Vanessa Feltz has revealed she would never date a toy boy again after being left ‘scarred’ by her ex-partner Ben Ofoedu.
The TV presenter, 63, told the Daily Mail she is also against online dating, including celebrity app Raya, because it’s full of ‘leaks’, admitting she would prefer to meet someone in person.
As This Morning’s agony aunt, Vanessa says she genuinely means the advice she gives to callers seeking help on the daytime programme, but admits it can be ‘hard’ to believe her own words.
In a new interview, Vanessa explained how romancing a man ten years her junior ‘didn’t work out well’, so now she’s looking for a man of a ‘similar age’ although she’s found older gentlemen tend to be ‘serious’ and ‘boring.’
The broadcaster split from former Phats & Small singer Ben, 53, in 2023 after 16 years together, having discovered he had been unfaithful, describing their breakup as ‘sad’ and ‘humiliating.’
Since their split, Ben has gone on to marry aesthetic practitioner Vanessa Brown, 30, whom he has dubbed ‘Vanessa 2.0’, and the couple are reportedly already trying to start a family.
Vanessa Feltz has revealed she would never date a toy boy again after being left ‘scarred’ by her ex-partner Ben Ofoedu (pictured September)
The broadcaster split from former Phats & Small singer Ben in 2023 after 16 years together, having discovered he had been unfaithful, describing their breakup as ‘sad’ and ‘humiliating’ (pictured 2021)
Since their split, Ben has gone on to marry aesthetic practitioner Vanessa Brown, whom he has dubbed ‘Vanessa 2.0’, in July, and the couple are reportedly already trying to start a family (pictured June)
Speaking about dating toy boys, she said: ‘I did that and I didn’t work out well, did it? I don’t fancy doing it again, that one has left me scarred.
‘I just think now I’ll go for somebody who is the right age, a bit more similar in terms of experiences maybe, honestly I don’t know what I’m doing, it hasn’t worked.
‘Dating is hideous and I’m starting to understand why some women particularly just think, who needs it? Who can be bothered with it?
‘It is disheartening and as an agony aunt, I give advice all the time, I do mean it, I do give advice I mean and I say that dating is a numbers game, it only takes one and just keep going and don’t take it personally. I do mean that and I do believe that but it’s hard.
‘I’ve never been on a dating website, I can’t because it will just end up in a newspaper.’
She explained how fellow singleton, actress Claire Sweeney, 54, had warned her off celebrity dating app Raya, and she has taken her advice.
Vanessa added: ‘Claire Sweeney told me don’t go near Raya. It’s full of leaks. Horrid. People always say you’re on it.
‘I’d like to meet someone naturally or be introduced by a friend but when it doesn’t work it is very hard to keep your spirits up and not feel demoralised and unattractive, and to feel total despair.
Ben and Vanessa married in a £100,000 ceremony in July, at a castle in Carlisle, just 15 months after they first started dating
In a new interview, Vanessa explained how romancing a man ten years her junior ‘didn’t work out well’, so now she’s looking for a man of a ‘similar age’ (pictured at Monday’s Pride of Britain Awards)
‘Some men of a certain age don’t seem to have any game at all, they are really serious and boring.’
The TV star, who hosts her Channel 5 show Vanessa on weekdays, said she has been keeping busy to combat her loneliness while revealing the qualities she’s looking for in a new partner.
She said: ‘I have worked seven days a week since the last day of March. I’ve had four days off in 200 days. It’s very tough. I haven’t had any pampering days.
‘I would just like to meet a man you could have fun with and enjoy life, have a laugh, not too serious and not too worthy.
‘Not too boring and bad down with his terrible life that all he wants to do is tell you his tragedies and his sorrows because that is not attractive and that is not fun.
‘Where’s the bit where you are funny and flirtatious, you are a bit saucy and a bit entertaining, where’s that bit?’
Vanessa says that, despite being in her 60s, she still needs to be physically attracted to her partner and often wonders whether she might give up on finding a potential suitor altogether.
She said: ‘At any age, at every age, you have got to fancy them. People say aren’t you just looking for a companion? And the answer is no. I’m just a human being.
The TV star, who hosts her Channel 5 show Vanessa on weekdays, said she has been keeping busy to combat her loneliness
Ben and Vanessa were engaged but never made it down the aisle during their 16-year relationship (pictured 2007)
‘They’ve got to be attractive, you’ve got to be attracted to them, otherwise there is no point.
‘I wonder if I’m going to be one of those people who is really sick of it and says I don’t want to do it – I might. I’m much closer to that than I’ve ever been before. I never thought that would be me.’
Following her breakup from singer Ben, Vanessa appeared on the E4 reality series Celebs Go Dating.
She was criticised by the relationship experts, including Paul Brunson, for being ‘intense’ and allowing her previous trauma with her ex to affect her emotions on the dates.
Reflecting on her dating style, Vanessa said: ‘I’m not doing or saying anything intimidating at all. I’m not being assertive when I say, ‘yes please, I’ll have the onion soup.’
‘I’m really not, I promise I’m not. I’m not trying to boss anyone around, I’m just trying to meet someone who is kind and nice.’
Former singer Ben has previously slammed Vanessa, claiming she ‘stole the best years of my life’ and accusing the TV veteran of using him as ‘eye candy.’
His remarks came after he admitted to being unfaithful to Vanessa, sleeping with one woman and exchanging inappropriate text messages with another.
Vanessa revealed that she threw herself out of a moving car the moment she discovered Ben had betrayed her, so devastated by the realisation.
Ben and Vanessa were engaged but never made it down the aisle during their 16-year relationship.
Since their split, Ben dated reality star Precious Muir for a year before ending their romance in November 2024.
In July, Ben married his ‘Vanessa 2.0’ in a £100,000 ceremony, at a castle in Carlisle, just 15 months after they first started dating.
