Fern Britton’s weight loss secrets: How life-changing steps helped the This Morning legend, 68, drop five stone after years of dieting struggles

For most of her adult life, Fern Britton has spoken candidly about her struggles with weight — fluctuating between a size 22 and a size 12 while trying almost every diet under the sun.

But something quietly changed.

A look at how Fern Britton’s life-changing steps that have helped the This Morning legend drop five stone after years of dieting struggles (pictured left 2025, and right, in 2008)

After stepping away from her decades-long role on This Morning and embracing a slower, calmer life in Cornwall, the 68-year-old TV icon has finally taken control of her health — and the results have left fans stunned.

Last year, amid swirling rumours about Ozempic, Fern put the speculation to rest.

“People often wonder when you’ve lost lots of weight whether you’ve done it naturally,” she told Woman&Home.
“And I can look at you and say, ‘Yes, I have.’”

The star, 68, now looks worlds away from herself four years ago (pictured 2022)

So what really happened behind the scenes?

The Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything

A couple of years ago, Fern underwent shoulder surgery — a moment she now describes as the turning point.

“I thought, ‘I need to get my life back on track,’” she admitted.
“I need to stop smoking, stop drinking, get eating under control and stop lying in bed feeling sorry for myself.”

That brutal honesty sparked a complete lifestyle reset.

From the Sofa to 6.5K Runs

Since finishing her decades long stint on This Morning and enjoying a slower-paced life in Cornwall, Fern has taken back control of her health

Fern signed up to the NHS Couch to 5K app — a gentle programme designed to turn beginners into runners.

By September, she proudly revealed she had run an astonishing 6.5 kilometres.

“I just did 40 minutes of actual running, with a five-minute warm-up walk and a five-minute cool-down,” she shared online.
“So 50 minutes all together, but 40 minutes running. I covered 6.5K — I can’t believe it!”

Lifting Weights, Not Excuses

Fern embarked on the Couch to 5K programme, which is an NHS app that helps people get into running

Running wasn’t her only weapon.

Fern has regularly posted snaps from her home gym, lifting dumbbells and barbells with a beaming smile. In April, she posed in a pink long-sleeved top and fitted black cycling shorts — fans barely recognised her.

The Health Scare That Refocused Her Body

Back in September, Fern updated her fans on her running journey and revealed she had managed to run 6.5K

In a previous interview with HELLO!, Fern revealed that her determination to build strength followed a terrifying battle with sepsis in 2016 after a hysterectomy.

“My legs and arms are much stronger. My tummy is much stronger after four children and everything else my body’s been through,” she said.
“I was really close to dying — and yet you can still get up, go out, run and be strong again.”

The Sugar Cut That Changed Her Diet

In October, Fern shared snaps from her trip to Italy for a cycling holiday.

Alongside running, cycling, walking and weight-training, Fern quietly overhauled her eating habits.

She cut out 80 per cent of her sugar intake.

“I started to think about what I was eating, which I had never done before,” she admitted.

Three sensible meals a day became her rule — especially while enjoying cycling holidays in Italy, where she shared sun-soaked snaps with her “Bike Buddies.”

“A glorious week in Italy with the Bike Buddies! Friendships spanning 20 years. Love you ladies,” she captioned one post.

Fans Left Speechless

Dozens of fans commented on Fern’s weight loss transformation and age-defying appearance, writing: ‘Looking fire Fern.’

The transformation sparked an outpouring of praise.

“Looking fire, Fern,” wrote one follower, while dozens more marvelled at her age-defying glow.

A New Chapter in Cornwall

Five years ago, Fern moved permanently into her Cornish holiday home, renovating it slowly “bit by bit.” The peaceful pace has also fuelled her writing career.

Her latest novel, A Cornish Legacy, is her 11th book — taking two years to write, double her usual time. Since the pandemic, she has released Daughters of Cornwall, The Good Servant, and more, proving her second act is only just beginning.

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/