Having impressed on Strictly Come Dancing and with a BBC2 chat show running until Christmas, Fern Britton tells TV Times magazine that she can't believe her luck... This week sees the return of Fern Britton Meets (BBC1, Sunday), and some of your guests include Dionne Warwick, Frank Bruno, Daniel O’Donnell and John Barrowman... “John is a real energy force, but he had tears in his interview. He reveals a side of him that you don’t normally see – as John rather than as showbiz John.” How has filming this series been for you? “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed doing this series and it was wonderful to meet Daniel too. He was hilarious. I visited his home in Dublin and both he and his wife were wonderful. There is such a great bond between them.” You’ve spoken to so many people over the years, but who would you still like to interview? “I’ve always said I’d love to interview the Queen and I still do want to. I am not sure what my opening question would be, but she is such a warm and interesting person. Camilla and I share the same birthday and I have told her this in the past. We smile about it. She is lovely, too. I have done several short interviews with David Cameron in the past. Politicians are fascinating when they are seen as human beings. Remove the politics from David and I like him very much. Nick Clegg would be fascinating too and I would still like to interview Gordon Brown.” Since leaving This Morning, you’ve been able to do a variety of different projects... “I can’t believe my good fortune at the moment. I am very happy and to be able to sit at home and write is wonderful, and to be around my family a lot – well you can’t beat that.” How do you reflect on your Strictly experience? “I loved doing Strictly. It was much harder than I ever imagined. Not so much on the physical side, but more mentally. You had to get to know your partner very quickly. It’s an unusual situation to find yourself in where you do have to trust a stranger and Artem and I had a tempestuous time! I felt in a bit of limbo the day after the results show, but now I am really happy to watch it lying on the sofa at home with a box of Maltesers!” Do you have any plans yet for Christmas? “I am not sure who is coming yet, but nobody is going to get emotionally blackmailed to come. We will be in our jim-jams watching telly and doing what we like. I do enjoy Christmas and my favourite day is Christmas Eve. I don’t go to Midnight Mass as I am normally too tired by then, but it’s such a lovely, sparkly day. At night, I often stand by the back door and have a quiet moment. I send something up to the heavens and that’s important to me.”
