Vanessa Feltz has admitted she finds the ‘crushing solitude’ of being single difficult to navigate following her split from Ben Ofoedu.
The presenter, 62, split from singer Ben, 51, in February last year after 16 years together when she discovered he had been unfaithful.
The star has been single since then but has gone on plenty of dates, most of which appear to have been unsuccesful. oli k
Writing in her Express column, Vanessa candidly admitted she has struggled with feeling lonely after having had a partner for so many years.
She wrote: ‘I’ve been so lucky to holiday in Spain with my grandchildren, but returning to an empty house feels bleak after days of fun and laughter.
Vanessa Feltz has admitted she finds the ‘crushing solitude’ of being single difficult to navigate following her split from Ben Ofoedu
The presenter, 62, split from singer Ben, 51, in February last year after 16 years together when she discovered he had been unfaithful (pictured in 2021)
‘I’m a reluctant singleton. I try to muster somebackbone, but I don’t like it. I’ve found the contrast between the togetherness of family 24/7 to crushing solitude tough to navigate. My heart goes out to all those in the same boat.’
During a recent appearance on the Suddenly Single podcast, Vanessa told how she’s been on some ‘demoralising’ dates lately.
She said: ‘When you’re on a horrible date, where there’s nothing – it’s not fun, they’re looking at you and you’re looking at them and when you go home and walk in the door, it’s very hard… it’s hard not to feel a bit diminished.
‘You don’t feel attractive, you don’t feel what you said is funny. You don’t feel wanted.’
Vanessa, who said her most recent date was ‘dire’, has no desire to try out the world of online dating.
She said: ‘I’ve never swiped in my life – I reckon I’d end up in the papers in about two or three seconds.’
Vanessa even tried her luck on Celebs Go Dating but sadly didn’t mean The One.
She said of the experience: ‘It was very difficult, but I remained hopeful, mildly hopeful…if you’d said to me, do you, with your hand on the Bible Vanessa, think that they’re going to find you your Prince Charming, I would probably have said no.’
The star has been single since then but has gone on plenty of dates, most of which appear to have been unsuccesful
Writing in her Express column, Vanessa candidly admitted she has struggled with feeling lonely after having had a partner for so many years (pictured in 2021)
The presenter reportedly found a string of social media messages and emails from Ben to other women last year.
Addressing her Instagram followers earlier this year, she wrote: ‘You know I’ve said dozens of times that I don’t like being on my own and I don’t like being single.’
‘I haven’t stayed in a single night since January 2023, not one single night. I’ve been out every day because I just haven’t felt nice sitting at home on my own. I haven’t felt relaxed enough to do it.’
‘Well guess what, tonight’s the night – oh yes! I’m going to do supper, I’m going to eat it.’
‘I’m going to have a lovely warm bubble bath and then I’m going to watch some blinking TV and I’m going to enjoy it.’
‘That is progress. It’s taken me a hell of a lot of time to get here, an awfully long time. It’s been over 390 nights out in total or something ridiculous.’
‘Tonight though is the first exception and that must mean I’m a lot more chilled so thank goodness for that.’
‘Everybody’s been so g***** nice and so bloody supportive in the last year. I really can’t thank you enough – it’s meant the world, it really has.’
‘So TV, supper, a bath – and do you know what, that sounds like quite a good prospect to me’, she concluded the clip, before signing it off with ‘lots of love.’