Vanessa Feltz is reportedly preparing to launch her own online talk show on YouTube, just days after Channel 5 cancelled her self-titled daytime programme. The veteran broadcaster, 64, is said to be following in the footsteps of Piers Morgan and Holly Willoughby by moving into digital broadcasting.
New Online Venture
A TV insider told The Sun that Feltz has no intention of slowing down despite the abrupt end of her Channel 5 show. 'Vanessa was devastated by the news her Channel 5 show is coming off air,' the source claimed. 'She lives and breathes conversation and debate – and she has no intention of letting a schedule change stop that.'
The insider added that Feltz has been inspired by the success of established broadcasters who've built huge audiences outside traditional television. 'Vanessa has seen the success of broadcasters like Piers Morgan on YouTube and is keen to replicate that. She is in the early stages of planning her own show that could launch later in the year. It's an exciting new chapter for Vanessa who has been confiding in her famous friends and fellow TV stars about her plans.'
Channel 5 Show Cancellation
The career move follows the announcement that Feltz's Channel 5 daytime programme, Vanessa, will air its final episode on July 17 after 18 months on screen. The decision reportedly came as a shock to the presenter, who was given just four weeks' notice. In a statement, a Channel 5 spokesperson told Metro: 'Due to afternoon scheduling changes, Vanessa will be rested from July 17. 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 Channel 5 family and we are discussing future projects together.'
Trend Towards Online Broadcasting
If the project goes ahead, Feltz will become the latest high-profile presenter to embrace online broadcasting as television viewing habits continue to shift. Piers Morgan has built one of YouTube's biggest news and opinion channels since launching Piers Morgan Uncensored in 2022, while Holly Willoughby is also reportedly preparing to test the waters with a new lifestyle series on the platform after a difficult period following her departure from This Morning.
Feltz's Career
While losing a daytime show would be enough to make many presenters consider retirement, Feltz has rarely shown much interest in slowing down. Long nicknamed one of Britain's hardest-working broadcasters thanks to her years juggling demanding television commitments alongside early-morning radio shifts, she has built a career on always having somewhere to be and something to say. If reports are accurate, she will soon have an entirely new platform from which to say it.
