Vanessa Feltz quits long-standing role on ITV’s This Morning after 33 years as she issues heartfelt statement: ‘I feel marvelous’
Vanessa Feltz has announced she is leaving her long-standing slot on ITV’s This Morning after 33 years.
Issuing a statement on her decision, she expressed:” I’ve been on This Morning since 1992. It’s been a long time . But I’m now doing my own show and I can’t do both.
She went on to praise the presenters and crew on the show for being “so lovely” about her decision and added: “When I told everyone I wouldn’t be able to do the show anymore, they were lovely about it.
“I heard from Alison Hammond and Holly Willoughby immediately, and the bosses were charming. I’ll miss working with them all.”
“I have learned lots of stuff on This Morning. When I first did it, I had never been on TV before. I didn’t know what was going on. I was bamboozled, but they gave me a contract.”
Feltz added that she “couldn’t be more excited” about her new talk show, gushing: “This is a fantastic opportunity, and I couldn’t be more excited. It feels marvellous.”
Feltz became a household name within TV back in 1994 after hosting her self-titled ITV daytime show, which ran until 1998 before she made the move to the BBC for a short-lived show for several months the following year.
Announcing her new Channel 5 show Vanessa, which will launch on 24 March at 12.45pm, earlier this year, she said: “I cannot wait to get started on this sparkling adventure with Channel 5.
“This show is all about YOU – your stories, your opinions, your emotions, and your triumphs. Television’s never been so real, honest, or unpredictable.
“Life isn’t perfect, so let’s not pretend it is – let’s help each other out, have a giggle, and make every show a conversation worth having so kick off your shoes and come and join me for lunch, relax with a bit of me time and let’s have a ball!”
Viewers can expect Feltz to cover a wide range of topics including celebrities, gossip, fashion, relationships and parenting – similar to her segments on This Morning.
Commissioning editor of Channel 5, Federico Ruiz said of Feltz’s new show: “We are thrilled to have signed Vanessa, an award-winning broadcaster and bona-fide national treasure, to our daytime line-up. Our audience love her, and there is nobody better for viewers to spend their lunchtimes with every single weekday.”
ITN’s managing director of content, Ian Rumsey commented: “Vanessa defined the genre with her first talk show and this new slot on Channel 5 is a brilliant and unique opportunity to work with one of the pioneers of talk shows, and take all that talent, energy and experience to create a fresh twist to daytime chat.”
Feltz reminded her fans about her new upcoming show on her Instagram yesterday, posting a small snippet of her explaining what she is most looking forward too.
Excited fans were quick to comment on the post, with one noting: “Oh Vanessa I cannot wait to watch you! Have loved you for years on This Morning and so pleased you get your own show!”
“Yay! Very excited for this Vanessa, well done!” someone else noted before a third penned: “Vanessa is the best! Real, raw and takes no s**t! Go on girl!”
She captioned the video: “Vanessa starts on @channel5_tv at 12.30 Monday 24th March. I’d love you to join me for lunch.
“Relationships, parenting, dating, divorce, love, friendship, fashion, lifestyle, gossip and fun in a politics-free zone. Please join me, ring in and share the laughter.” (sic)