

In February 2024, a source claimed that Phil felt “threatened” by Rylan. They alleged: “It’s well-known that Phil felt threatened by Rylan, and Rylan wasn’t exactly discreet with his feelings about Phil. But Holly and Rylan have been in contact a lot recently and their night out was hopefully be the first of many.”

ED! contacted reps for Phil and Rylan for comment.

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield at ITV Palooza
Holly and Phillip were once best friends (Credit: SplashNews.com)

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby fallout

Phil and Holly were best friends for many years, sharing a lot of time together off screen as well as on. However, last year, their friendship reportedly became fractured following Phil’s affair admission.

When Phil left This Morning in May, Holly admitted feeling “hurt” and said on Instagram: “When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not.

“It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie.”

Inside Phillip Schofield's feuds - Holly Willoughby
Holly and Phil were once best friends (Credit: YouTube)

During an interview in June 2023, Phil opened up about his friendship with Holly. He told the BBC: “The last time we had a conversation was when I texted Holly and said, ‘Don’t reply’ – this was after the statement last week – ‘Don’t reply, you’re probably not allowed to, but I am deeply deeply sorry that I lied to you.'”

However, he said Holly didn’t reply to the texts.

Then in September 2023, Phil reportedly removed all traces of Holly from his Instagram. His daughters, Ruby and Molly, also unfollowed Holly on social media around that time.

When Holly made a return to TV in January 2024 following a three-month break, a source claimed that Phil wasn’t tuning in. They claimed: “Phil is still bruised by the whole Holly falling-out and the way it was played out publicly.”

Read more: Celebrity Big Brother 2024 full rumoured line-up – from Colson Smith and Fern Britton to Nikita Kuzmin

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Natasha Rigler
Freelance Writer