Lorraine fans were left cringing when Phillip Schofield appeared worried during his 40th work anniversary festivities, when Fern Britton made an appearance.

Following her abrupt departure from This Morning after seven years as co-hosts, the two notoriously fell out.

Fern’s two-year £1.5 million contract with ITV came to an end halfway through, and she decided to leave This Morning.

Her colleagues stated she felt “undervalued by ITV” and was “living in Phil’s shadow” at the time.

“50 years is a great milestone and it’s time for you to pause and look back and appreciate everything that you have accomplished and be proud of it,” Fern remarked through video link to Lorraine.

“So I’m wishing you a very happy future. Congratulations and keep going,” she added.

However, Phil looked to be a bit uneasy, which was observed by the audience.

Phil addressed a scorching dispute he had with Fern in his autobiography, Life Is What You Make It, which he feels was the final nail in the coffin.

Phillip said that he and Fern had a fight in a makeup room in 2009 over the subject of a programme and that he was “stunned” when she accused him of “meddling.”

“I calmly stepped back into the makeup area and asked, ‘Please don’t do that to me again,'” Phil explained.

“I believe that was the time at which Fern decided she didn’t want to do This Morning any longer, for whatever reason.”

He stated that he had attempted over the years to “make it right,” but that she had moved on and that he “misses her dearly.”