UPDATE: Vanessa and Ben Ofoedu split up in 2023
Vanessa Feltz has been a familiar face on our screens for many years, whilst her Radio shows make for the perfect way to wake up every morning. From her memorable appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013, to her advice as a regular guest on ITV daytime show, This Morning, Vanessa is known for speaking her mind and entertaining fans.
Though it's the proud mother and grandmother's love life that might intrigue fans the most and Vanessa certainly isn't shy about discussing her romance with her fiancé of 15 years during her Deidre style agony aunt segment of the show.
Vanessa recently announced she is leaving BBC Radio 2 to "enjoy a dollop of energy-boosting shut-eye to swing from zip-lines with my three effervescent grandchildren and frolic with my fiancé Ben."
But who is Vanessa Feltz’s fiance, what does he do and how did the couple first meet?
Who is Vanessa Feltz's partner?
Vanessa Feltz’s partner is singer-songwriter Ben Ofoedu.
Ben and Vanessa got engaged in 2006, after he is said to have proposed to the broadcaster in Ireland. Following the announcement of their engagement, Vanessa described this magical moment to the Daily Express, saying she was “just so excited”.
“There were dark red roses strewn all over the white linen bed and when I turned around, he had dropped to one knee and was holding an engagement ring,” she explained, “It was wonderful.”
Since then 15 happy years have passed and the devoted couple remain engaged, with a wedding date still yet to be confirmed. Fans of the couple were left more than a little excited last year, however, when Ben opened up during an appearance on Loose Women in December to promote his band Boyz on Block’s cover of East 17's Stay Another Day.
When asked by Loose Women panellist Jane Moore if there was any sign the long-term partners would be tying the knot, Ben appeared to hint a date could be closer than we thought.
"I think we'll be making an announcement very, very soon,” he happily declared.
“That's an exclusive for Loose Women, but I think we'll make an announcement very, very soon.
"Hopefully the boys are gonna come and sing Stay Another Day, which if we do it near Christmas who knows... wait until January."
According to The Mirror, the couple previously had plans for a wedding on separate occasions, before deciding things worked as they were. And despite Ben’s possible hint on Loose Women, a Christmas or New Year wedding sadly didn’t come to pass.
With the UK's lockdown restrictions in place last year, it could be that any potential plans for a winter wedding were put on hold. Though whether or not Vanessa and Ben do go on to marry, the partners continue to enjoy a loving and happy relationship.
How old is Vanessa Feltz's partner?
Vanessa Fetlz's partner Ben Ofoedu is 48 years old and will celebrate his 49th birthday on June 29.
As reported by The Sun, Ben was born in Hong Kong in 1972 and later moved to Essex with his parents and five siblings when he was just two years old.
Vanessa Feltz is 59 years old, 11 years older than her partner Ben.
She was born in London in 1962 and was educated at the very prestigious Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls, before moving on to study at Trinity College, Cambridge. Vanessa’s career in journalism began after she graduated and even went on to have her own ITV show, Vanessa, followed by BBC’s The Vanessa Show.
Vanessa now has her own BBC Radio London show weekdays from 7am, The Vanessa Feltz Breakfast Show.
What does Vanessa Feltz's partner do?
Ben Ofoedu is a singer-songwriter and many already be familiar to fans of the band Phats & Small.
He became their lead singer in 1999 and from there, solo stardom beckoned. Ben released his own single Your Love in 2000, before joining the band Redhill with former Boyzone singer, Shane Lynch. Despite his experience, Ben sadly missed out on the opportunity to represent the UK at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest as part of the band Four Story, after coming fifth in the country’s selection contest that year.
Throughout his long career, though, Ben has gone on to achieve success with other bands including Boyz on Block, which is understood to have re-formed at his 48th birthday party last year. The band is comprised of many well-known musicians, including Shane, Another Level’s Dane Bowers and Abz Love from Five.
How did Vanessa Feltz meet her partner?
Vanessa Feltz first met her partner Ben Ofoedu thanks to his fellow singer, Keith Duffy. The Boyzone star and former bandmate of Ben’s current bandmate Shane Lynch, is said to have introduced his two friends Vanessa and Ben to one another.
According to The Sun, it was after Keith spent time with Vanessa in the Big Brother house during the 2001 series that he decided to make this introduction and the rest is history.
Who was Vanessa Feltz's first husband?
Vanessa Feltz’s first husband was surgeon Michael Kurer, with whom she has two daughters, Allegra and Saskia. The former couple were married for 17 years, before they divorced in 2000, with Vanessa claiming that Michael left her for another woman. Speaking last year about the breakdown of her marriage, Vanessa opened up on This Morning to Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield.
As reported by Metro.co.uk, the journalist and broadcaster revealed she was “shocked to the core” after allegedly being informed that her husband had been having an affair, stating “I still haven't got over it”. The supposed affair has not been confirmed and Michael hasn't publicly spoken out on these claims.
Despite the difficult time in the family’s lives, however, Vanessa moved on to find love with Ben and she and Michael are devoted parents and grandparents. Their eldest daughter Allegra welcomed her son Zeke in 2014 and Vanessa soon become a grandmother for the second time when Allegra's daughter Neroli was born in 2015. Four years later, Saskia gave birth to her little boy, Amiel, making Vanessa a proud grandmother of three.
Where does Vanessa Feltz live?
Vanessa Feltz lives in St Johns Wood in North London with her fiancé Ben Ofoedu.
The couple share a stunning Gothic-styled three storey house together. With typical Gothic features like a pointed roof, arched windows and wooden carved bargeboards all visible from the outside of the property.
According to The Sun, Vanessa and Ben bought their home for £3.5 million. And it was previously owned by multi-millionaire businessman Charles Saatchi.
Ben has shared glimpses of the couple's home on Instagram, which has been decorated to their taste.
The kitchen is arguably the stand-out feature of the property, boasting a bright pink and white colour scheme.
The white cupboards are broken up by a pink work surface and unique pink and grey London skyline mural which depicts landmarks like Big Ben, the Tower of London and the London Eye. There's also a sophisticated Aga cooker at the heart of the kitchen.
Vanessa and Ben's home also features a state-of-the-art gym, that Ben regularly shares snaps of him working out in.
Vanessa has also previously revealed that the couple have their own separate bedrooms in which they sleep in.
In an interview with Loose Women, the 59-year-old told the panel that her and Ben stay in their separate rooms five nights a week. And she credited this as the key to adding "mystique" to their relationship.
