Vanessa Feltz is bidding farewell to her shows on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio London after almost two decades on the airwaves.
She joined the team at BBC Radio London back in 2001, quickly developing a strong rapport with listeners as she hosted phone-in shows in the mid-afternoon, which later shifted to the morning.
Feltz took on BBC Radio 2’s Early Breakfast Show in January 2011, which initially ran from 5am to 6:30am, but was extended last year to an even earlier start of 4am.
Her mornings have been particularly busy since 2016, when she became host of BBC Radio London’s Breakfast Show, which begins just half an hour after her Radio 2 slot finishes. No wonder she’s now looking forward to a lie-in!
In a statement, Feltz 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!”
She continued: “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.”
Feltz will present her final Early Morning Breakfast Show on Radio 2 tomorrow (Friday 29th July), but will temporarily return to the station for two weeks from Monday 15th August as cover for Jeremy Vine in the afternoon.
She’ll say a final goodbye to Radio 2 listeners on Friday 26th August, which is the same day Feltz is set to wrap up her tenure on Radio London’s Breakfast Show.
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Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, says: “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.”
Chris Burns, Controller Local Audio Commissioning, added: “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.”
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