TV chef Phil Vickery posts cryptic message on Instagram - hinting at reflecting on marriage to Fern Britton

Fern Britton's ex-husband Phil Vickery has sparked confusion among fans after a cryptic social media post appeared to reflect on their split.

The 66-year-old former host of ITV's This Morning parted ways with the chef in 2020 after 22 years of marriage. Their separation came after images surfaced in 2022 showing Vickery kissing Fern's close friend Lorraine Stanton.

Now Phil, aged 62, has posted a message on Instagram that left followers scratching their heads. The message hinted at past regrets, with a caption that said: "A lot of people mess up something good, by looking for something better, to end up with something worse."

Meanwhile, Fern made headlines by reaching the final of Celebrity Big Brother earlier this month. In January 2020, Fern had announced the end of her two-decade-long marriage to the celebrity chef but emphasised their enduring friendship. During her stint on Celebrity Big Brother, she openly expressed her disinterest in pursuing romantic relationships. In a conversation with Louis Walsh, she shared her desire to take life at a slower pace, reflecting on her career's relentless pace since the age of 20.

Louis, concurring with Fern's sentiment, explored the realisation of missed opportunities and unexplored paths with her. Despite Louis's encouragement for Fern to embrace love again, she firmly stated her reluctance to do so, saying, "I don't want to fall in love again."

Prior to entering the Celebrity Big Brother house, Fern reiterated her stance on romance in an interview with the Daily Mail.

She said: 'I'm not dating. There's an awful lot I'd like to know about myself first and to know that I am ready to be looking, otherwise you might turn up as another kind of hysterical mess, saying, ''He left me and it was awful!''