Vanessa Feltz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vanessa Feltz
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Feltz in 2019
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| Born |
Vanessa Jane Feltz
21 February 1962 London, England
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| Education | Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge (BA) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1992–present |
| Employer | BBC Radio (1989–2022) News UK (2022–2024) Global (2024–present) 5 (2025–present) |
| Television |
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| Spouse(s) |
Michael Kurer
(m. 1983; div. 2000) |
| Partner(s) | Ben Ofoedu (2006–2023) |
| Children | 2 |
Vanessa Feltz (born 21 February 1962) is a well-known English TV presenter, radio host, and journalist. She has hosted many of her own talk shows and appeared on popular TV programmes. These include Vanessa, The Big Breakfast, The Vanessa Show, Celebrity Big Brother, This Morning, and Strictly Come Dancing.
Vanessa Feltz presented an early morning radio show on BBC Radio 2 from 2011 to 2022. She also hosted the Breakfast Show on BBC Radio London. As of July 2025, Feltz works for LBC.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Vanessa Feltz was born in a hospital on the Holloway Road in London. She grew up in a place called Pine Grove, Totteridge. She has a younger sister named Julia.
During her career, Vanessa often talked about Totteridge as "the Beverly Hills of North London." She also described her middle-class Jewish background as being like "growing up in Fiddler on the Roof." Her father, Norman, worked in the lingerie business.
Vanessa went to Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls. This is an independent school in Elstree, Hertfordshire. After school, she studied English at Trinity College, Cambridge. She graduated with a top-level degree.
Television and Radio Career
Starting Out in the 1990s
Vanessa Feltz began her career as the first female columnist for The Jewish Chronicle newspaper. Later, she joined the Daily Mirror. She also wrote her first book during this time.
She took over from Paula Yates on Channel 4's morning TV show The Big Breakfast. On this show, she would interview famous people while lying on a bed. In 1997, Feltz was part of a prank on the TV show Brass Eye. She also worked as a magistrate from the age of 28. However, she had to stop because people recognised her from TV.
Vanessa then hosted the ITV daytime chat show, Vanessa. This show was made by Anglia Television. In 1998, she moved to the BBC to host a similar show called The Vanessa Show. ITV replaced her old show with Trisha.
In 1999, The Vanessa Show faced some problems. There were claims that some guests on the show were actors, and the show was cancelled soon after.
2000s: New Shows and Appearances
In 2001, Feltz joined BBC London 94.9. She presented a phone-in show in the afternoon. This show continued for many years, changing its time slot. She hosted her last show for the station on 26 August 2022.
In 2002, she had a small role in the comedy film Once Upon a Time in the Midlands. She also appeared on game shows like Russian Roulette. In 2004, she made a guest appearance in a sketch on the show Little Britain.
2010s: Busy Broadcasting Schedule
Vanessa Feltz returned to the Big Brother house on 3 September 2010. This was for Ultimate Big Brother, the last series on Channel 4. She left the house on 8 September.
In 2011, Vanessa started doing more radio and TV work. On 17 January 2011, she began hosting the BBC Radio 2 Early Breakfast Show. This show was on weekdays from 5:00 AM to 6:30 AM. A radio critic described her voice as "like lemon tea with honey." From January 2021, her show started an hour earlier, at 4:00 AM. She often filled in for Jeremy Vine on his Radio 2 news show. Vanessa announced on 28 July 2022 that she would leave the show the next day. Her last day on Radio 2 was 26 August 2022.
In January 2011, she also started hosting The Vanessa Show on Channel 5. The show moved to an afternoon slot in March 2011. This allowed Vanessa to do her TV show live after her morning radio work. The show included celebrity interviews, news, and discussions. The Guardian newspaper called Feltz "officially the hardest working woman in broadcasting" because of her busy schedule.
On 7 September 2013, she went back into the Celebrity Big Brother house for a special task. She left the same day. In July 2019, the BBC reported that Vanessa Feltz was one of the highest-paid BBC presenters.
2020s: Recent Work
In January 2024, there were some complaints about comments Vanessa Feltz made on This Morning. She later apologised for these comments.
From September 2022 to April 2024, she presented a weekday show on Talkradio and TalkTV. On 1 May 2024, it was announced that Feltz signed a deal to present a show on Saturdays on LBC. In November 2024, it was also announced she would present on Sundays for the same station.
In May 2024, she appeared on Late Night Lycett as a wrestling commentator. At the end of the show, she even wrestled and won her first match! Her show Vanessa returned to Channel 5 in 2025. It is a daytime talk show.
Personal Life
Vanessa Feltz married surgeon Michael Kurer in 1983. They divorced in 2000.
In December 2006, Vanessa got engaged to singer Ben Ofoedu. They planned to marry the next year but stayed engaged for many years. In February 2023, Vanessa announced that she and Ben had separated.
She has two daughters from her marriage and four grandchildren. Her older daughter, Allegra Benitah, used to be a tax lawyer. Now, she is a TV baker and chef.
Vanessa lives in St John's Wood, London. Her house was once owned by Charles Saatchi. In 2017, she bought a holiday home in Ballycotton in east Cork, Ireland.
