Vanessa Feltz admits she used to appear on This Morning for FREE

Vanessa Feltz has admitted she used to appear on This Morning for free as she praised it's former scandal-plagued host and pal Phillip Schofield. 

The veteran broadcaster, 62, is now a regular face on the ITV show, but when she made her debut in 1992 she was an unknown magazine journalist who happily worked without pay due to her love of the series, which was then hosted by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan.

After first appearing to discuss Sarah Ferguson's toe-tucking scandal, she soon made a name for herself and was invited back numerous times.

Vanessa told Radio Times: 'For ages for no money, with my parents and husband all saying: "Why are you doing that?"' 

'I told them: "Because I really enjoy it, that's why. It's great fun", 'That was probably a first in my life, not saying: "Yeah, you're right, I'd better not do it".

This Morning proved to be Vanessa's big break and she went on to become a household name, hosting her own show on TV and radio. 

She also praised former show host Phillip, who quit This Morning last year in a cloud of scandal after admitting to having an affair with a much younger male colleague.

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Vanessa Feltz claims former This Morning stars lashing out at 'toxic' show after Phillip Schofield's exit have an 'aggrieved, grudging malice' against the ITV programme

While promoting her new autobiography new autobiography Vanessa Bares All: Frank, Funny and Fearless, Vanessa name checked a number of her famous friends, including Phil.  

She described him as 'immensely supportive' who has been there for her throughout his 'considerable trials and tribulations'.

Amid the scandal last year Vanessa suggested stars who had spoken out against This Morning of have a grudge against the show.

The likes of former host Eamonn Holmes, 64, and ex resident doctor Ranj Singh, 44, criticised Phillip and This Morning following his exit.

During her Talk TV show Vanessa said: 'It has been suggested that quite a lot of the people who are very vocally critical of This Morning.

'And, actually, it's a handful of people, there are some celebrities, a couple of journalists, and what's been suggested is quite a lot of them were once on the programme and aren't on it anymore.

'And that is the reason for this aggrieved, grudging malice that is coming out but if you ask people who are still on the programme and who are on it regularly, who enjoy being on it, they won't know what they're talking about.' 

In October Phil made a tentative return to the spotlight for Channel 5 show Cast Away, during which he fended for himself on a remote island for ten days. 

During his comeback show,  he took aim at those 'who betrayed him' 16 months ago when he quit ITV's This Morning.

In the programme Phillip appeared to blame his dramatic fall from grace on a trio of his former ITV colleagues, saying: 'I think there are only three s**ts [of showbiz].'

He pointed out that one was a 'coward who never stepped up in Queuegate,' while another 'is a coward because they never stepped up when I was being battered'.

He claimed the third 'is just brand-orientated', adding: 'Not what you expect, not what you think you're going to get.'

The three have since been revealed as Holly Willoughby and their old ITV bosses Martin Frizell and Emma Gormley.

Holly has now ruled out any reconciliation with her former best friend who reportedly sent her a message on WhatsApp the day before news of his This Morning axe became public, claiming she had 'brought him down'.

A source told MailOnline: 'The friendship between Holly and Phil is well and truly over, there is no way she is going to speak to him again after this. 

'Holly's TV producer husband Dan is also furious about Phil's behaviour towards her.  

'From rumours he refers to her as 'the Witch' in messages with friends to his barbed jibe about the "three s***s in showbiz" in his Channel 5 show Cast Away, Dan has well and truly had enough.' 

MailOnline contacted Holly's representatives for comment at the time.

Read Vanessa's interview in the Radio Times out now.