Fearne Cotton has revealed she was "essentially sacked" from The Xtra Factor after hosting the show for just one series in 2007. The 43-year-old presenter made the candid admission during an Instagram video tour of her wardrobe on Thursday, showing fans items from her television career.
Cotton was replaced by her friend Holly Willoughby after her brief stint on the X Factor spin-off. During the wardrobe tour, she revealed Fendi heels that once belonged to The Gossip's Beth Ditto, before showing off a more meaningful keepsake.
The presenter revealed a hot pink Prada clutch bag, still in its original box, which Sharon Osbourne gave her when she left the show. Cotton told her followers: "I'm doing an awkward amount of name dropping here but you want to hear the stories don't you? This bag was given to me as a gift by Sharon Osbourne after I finished Xtra Factor a million years ago. And I essentially got sacked from... anyway I got a bag out of it."
Career resilience
Cotton's television experience reflects the unpredictable nature of the industry. She described the entertainment business philosophically: "It's all a big game -- you've got the Monopoly board out and you're moving around [trying to] dodge the danger."
According to The Times, she previously said: "I've been sacked a million times, I've been sacked and not told I've been sacked. You just turn the telly on and someone else is doing your job." The presenter has since stepped away from traditional broadcasting to focus on her wellness brand Happy Place.
Her career spans from CITV and CBBC to Radio 1, Celebrity Juice and Love Island before her brief X Factor chapter. Cotton has demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout the industry's ups and downs.
Personal challenges
Cotton has faced recent health challenges, undergoing surgery to remove a benign tumour. She shared positive updates about her recovery: "The human body is incredible, In less than three weeks you can barely notice where I had the tumour removed. I feel almost normal. My ear is still quite numb and my face a little tender but other than that I'm feeling good."
She announced her separation from husband Jesse Wood in December after 10 years of marriage. Wood is the son of Rolling Stones bassist Ronnie Wood.
Cotton posted a statement on Instagram Stories at the time: "It is with a heavy heart that I let you all know that Jesse and I are ending our marriage. Our priority has been and always will be our children. We please ask that you respect the privacy of our family at this time."
Sources used: "PA Media", "Evening Standard", "Daily Mail" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
