Vanessa Feltz once revealed the heartbreaking reason she stayed in her “ghastly” relationship with ex-fiancé Ben Ofoedu for 17 years.
The Channel 5 star and singer Ben split back in 2023 after she discovered that he’d been cheating on her.
You can watch Vanessa on Blankety Blank tonight (Saturday, April 25) from 7.30pm.
Vanessa Feltz and Ben Ofoedu’s love story
Between 2005 and 2023, Ben and Vanessa were in a relationship. They got engaged in 2006; however, they never tied the knot.
In 2023, after 17 years together, the couple, who had a 10-year age gap, split after Vanessa discovered that Ben had been cheating on her.
Since their split, Ben has married Vanessa Brown, who is 23 years younger than him, after a whirlwind romance.
Meanwhile, Vanessa has been very open about life as a singleton and has even appeared on Celebs Go Dating.
Back in March, Vanessa revealed the real reason she stayed with Ben so long, despite knowing that it wasn’t working.
Vanessa Feltz on ‘real reason’ she stayed with Ben Ofoedu
Speaking to Bella, Vanessa said: “I was scared stiff to be alone, that’s the truth. I didn’t want to end the relationship, even though I knew it was ghastly, because I was scared to be on my own, because I’d had a horrible divorce, and I didn’t want to get back to that again.”
Before meeting Ben, Vanessa had been married to surgeon Michael Kurer. They tied the knot in 1985, divorcing in 2000. They had two daughters together.
Continuing, Vanessa said: “And the more years you invest, the less you want it to end because you think, after all these years, ‘Better the devil you know,’ and now I’m living what I didn’t want.”
She also opened up about her current dating situation.
“I’m still trying. But there’s nothing much to report. I wish there was. It’s hard. I would like to be introduced by a friend, but when it doesn’t work, it is hard not to feel demoralised and unattractive,” she said.
‘It’s a numbers game’
In October 2025, Vanessa opened up about dating following her split.
“You know, everybody tells me it’s a numbers game and you only need to meet one person that’s right for you. Just one. That’s all you need. So keep persisting, keep trying and don’t take it too personally if it doesn’t work out,” she told OK magazine.
“But it is quite demoralising and it is quite difficult to keep your chin up and keep on trying.
“There’s nothing more embarrassing than a date that just doesn’t work. You go home feeling a bit shrunken and with a big knock to your confidence. However much you tell yourself it’s nothing to do with you and it’s really to do with them, it still feels as if it’s to do with you.”
Catch Vanessa on Blankety Blank tonight (Saturday, April 25) from 7.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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