Famed chef Phil Vickery has broken his silence after sharing a kiss with ex-wife Fern Britton’s best friend, insisting the couple are “just friends.”
This Morning favourite, 61, broke his lips with Lorraine Stanton, 58, when they left a London hotel together last month, leaving Fern “heartbroken and dumbfounded”.
MailOnline later revealed that Lorraine’s marriage had come to an end, forcing her to leave the family home, leading to speculation that she was about to settle down with Phil.
‘We’re just friends having lunch’: Famous chef Phil Vickery has broken his silence after sharing a kiss with ex-wife Fern Britton’s best friend, insisting the couple are ‘just friends’
When questioned by MailOnline about a possible new romance, Phil said, “Can’t comment on that because she’s just a friend.”
He added, “We’re just friends having lunch for God’s sake.”
When asked if ex-wife Fern was happy with his explanation, he added: “Yes, she tweeted. There you go, we’re friends.’
Phil, who had been married to Fern for 20 years, referenced a message the TV host posted on Twitter in the wake of the photos being published, in which she labeled reports that her former husband and best friend were in a relationship as “not Where’. ‘
However, MailOnline understands that Fern, 65, tried to minimize the situation after the photos appeared and was embarrassed.
‘We’re friends’: This Morning favorite broke up with Lorraine Stanton when they left a London hotel together last month, leaving Fern ‘heartbroken and stunned’ (pictured in 2017)
The insider explained: “Fern finds the situation weird and uncomfortable and has learned that Lorraine is clearly not a good mate.
“She is shocked and struggling to process her mixed feelings. On the one hand, she’d felt like she’d left Phil, but she hadn’t expected this new romance and it was hard to see.’
The trio’s deeply intertwined friendship has seen their social media pages littered with photos of the group together at various functions, with Lorraine spending time with both Fern and Phil on joint occasions and separately.
Fern still follows Lorraine’s Instagram page, whose bio reads: ‘Cherish yesterday, dream tomorrow, but live for today oh yeah!’ The pair were last photographed together in September 2019, four months before news of Fern’s divorce was announced.
Lorraine, who has been friends with Fern for years, told MailOnline that her family went through a ‘tough period’ after she left the family home she shared with her estranged husband Simon (September 2019)
Best Friends: The trio’s deeply intertwined friendship has seen their social media pages littered with photos of the group together at various functions
In June 2019 they enjoyed a weekend together in Windermere, Cumbria, where hospitality consultant Lorraine has lived for years.
Lorraine posted a selfie of the two grinning together as they enjoyed a cruise on Lake Windermere on the vintage steamer Osprey during intermission.
She captioned the photo: ‘A fantastic weekend in Windermere. My dear friend Fern came to visit, and the sun was shining, we couldn’t stop smiling.’
Lorraine told MailOnline that her family was going through ‘a rough patch’ after she left the £1 million house she shared with husband Simon and their two children.
(pictured in 2007)
The retired hospitality consultant said: ‘It’s a difficult time for me and the family. I no longer live in the marital home and it has nothing to do with the latest incident in the photos.
“We are going through a period of mourning as a family and I also just lost my stepfather. My children feel very vulnerable and very upset about the whole situation.’
Lorraine declined to reveal where she now lives or when exactly she moved out of the marital home, and also said she didn’t want to talk about the photos in detail.
Phil and Fern announced their split in January 2020 by posting the same statement on social media, which read: “After more than 20 happy years together, Phil and I have decided to go our separate ways.
“We will always share a great friendship and our lovely children. We would appreciate if our privacy is respected at this time. Thank you for your continued kindness and support.’
The former couple share daughter Winnie, 21, while the Ready Steady Cook presenter also has twins Harry and Jack, 28, and Grace, 25, with ex-husband Clive.
Dressed and Booted: Phil, who shares daughter Winnie with ex-wife Fern, attended the NTAs Thursday alongside his This Morning co-stars and posed with fellow chef Lisa Faulkner on the red carpet