Vanessa Feltz is a television personality, freelance broadcaster and journalist. She currently presents an early morning radio show on BBC Radio 2 and the Breakfast show on BBC Radio London. The radio star, 57, has been with Phats and Small singer Ben Ofoedu, 47, for more than 13 years – and tonight the besotted couple will appear on a family special of Pointless Celebrities. But why exactly are this couple so happy?
Who is Vanessa Feltz?
Vanessa Feltz was the first female columnist for The Jewish Chronicle and afterwards she joined the Daily Mirror, during which time she wrote her first book What Are These Strawberries Doing On My Nipples? I Need Them For The Fruit Salad.
In the subsequent years she presented on Channel 4’s morning show The Big Breakfast, the ITV daytime television Vanessa and the BBC’s The Vanessa Show.
In the 2000s she began her radio career, joining BBC London 94.9 in 2001 which has run at various times since then, before she also started on BBC Radio 2 in 2011.
She returned to the screen for the first series of Celebrity Big Brother and later made appearances on Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff, BBC’s Little Britain, Celebrity Fit Club and The Weakest Link.
She entered the Big Brother house on three occasions: during the first series, in 2010 and in 2013, where she entered to take part in a task and left the same day.
Earlier this year, the BBC published its Annual Report which showed that Vanessa Feltz is one of three women in the top ten highest earners, alongside with Claudia Winkleman and Zoe Ball.
Who is Ben Ofoedu?
Ben Ofoedu began his career in 1993 when he joined the band Benz.
He later became the lead singer for the band Phats and Small and even released a solo single in 2000.
In 2005 he represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest with band Four Storey singing “Hand On My Heart” finishing in fifth position.
Recently, Ben hosted nineties dance night ‘Big Ben’s Big Tunes’ produced by The 3 Wise Monkeys and has hosted and performed with other acts such as Damage, Dane Bowers, 5ive and Heather Small, all of whom he regards as close friends.
He has also taken part in a number of television programmes, many times alongside his fiance Vanessa Feltz.
In 2006, he appeared on The All Star Talent Show and a year later he and Vanessa participated in an episode of Channel 4’s Celebrity Wife Swap, within which she moved in with magician Paul Daniels for one week, while his wife Debbie McGee moved in with Ofoedu.
The couple have also appeared on ITV’s Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, winning £150,000 for a cancer charity, the Virgin 1 show A Restaurant in our Living Room, catering for 25 people in their home, and they co-hosted The Vanessa Show on Channel 5.
Ben and Vanessa have previously competed on Pointless Celebrities and All Star Mr & Mrs, as well as acting as panel members on Celebrity Big Brother’s “Bit On the Side”.
Why are they not married?
Vanessa Feltz and Ben Ofoedu have been engaged since 2006.
They originally planned to marry the following year, but never made it down the aisle.
The couple live together in a house in St John’s Wood in London, that was previously occupied by Reverend John Hugh Smyth-Piggott and by Charles Saatchi.
Earlier this year Ben shared why he thinks his fiancee is even more “sexy” now she is confident in herself after losing three stone following gastric bypass surgery.
The TV star underwent a gastric bypass, which reportedly took four hous longer than expected, to have her gastric band removed.
The star said that the surgery, due to take an hour, in fact took five.
Ben revealed to Ok!Magazine that his made him go “out of his mind not knowing what was happening”.
Vanessa first underwent surgery in 2010, but developed gastroesophageal reflux six years later, and therefore decided to have her band removed.
She revealed that the condition, which affects the eyes, ears, nose and mouth, made her feel as though she was “drowning”.
Speaking to OK! Magazine about his love of Vanessa’s newfound confidence, he said: “What’s sexy to me is someone who is happy in themselves, so when Vanessa is happy so am I.”
The couple also revealed that they are saving up to get married after Vanessa spent all of her money on surgery.
She told Ok! Magazine: “We’re saving up – I spent all the money on a gastric band that didn’t even work!”
Pointless Celebrities is on BBC One tonight at 7.45pm.
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