Fern’s new figure was reported to be down to her new hobby of cycling and careful dieting but now the 50-year-old has revealed her secret.

'As interest is so high, I am making public, as a personal choice, that I had a gastric band operation two years ago,’ Fern said in a statement.

It seems you can get a gastric band for less than £4000 ( www.beautifulbeings.co.uk/gastric-band.html ) should overweight people give up their struggle and get a band fitted?