Miquita Oliver apologises to Fearne Cotton after ‘awful comment’ got her the sack
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In the years that followed, Fearne reached out to Miquita to help her through a tough time (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Miquita Oliver has apologised to Fearne Cotton after she was sacked from BBC Radio 1 for making an “awful” comment about her.
The presenter, 42, was let go from her radio job in 2005 following an interview with NME where she was asked how she would improve Top Of The Pops and replied that the programme should get rid of Fearne.
Speaking on her Miss Me? podcast, Oliver became emotional as she recounted the story to her co-host, Jordan Stephens as she said: “I would like to tell the story of me and Fearne Cotton. So basically, when I was 20, I did something really awful that I was really ashamed of for a long time. I did an interview in NME and I wasn’t very nice about her at all.
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At the time, Fearne was hosting Top of the Pops (Image: PA)
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At the time, Miquita called for Fearne to be taken off the BBC music show (Image: PA)
I was awful about her, and I was fired from Radio 1 because of it, so I lived in a lot of consequence. “We didn’t like each other… I don’t even think she didn’t like me but because I’d been so awful about her, I think she stayed away from me.”
A few years later, Fearne began dating Miquita T4 co-host Steve Jones and the pair would see each other “all the time” Miquita said: “We were civil but it was a little bit uncomfortable, but it was OK. Then we just sort of didn’t see each other.”
The former Popworld host went on to explain how Fearne reached out to her after she watched the Miss Me? podcast and helped her get through a tough time.
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In the years that followed, Fearne reached out to Miquita to help her through a tough time (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
She said: “Last year, she sent me a message on Instagram when I was having a f****** awful time. She said, ‘Hey Miquita, I just watched a clip of you talking about how the press used to refer to you and it resonated deeply’. I just wanted to say thank you for opening up about it. Sending love’.”
Tearing up, Miquita added: “I didn’t mean to be awful to her. I was unkind and it wasn’t me. That message was really healing for me. I sent her so much love back and I knew she’d just been through a divorce and was on this new journey. I said, ‘I wish you so much f****** luck on your new chapter.’ It was all love. So actually, me and Fearne Cotton are fine.”
A clip of the podcast was shared on Instagram and Cotton commented: “Beyond grateful for how we’ve reconnected. “Makes me very happy.”
Miquita’s mother chef and broadcaster Andi Oliver, who has appeared on programmes like This Morning and Great British Menu, was amongst the first to send her support.
She said: “I am so proud of you and your honesty.” Miquita rose to fame while presenting Channel 4’s Popworld with Simon Amstell from 2001 to 2006, and then spent the next four years fronting T4. Meanwhile, Fearne presented Top Of The Pops from 2004 until it ended in 2006.
