Miquita Oliver tearfully reveals why she was ‘awful’ to Fearne Cotton as she apologises

‘I’d been so awful, she stayed away from me,’ Miquita Oliver revealed (Picture: Shutterstock/Getty) Miquita Oliver has buried the hatchet with Fearne Cotton decades after making comments about her that sparked years of an ‘uncomfortable’ relationship. The broadcaster, 42, broke down in years to singer Jordan Stephens on their Miss Me? Podcast as she explained why she had been so ‘awful’ to fellow noughties TV icon Fearne back in the day. Remembering an NME interview she did over 20 years ago, Miquita told of how she ‘wasn’t very nice’ about Fearne, and ‘was fired from BBC Radio 2 because of it, and I lived a lot of consequence.’ She added that it was ‘really awful and I was really ashamed of [it] for a long time.’ In the magazine interview, Miquita had called Fearne a ‘devil woman’, and she elaborated more on why that was on the new podcast episode. ‘I figured what was going on, and we didn’t like each other. I don’t think she didn’t like me, but because I’d been so awful, she stayed away from me – fair enough,’ she said. The TV presenter said she was ‘ashamed’ of how she spoke about Fearne (Picture: Rex) Miquita had called Fearne a ‘devil woman’ in a magazine interview 20 years ago (Picture: Nils Jorgensen/Shutterstock) ‘And when I was 24, she started going out with Steve Jones and I was like “oh shit” because I hosted T4 with him every week, and I’d see her all the time. We were civil but it was a bit uncomfortable… but it was OK.’ Miquita, who rose to fame in the early 2000s hosting Channel 4’s Popworld as well as T4 and as a BBC Radio 1 host before being sacked, went on to reveal that Fearne, 44, recently messaged her on Instagram, out of nowhere. She said she and her former Miss Me? podcast co-host Lily Allen had been discussing on an episode about how ‘awful the press had been over the years’ to them when Fearne messaged. Fearne had told Miquita that she was still trying to come to terms with how the press treated her back then, and that she didn’t feel so alone after hearing them discuss it so openly, adding that it was a ‘powerful clip’ and that she was ‘sending love’. Miquita said: ‘Thank you, Fearne, for this message – and you know it makes me realise the press were part of it.’ She said that, as a rising young TV star, she was called ‘ugly and dirty and fat’ in public, adding: ‘I saw [Fearne] as what a TV presenter should look like – clean, thin, groomed – and she scared me. She made me feel like I wasn’t in the right job, that I shouldn’t be there. ‘It wasn’t her fault, I was just told by the press that I wasn’t right and she was right.’ Starting to break down in tears, Miquita added: ‘I didn’t mean to be awful to her – that shit makes you turn on each other.’ The TV star, signed off by saying it made he realise she was ‘unkind’, and that Fearne’s recent message was ‘healing’ for her. ‘I sent her so much love back and I knew she was going through a divorce and was on this new journey and I just said “I wish you so much luck on your new chapter.” It was just all love. So actually me and Fearne Cotton are fine!’ Miquita was doused in praise for her honesty and apology in such a public way, with the top comment on the Instagram post of the clip catching everyone’s eye: a note from Fearne herself. The TV star and Happy Place founder wrote: ‘Beyond grateful for how we’ve reconnected. Makes me very happy.’ Miquita infamously hosted Pop World alongside Simon Amstell from 2001 to 2006 (Picture: Channel 4) Miquita’s mum, TV chef and host of The Great British Menu Andi Oliver, added: ‘I am so proud of you and your honesty xxx.’ Deals of the Day Wuka launches the UK’s first period-proof swimwear for heavy flows Bridgerton fans are rushing to buy these new Netflix-inspired perfumes now £12 off The affordable summer wardrobe update you'll wear from rooftop drinks to beach holidays The £7.99 lip balm beauty fans love for glossy, hydrated lips just dropped four new shades This Keskine hydrogel mask could fix your summer skin Miquita signed off the podcast revelation by joking she’d see Fearne at ‘Happy Place festival next year’, showing that the hatchet well and truly has been buried. TV Newsletter Sign up and tell us which TV shows you love to watch to get personalised updates every morning.