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Vanessa Feltz is quitting her BBC radio shows.
The 60-year-old told her Radio 2 ‘Early Breakfast Show’ listeners on Thursday (28,07.22) she wanted to catch up on 10 years’ lost sleep.
Mum-of-two Vanessa is also walking away from her BBC Radio ‘London Breakfast Show’ that runs 7am to 10am after nearly 20 years.
She said in a statement: “I have loved every moment with my Radio 2 Early Birds and will miss my Lovely Listeners, Jolly Good Fellows and beloved friends and colleagues at Radio 2 with all my heart.
“However, after almost 12 blissful years, I now need to step down to catch up on a much needed decade’s deficit of beauty sleep!
“It’s been an honour and privilege to be the Breakfast voice of BBC Radio London for 20 years and although I’m leaving the show, I’ll continue to expect hugs from my lovely listeners when I see them on the streets of London!
“I will enjoy a dollop of energy-boosting shut-eye to swing from zip-lines with my three effervescent grandchildren and frolic with my fiancé Ben, who irritatingly remains 10 years younger than me!”
Vanessa will present her final Radio 2 ‘Early Morning Breakfast Show’ on Friday 29 July.
Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, said about her exit: “For almost 12 years, Vanessa has made her live weekday ‘Early Breakfast Show’ her very own kingdom, and I’d like to thank her wholeheartedly for the thousands of middle-of-the-night starts she’s made to entertain the Radio 2 listeners.
“On behalf of them, as well as everyone in Wogan House, I’d like to send Lady V our very best wishes for the future.”
Chris Burns, local audio commissioning controller, added: “Every weekday Vanessa has breezed straight from her Radio 2 programme into the Radio London breakfast show, barely pausing for breath. She has effortlessly entertained her 'lovely listener' and sternly held the city’s and country’s decision makers to account.
“The brightest spark you could ever meet – no matter how early it is and what’s going on in the news – to say Vanessa’s voice will be missed is an understatement. We wish her well and thank her dearly for her incredible service.”