Vanessa Feltz experienced an unexpected interruption during her live Channel 5 programme, as the show became the target of a prank caller. The incident occurred on Tuesday, March 24, during a call-in segment where viewers discussed their opinions on reunion parties. In a surprising twist, a caller identifying herself as Bea from London dialled in, but the situation was not what it initially seemed.
The Deception Unfolds
The caller was actually impersonating Bea Pollard, a character from the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders, portrayed by actress Ronni Ancona. Vanessa Feltz appeared unaware of the ruse at first, but attentive soap viewers who were watching quickly recognised the deception. The prank call cleverly referenced Bea's introduction to EastEnders in January, which involved a school reunion attended by Linda Carter, played by Kellie Bright.
Details of the Call
During the segment, the imposter shared a fabricated story, stating, 'One thing I noticed, people from school were exactly the same, one group, I used to call them the pink ladies, they were popular, I noticed they still acted the same now. One of them I did get chatting to, let’s call her Linda, she invited me to stay with her a bit because she felt bad. We kind of connected. Everybody else I didn’t speak to again and they were very similar. Some of them did laugh at me and stuff because I used to make these little crochet dolls and they brought it up then. I don’t think they were being vicious but when you’ve got a lifetime memory of it you think I wouldn’t go again.'
Viewer Reactions
Audiences found the prank highly amusing, with one viewer commenting online, 'Lmfaoooooo not again.' Another remarked, 'This is BRILLIANT.' Some fans even speculated that it might have been Ronni Ancona herself calling into the show, adding to the entertainment value of the incident.
A Pattern of Prank Calls
This is not the first time Vanessa Feltz's programme has been targeted by hoax callers. Previously, a caller pretended to be Celebrity Big Brother star Lauren Harries during a live phone-in discussion about children's bedtime decisions. It has now been revealed that there have been multiple other instances of impersonations on the show.
Other Notable Impersonations
According to reports, prank callers have impersonated the late Kim Woodburn, the well-known television personality famed for 'How Clean Is Your House?' who passed away in June 2025. The imposter, calling as 'Kim from Cheshire', mimicked her iconic accent and used her signature phrase, 'my love'. Additionally, references were made to murderer Virginia McCullough, who poisoned her parents in 2019 and lived with their bodies for years, with the caller alluding to financial struggles and wardrobe-building, a nod to Virginia's crime.
Production Concerns
The group behind these calls reportedly uses the same phone number repeatedly, raising questions about the show's vetting process. One prankster told The Sun, 'It’s not a very thorough process. When you speak to them on the phone for the pre-chat before going on air, they seem more bothered about just finding someone to shove on the show rather than care about what we are planning to say.' Another added, 'You come up with a bit of waffle about the topic you want to call for and a producer asks your thoughts on the topic, your name and where you’re calling from and if you want to talk about it on air. I’ve used my same number every time and have been amazed I’ve got on! They obviously don’t keep any kind of record of them.'
This series of prank calls highlights potential vulnerabilities in live broadcasting protocols, while providing unexpected entertainment for viewers tuning into Vanessa Feltz's Channel 5 show.
