Vanessa Feltz's daytime chat show 'Vanessa' has been cancelled by Channel 5 after just one series, leaving the presenter 'blindsided' and 'furious', according to reports. The programme, which aired weekdays at 2pm, was pulled due to low ratings and persistent prank callers.
A Channel 5 spokesperson confirmed the decision, stating: 'Due to afternoon scheduling changes, ‘Vanessa’ will be rested from July 17th. We thank Vanessa and her team at ITN for 18 months of warm, witty, wise and searingly honest shows. Vanessa remains a valued member of the 5 family and we are discussing future projects together.'
Sources told the Daily Mail that Feltz was unaware of the meeting's purpose and felt 'let down by bosses'. The show reportedly attracted an average of 50,000 viewers, compared to ITV's 'Loose Women' which draws 800,000 to 1.2 million. The cancellation is also linked to an inability to control scam callers, some of whom impersonated EastEnders characters.
Feltz had previously left a role on 'This Morning' to front the Channel 5 show, which was a revival of her 1990s ITV programme. Despite three revamps of set and logo, audience numbers remained low. A source said Feltz was 'truly devastated' as she had 'given her all' to the show.
