Oprah Winfrey says she advised Sarah Ferguson not to appear on reality TV shows

Oprah Winfrey has revealed how she advised cash-strapped Sarah Ferguson not to appear on TV reality shows.

"She (Fergie) started emailing me and at one point asked what did I think of her doing a celebrity chef show," the Daily Express quoted the chat show queen as telling Parade.com.

"I said: 'That's not going to help you. How are you going to rehabilitate yourself on a celebrity chef show? You should be working on yourself'," she said.

The Duchess of York is making a six-part documentary with Winfrey called Master Class: Finding Sarah, which premieres in the spring.

"That [series] came from an interview I did this summer with her. We had a moment of real connection, watching the tape of her trying to get £500,000 [for access to Prince Andrew]. She said she didn't want to go into bankruptcy," Winfrey said.

"I said: 'But when you look at that tape don't you see a morally bankrupted person? The one thing you were trying to avoid, you already are.' She said: 'I never thought of it that way before'.

"I remember the last thing I said to her when I left that interview: 'Don't let me see you on Dancing With The Stars'," Winfrey said.

Of Oprah's own documentary on Sarah she adds that she told the Duchess of York: "I said: 'I've never mentioned it because I don't want you to think I'm trying to use you but if you're going to do TV this is what you should do.'

"And Sarah replied: 'Let me think about it. I'd have to expose myself and what does that really mean?' I said: 'All the things in your emails are so fascinating.'

"Like, she sent me an email about how it's so difficult to give up going to Spain this year. And I said: 'You have no money. People who don't have money don't go to Spain on holiday. Hello!'" Winfrey added.