Vanessa on Channel 5 officially cancelled after host Vanessa Feltz falls victim to multiple prank calls
Ratings are said to be 'dire'Vanessa Feltz‘s Channel 5 talk show has been cancelled, bosses have confirmed.
The Vanessa programme airs on weekday afternoons and sees the broadcaster chat to both studio guests and viewers about a range of lifestyle topics.
But in recent months, Vanessa has fallen victim to a string of embarrassing prank phone calls live on air.
She has been targeted by hoax callers taking on guises of murders, soap stars and celebrities.
Insiders have also claimed ratings for Vanessa have been “dire”.
Channel 5 bosses have now revealed that Vanessa is being pulled from the airways.
Vanessa officially cancelled by Channel 5
Vanessa initially launched in Channel 5’s lunchtime slot in March 2025. Within months, she had scooped the gong for Best Talk Show Winner at the National Reality TV Awards.
But in December, Channel 5 announced its daytime programmes had been hit by budget cuts and schedule shake ups.
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In the New Year, Vanessa was moved to the later 2pm slot on weekdays. Her lavish studio was toned down from its cosy ‘living room’ theme to something more formal.
Vanessa’s plush sofas were removed and her studio changed to a desk-based format. Show insiders said the newsroom-style layout was intentional to make Vanessa feel more ‘viewer-led’.
However, following the change, Vanessa began falling foul of a number of unwanted and embarrassing hoax calls.
Channel 5 has now confirmed the show will be coming off air next month.
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A Channel 5 spokesperson said: “Due to afternoon scheduling changes, ‘Vanessa’ will be rested from July 17th.
“We thank Vanessa and her team at ITN for 18 months of warm, witty, wise and searingly honest shows.
Channel 5 confirmed that Vanessa “remains a valued member of the team”. She is now “discussing future projects” with the broadcaster, they said.
Vanessa ‘blindsided’ by axing
An insider claims the decision to axe Vanessa came out of the blue to host Vanessa Feltz.
A source told the Daily Mail: “Vanessa was brought into a meeting after her show came off air this week.
‘She had no idea what the meeting was about and certainly didn’t expect to be told it was not being renewed. She feels so blindsided but also let down by bosses.”
Vanessa has not spoken publicly about the decision to pull her show.
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