Vanessa Feltz is planning to launch her own online talk show on YouTube just days after Channel 5 cancelled her daytime programme, according to a TV insider. The 64-year-old broadcaster intends to follow in the footsteps of Piers Morgan and Holly Willoughby by building an audience outside traditional television.
New online venture after show cancellation
A source told The Sun that Feltz was devastated by the news but has no intention of slowing down. 'Vanessa was devastated by the news her Channel 5 show is coming off air,' the insider claimed. 'She lives and breathes conversation and debate – and she has no intention of letting a schedule change stop that.'
The insider added that Feltz has been inspired by the success of established broadcasters who have built huge audiences on YouTube. 'Vanessa has seen the success of broadcasters like Piers Morgan on YouTube and is keen to replicate that. She is in the early stages of planning her own show that could launch later in the year. It's an exciting new chapter for Vanessa who has been confiding in her famous friends and fellow TV stars about her plans.'
Channel 5 show ends after 18 months
Channel 5 announced that the final episode of 'Vanessa' will air on July 17 after 18 months on screen. The decision reportedly came as a shock to the presenter, who was given just four weeks' notice. In a statement, a spokesperson told Metro: 'Due to afternoon scheduling changes, Vanessa will be rested from July 17. We thank Vanessa and her team at ITN for 18 months of warm, witty, wise and searingly honest shows. Vanessa remains a valued member of the Channel 5 family and we are discussing future projects together.'
Trend of broadcasters moving to YouTube
If the project goes ahead, Feltz will become the latest high-profile presenter to embrace online broadcasting as television viewing habits continue to shift. Piers Morgan has built one of YouTube's biggest news and opinion channels since launching 'Piers Morgan Uncensored' in 2022. Holly Willoughby is also reportedly preparing to test the waters with a new lifestyle series on the platform after her departure from 'This Morning'. Feltz, long nicknamed one of Britain's hardest-working broadcasters, has built a career juggling demanding television commitments alongside early-morning radio shifts.
