Broadcaster Vanessa Feltz has revealed she will be stepping down from hosting duties on both her Radio 2 and BBC Radio London shows. The 60-year-old TV personality has been on the airwaves at BBC Radio London for 20 years and the voice of Radio 2's early breakfast for 12 years.
The journalist was emotional as she announced the news to her listeners on Thursday, July 28. Vanessa has said the roles have been “an honour and a privilege” and she will miss her "beloved friends and colleagues" but she will be turning off her alarm clock as it's time to catch up on a “decade’s deficit of beauty sleep”.
The radio presenter will host her last Radio 2 Early Breakfast Show on Friday, July 29 but following a two-week break she will cover Jeremy Vine for two weeks before bidding a final farewell to Radio 2 listeners on Friday, August 26. She will host her last Breakfast Show on BBC Radio London on Friday, August 26.
“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," Vanessa said in a statement: “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," She added: “I will enjoy a dollop of energy-boosting shut-eye to swing from ziplines with my three effervescent grandchildren and frolic with my fiancé Ben, who irritatingly remains 10 years younger than me.”
During her time at BBC Radio London, Vanessa won a number of awards including a Sony Gold in 2009 for BBC Radio London, two gold Gillard awards and, in 2017 and 2022 and Silver in the Best Speech Breakfast Show category at the Arias (The Radio Academy’s Audio and Radio Industry Awards).
“For almost 12 years, Vanessa has made her live weekday Early Breakfast Show her very own kingdom," Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2 said: "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.”
Chris Burns, controller local audio commissioning, said: “Every weekday Vanessa has breezed straight from her Radio 2 programme into the Radio London breakfast show, barely pausing for breath. She has effortlessly entertained her ‘lovely listener’ and sternly held the city’s and country’s decision-makers to account.
“The brightest spark you could ever meet – no matter how early it is and what’s going on in the news – to say Vanessa’s voice will be missed is an understatement. We wish her well and thank her dearly for her incredible service.”
The BBC has confirmed that Radio 2 and BBC Radio London will announce their new respective morning schedules at a later date.
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