Vanessa Feltz fought back tears as she said goodbye to her Channel 5 viewers on Friday, after her weekday talk show was cancelled after just one year on air. The 64-year-old presenter was surprised live on air by her daughter Saskia and grandson AJ, making the final broadcast even more emotional.
Emotional Final Broadcast
Vanessa told viewers: "I feel very, very sad this is the last show. To anybody who is sending me nice messages, I really appreciate it." She added: "I'm going to end up snivelling and sobbing. I'm OK at the moment, but I could go at any moment so bear with." The show featured guests Danniella Westbrook, Cosmo Landesman, and Lizzie Cundy, along with her daughter Saskia, who said: "We've come to surprise you. We knew today was going to be hard. We absolutely love you and couldn't be more proud of what you've done on this show."
Announcement of New Online Series
Before signing off, Vanessa announced her next venture: a new online series called At Home With Vanessa, filmed from her house and launching on YouTube in August. Describing it as "a grown-up twist on The Big Breakfast," she said: "I hope it's going to be really great fun." The series will follow a similar model to Holly Willoughby's new show.
Reaction to Show's Cancellation
Speaking about the axing on LBC last month, Vanessa said: "I was shocked to the core and very upset and I still am." She revealed that Channel 5's new owners, Paramount, decided to air films in the 2pm slot instead, adding: "I don't think I really came into the equation at all." However, low ratings are believed to have been the primary reason, and the show had been plagued by hoax callers pretending to be dead celebrities, soap characters, and even convicted murderers.
Despite the disappointment, Vanessa remains upbeat about her future, saying she is "not going to hide under a rock" and is eager to connect with her audience through her new online platform.
