Vanessa Feltz, 64, bid an emotional farewell to viewers on Friday as she hosted her last Channel 5 daytime show. The decision to cancel the chat program, which had been on air for one year, was revealed last month.
Feltz announced plans to transition to YouTube with a new home-based show titled "At Home With Vanessa." "I'm not going to hide under a rock," she told viewers, expressing hope that the new format will be "really great fun."
Despite her outward determination, sources close to the presenter indicated she is struggling with the show's cancellation. "She was crying all morning before the show and didn't think she would get through it. It's been horrific for her. She's not coping well at all," a source told the Daily Mail. Feltz herself admitted to weeping the night before, thinking, "oh god, tomorrow is my last show."
On her final broadcast, Feltz was joined by guests Danniella Westbrook, Cosmo Landesman, and Lizzie Cundy. Cundy, who was also present for the show's premiere, called it an "honour" to work with Feltz. The presenter became teary-eyed upon receiving a personalized video message from Jeremy Vine, who praised her presence and wished her well on her last show.
Fans also expressed their sadness on social media platform X, with one user writing, "Vanessa Feltz has been my rock," and another commenting, "Oh Vanessa Feltz on 5's final show is so emotional.. until we meet again."
Feltz received flowers at the end of the show from her daughter Saskia and grandson AJ. She described the axing as a "shock" and expressed her upset, stating that she found out on a Wednesday afternoon. She attributed the cancellation to Paramount's acquisition of Channel 5, suggesting a desire to broadcast Paramount movies in that time slot.
An insider previously told the Daily Mail that Feltz felt "blindsided" and "let down by bosses" after being informed of the cancellation shortly after her show concluded one week prior. The program, which aired weekdays at 2 p.m., had reportedly been impacted by consistently low ratings and persistent issues with scam callers during phone-ins. Producers had attempted to mitigate the nuisance calls by limiting participation to landline users, but this was deemed too restrictive.
Feltz had reportedly left a prominent role on "This Morning" to take on the Channel 5 program and is said to be devastated, as are her team members who now face job uncertainty.