Ken Bruce: Vanessa Feltz on broadcaster leaving BBC Radio 2

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Vanessa Feltz, 61, quit her BBC Radio 2 and Radio London shows in July last year after 33 years with the broadcaster. At the time, the presenter said she had to step down “to catch up on a much-needed decade’s deficit of beauty sleep”, but has now revealed that she “didn’t really want” to leave.

She told Express.co.uk: “I took the bull by the horns and decided to go.

“When I looked around me and I saw all the old DJs basically being given their marching orders, I thought well I’d like to go before that so I kind of took charge of my own destiny.

“I didn’t really want to; I was incredibly happy at the BBC, and I really loved my jobs.

“I did two shows a day for 12 years and I was at the BBC for about 33 altogether and so it was a massive wrench to leave.

“But I wanted to take my destiny into my own hands and get out before somebody said, ‘Mate, you’re old’. I didn’t fancy that.”

Vanessa now presents her own drivetime show on TalkTV, and she says she is “very, very happy” at the channel.

Vanessa joined a list of popular personalities departing the BBC, including Paul O’Grady, Steve Wright and most recently, Ken Bruce.

When discussing the BBC’s handling of Ken Bruce’s exit after 45 years, Vanessa feels it was “absolutely bewildering”, particularly as his final show was brought forward around one month before his contract was up.

Vanessa said: “To oust Ken Bruce two or three weeks before he was expecting to go and before his contract had actually played itself out, I thought that was incredibly discourteous and disrespectful and unnecessary.

“What was the point of it? Why would you do that? Why would you leave yourselves open to criticism? Bad manners, lack of gratitude, lack of respect.

“It was an absolutely extraordinary decision and I think Ken must have been upset by it.

“I think it must have hurt his feelings terribly and why on earth would you want to hurt the feelings of a person who consistently over a period of 30-odd years has delivered more listeners than any other broadcaster in the entire country?

Don’t miss…
Gino D’Acampo ‘lived on top of Gordon and Fred’ before quitting show [EXCLUSIVE]
Richard Osman fumes over BAFTA TV nominations ‘Why bother?’ [LATEST]
Kate Beckinsale leaves little to the imagination in see-through dress [PICTURES]

“Why would you not want him to serve out every last second of his contract and bless his name for doing that?

“Absolutely bewildering, I do not get that at all.”

Vanessa Feltz’s TalkTV show airs weekdays from 4pm.

Source: Read Full Article