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Fern Britton rose to fame after appearing on This Morning, but it was in a look back to her 20s that she revealed an incident at a Royal event attended by King Charles

Former This Morning star Fern Britton has said that she received a punch to the kidney from one of the King’s protection officers when she met the monarch during her teenage years.

In the early 2000s, she shot to fame after co-hosting This Morning alongside Phillip Schofield, but she has recently looked back to her younger days when she was trying to find her feet as an actor.

In a chat with Tim Lihoreau on the Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner? podcast, the 68-year-old revealed how she used to write letters to the then Prince of Wales asking if he could attend any of her shows.

While she admitted that she would always receive a response, it wasn’t until her 20s that she finally got the opportunity to meet the monarch while he was attending a money-raising event at Salisbury Cathedral.

But her once-in-a-lifetime moment didn’t go exactly according to plan after she claimed that she received a blow to the kidney as she approached His Highness: “There was one time when I did get a sort of kidney punch from one of his (King Charles’) protection officers, because I was getting a bit too close with a microphone when he went to Salisbury, because he was raising money for the Salisbury Cathedral spire to be refixed.”

And sharing more details on how the alleged incident unfolded, she explained: “I had a beautiful suit on and I was looking good.”

She continued: “I was in my early to mid-20s, and getting closer and closer and closer just to hear what he was saying to the crowd.”

The monarch then apparently glanced at one of his protection officers, and shortly after, she was struck. However, she admitted that she doesn’t think it was meant to be “that hard.”

Leaving her career in acting behind after leaving The Cambridge Theatre Company, she took her first steps into broadcasting in the 1980s when she took a local TV role in Plymouth.

While successfully landing a number of roles since then, it was in the 1990s that her career began to reach new heights.

In 1994, she was announced as presenter of Ready Steady Cook, but left the show shortly after becoming a full-time presenter on ITV’s This Morning, where she co-hosted until 2009.

Coleen Rooney has put her detective skills to use for a brand new job after her the clever way in which disclosed that Rebekah Vardy’s Instagram account was behind her leaked private information

Wagatha Christie star Coleen Rooney has landed a new job thanks to her cunning detective skills. The businesswoman is no stranger when it comes to figuring out the truth and her latest move has also seen her take a swipe at Arsenal.

Now, the 39-year-old is using her investigative skills once again – after she uncovered while trying to work out who was leaking private information from her social media to the public. Liverpudlian Coleen is starring in a new TV advert for Paddy Power in which she takes on a role working in Justice Refund, which sees her heading up a mock Investigation Department, taking on a wide variety of made-up cases.

One part of her new role sees her look in the viral catchphrase “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” and the “latest referring conspiracy theories” by dozens of Arsenal fans, with one claiming that the “footballs are out to get” the players. It comes after David Beckham speaks ‘as a father’ in ‘family’ announcement after latest Brooklyn snub.

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But Coleen believes the dozens of fans are actually one person, putting on fake voices for the phone call complaints. The Justice Refund will see Irish bookmaker Paddy Power give cash back to those who backed Manchester City in the Premier League since 2011, despite a verdict on their alleged 114 FFP breaches still to be decided.

Paddy Power’s Justice Refund covers eight seasons and will see Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool fans come out on top. Over 100,000 punters had backed Manchester United to win the league in 2011/12, 2017/18 and 2020/21. Meanwhile, Liverpool were backed in 2013/14 and 2021/22, while Arsenal were backed in 2022/23 and 2023/24 – they will all have their stakes returned, despite the verdict surrounding City’s 115 financial charges to be decided.

City had been hit with the 115 charges over alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play in February, but this later rose to 130. Reflecting on the City investigation, Coleen said: “As the investigation is still ongoing, we can’t be sure that Man City have broken FFP rules.

“The uncertainty isn’t fair on fans and leaves only one reasonable cause of action. Paddy Power should just be sound and do the biggest Justice Refund of all time.”

“I’ve spoken to the airline and they said Nancy sang ‘Hey Soul Sister’, three times in a row,” after a Jet2 passenger claimed she was “booed off the stage” during karaoke, adding she “didn’t have a leg to stand on.”

Reflecting on the Arsenal allegations, Coleen added: “I’ve listened to the audio on those Arsenal complaints. It’s the lads from Arsenal Fan TV, putting on a different voice each time. You know, like in Mrs. Doubtfire.”

She added: “I’m looking at the data and you are correct, your team has been last on Match of the Day more than anyone else. No, I don’t think it’s a conspiracy, you’re just not very good.” She later added: “I’m looking at the phone votes here and it seems suspicious.

“A lad from McFly winning I’m A Celeb? Doesn’t seem realistic does it? You just called in to say how well VAR is being run and referees deserve more credit? That’s lovely, can I get your name? Howard Wobb? Great, let me just make a note of that, Mr. Wobb,” as she became suspicious.

Speaking of the new role, Coleen said: “Fans invest so much into football, emotionally and financially, and sometimes it feels like they don’t get much back. This was a fun way to shine a light on that, whilst actually giving something back to the people who make the game what it is.”