Vanessa Feltz is the most recent talent to leave the BBC, and on Friday she will host her Radio 2 show for the last time.
The early morning breakfast show host, who is 60 years old and earns more than £400,000 annually, has left the BBC after nearly 20 years on the air.
Ms. Feltz claimed she had to resign “to make up for a decade’s worth of much-needed sleep deficiency” and utilise her “energising shut-eye” to “frolic with her fiancé Ben Ofoedu,” who “annoyingly stays 10 years younger than me.”
The celebrity stated she would “try not to cry” on her broadcast this morning as she broke down in tears while sharing the news with her viewers.
Oh I knew I was going to weep but I’m going to try not to, she continued, “I have something to tell you, and I know you already know that I love you.”
I’ve had the honour of spending the early hours with you.
The celebrity replaces DJ Steve Wright, who left the broadcaster earlier this month after more than 40 years with his Radio 2 show.
‘I have enjoyed every moment with my Radio 2 ‘Early Birds,” Ms. Feltz said in a statement released this morning.
‘I will miss my Lovely Listeners, Jolly Good Fellows, and dear friends and colleagues at Radio 2 with all of my heart.
But now that I’ve had almost 12 years of ecstasy, I must retire in order to make up for a decade’s worth of sleep I’ve missed!
I’ve had the honour and luxury of hosting BBC Radio London’s Breakfast for 20 years, and even though I’m quitting the programme, I’ll still welcome embraces from my devoted listeners whenever I meet them in London.
“I will take advantage of a little energy-boosting sleep to swing from zip lines with my three exuberant grandchildren and play with my fiance Ben, who annoyingly still has ten years on me!”
Following Ms. Feltz’s leaving announcement, Zoe Ball praised her colleague presenter as “always gorgeous and quite probably the cleverest person I know” in an interview on the Radio 2 breakfast show.
“I’m not going to lie, we are all in tears at Radio 2,” she continued. She has always been the most obnoxious and diligent lass.
“She will be excellent at anything she does and will be very fortunate to have her wherever she goes next.” At some point, we’ll give her the bumps.
‘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,’ said Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, in regards to the star’s departure.
“On their behalf, and on behalf of everyone in Wogan House, I’d want to wish Lady V all the best in the future.”
The local audio commissioning controller, Chris Burns, continued, “Every weekday, Vanessa has blasted right from her Radio 2 show into the Radio London breakfast show, barely pausing for breath.
She skillfully amused her “beautiful listener” while forcefully calling the leaders of the city and the nation to account.
No matter how early it is or what is happening in the news, Vanessa was the brightest spark you could ever meet.
To say her voice will be missed is an understatement. We wish her well and sincerely appreciate what she has done.
The Radio 2 Early Breakfast Show was launched by the broadcaster in January 2011 and ran from 5 am to 6 am. It was later moved to 4 am starting in January 2021.
As scheduled, Ms. Feltz will fill in for Jeremy Vine for two weeks before saying goodbye to Radio 2 listeners on Friday, August 26.
The new morning lineups for Radio 2 and BBC Radio London will be revealed later.