Vanessa Feltz breaks down in tears after quitting BBC Radio 2 and Radio London shows after nearly 20 ‘blissful’ years-Alicia Adejobi-Entertainment – Metro

Vanessa Feltz has tearfully announced she will be departing BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio London.

The 60-year-old currently presents the Breakfast Show, which airs on both stations, but will be leaving in August.

Vanessa joined the Radio 2 family 12 years ago, but has fronted a show on Radio London for close to two decades.

She broke the news to her listeners on Thursday morning, fighting back tears as she told them ‘today, there is no jolly good fellow because I have something to tell you’.

‘I know that you already know that I love you, so you will know it is not that,’ she reassured her listeners before becoming tearful and reaching for a tissue.

Alongside the clip, which she shared on Instagram, the presenter wrote: ‘Devastated. Farewell to @bbcradio early breakfast.’

Vanessa Feltz will be bowing out this summer (Picture: TV)

In a statement, Vanessa said: ‘I have loved every moment with my Radio 2 ‘Early Birds’ and will miss my Lovely Listeners, Jolly Good Fellows and beloved friends and colleagues at Radio 2 with all my heart. However, after almost 12 blissful years, I now need to step down to catch up on a much needed decade’s deficit of beauty sleep!

‘It’s been an honour and privilege to be the Breakfast voice of BBC Radio London for 20 years and although I’m leaving the show, I’ll continue to expect hugs from my lovely listeners when I see them on the streets of London!

‘I will enjoy a dollop of energy-boosting shut-eye to swing from zip-lines with my three effervescent grandchildren and frolic with my fiancé Ben, who irritatingly remains 10 years younger than me!’

Vanessa has been showered with messages of support from her celebrity pals, including Lisa Snowdon who wrote: ‘You’re the best there is V! You’ve earned that lie in my love.’

Vanessa tearfully addressed her beloved listeners to announce the news (Picture: Vanessa Feltz/Instagram)

Vanessa’s longtime partner Ben Ofoedu says the presenter deserves the lie-ins that await her (Picture: PA)

The 60-year-old has been entertaining listeners on the airwaves for almost two decades (Picture: Getty Images)

BBC Radio presenter Clara Amfo hailed Vanessa an ‘icon’, while her longtime partner Ben Ofoedu said: ‘You’re the best there is V! You’ve earned that lie in my love.’

A message from the BBC Radio 2 account also read: ‘We’re going to miss you loads Vanessa! Enjoy your lie-ins!’

Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, addressed the news in her own statement, saying: ‘For almost 12 years, Vanessa has made her live weekday Early Breakfast Show her very own kingdom, and I’d like to thank her wholeheartedly for the thousands of middle-of-the-night starts she’s made to entertain the Radio 2 listeners.

‘On behalf of them, as well as everyone in Wogan House, I’d like to send Lady V our very best wishes for the future.’

Vanessa began presenting the Radio 2 Early Breakfast Show in January 2011. The originally aired from 5am-6.30am but was extended to 4am from January this year.

Proving to be popular with listeners, the TV personlity then took over on Radio London in 2016. Her morning programme has earned Vanessa several awards, including a Sony Gold in 2009, two gold Gillard awards and silver in the best speech Breakfast Show category at the Arias (The Radio Academy’s Audio and Radio Industry Awards) in 2017 and 2022.

Her last shows on both stations will air on August 26.

In recently released BBC figures, Vanessa was one of just three women in the top 10 highest paid on-air talent, ranking in eighth place thanks to a salary of £400,000-£404,999.

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