Vanessa Feltz has revealed that she would jump at the chance to present a “middle-aged” version of Love Island.
ITV recently announced that they are casting single parents who are ‘looking for love’ for a new dating show.
The show will be called The Romance Retreat and will see the contestants stay in a luxurious villa in an attempt to find love.
Speaking in an interview with Betway, Vanessa, 61, said she “of course” would love to host the show, but stopped short of offering herself as a contestant.
She said: ‘I think the nation has been very, very good to me over the years. I think the lovely and beautiful nation of viewers should avoid seeing me in a bikini!’
New concert? Vanessa Feltz has revealed that she would jump at the chance to present a ‘middle-aged’ version of Love Island
Split: Vanessa recently became single again following her split from ex-fiancé Ben Ofoedu, who later admitted to cheating on her
It appears that the show is very similar to its Love Island concept, however it is unclear if the winners of The Romance Retreat will win a cash prize at the end of the series.
Vanessa recently became single again after her split from ex-fiancé Ben Ofoedu, who later admitted to cheating on her.
The broadcaster said it has had “incredible” support from the public since announcing the couple were going their separate ways.
She said: ‘I can not believe it. I’ve honestly received thousands of direct messages on Instagram, all of them absolutely lovely. I have heard from every famous woman in the country, except Queen Camilla.
“I think she’s the only one, but everyone else has been getting close. My friends and family have obviously been amazing. I have really felt a real outpouring of warmth and love. I did not expect it
‘I’ve been absolutely overwhelmed, it’s been amazing. Thank you very much to everyone who has been so kind to me. It has meant the world to me, absolutely meant the world to me.
Now I have 347,000 followers on Instagram in just one year. I used to have an £8 Nokia and now I can use social media. I think that’s pretty good.
Elsewhere in the conversation, Vanessa recalled her stint on Celebrity Big Brother in 2001 and said she is looking forward to the show’s revival on ITV2 later this year.
Show: ITV recently announced they are casting single parents who are ‘looking for love’ for a new dating show
She said: ‘I have said many, many times that if Shakespeare were alive today. I’m pretty sure he would be watching. He is a great guide to human life and human behavior.
“It was absolutely mesmerizing and I never for a minute regretted doing it, even though I did cry and write on the table. My kids say I was the first person to cry on a reality show, something I can claim for the rest of my life.
It will probably be engraved on my tombstone. I’m a big fan so I can’t wait to see it.’
It comes after Vanessa admitted that life “isn’t easy” after the split.
The star shared a video on Instagram where she revealed that she “can’t sleep in the middle of the night” but hopes it gets better.
While enjoying dinner at the Brasserie Of Light restaurant in London’s Selfridges, a friend asked her: ‘Vanessa, you look great, but how do you really feel?’
After showing an emotional expression, she replied, ‘Well, no one said it was going to be easy and I must say that it’s actually not easy, especially in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep and all.
“But I keep going and I have many, many friends and family around me and I love that.
Happier Times: Ben and Vanessa had been together for 17 years (pictured in March 2022 before the split)
“I guess every day I hope it gets a little easier, but thanks for asking.”
It comes after the woman Ben reportedly went missing with first told MailOnline how he sent a bombshell email to Vanessa, followed by an “awkward” phone call, denouncing the ” Serial Womanizer” by Ben.
Ben’s adventure told Vanessa had been ‘hopelessly in love’ with him after a series of torrid encounters in Ibiza and thailand.
But she insisted that the BBC Radio 2 presenter deserved to know that her partner had tried to seduce at least three other younger women.
The successful businesswoman, who looks a lot like Vanessa, said she initially had no idea Ben had a long-term partner when she began her affair with him, and broke off the relationship as soon as she found out.
But beach club owner and restaurateur Ella, 59, who did not wish to use her real name, described him as “an octopus who has no respect for women” and said she wanted to set the record straight after he ” spread lies” about their year-long affair.
After the email, Ella and Vanessa had a ‘difficult’ phone conversation during which Vanessa told her that what she and Ofoedu had done was ‘very wrong’.
In the email, Ella wrote to Vanessa: “I was aware of his relationship with you and I felt very guilty, but he haunted me so much that I couldn’t resist his charm.”
Support: The broadcaster said it has had ‘incredible’ support from the public since announcing the couple were going their separate ways (pictured in 2019)
“I was terrified sending that email,” Ella said, “and even more terrified when Vanessa called me back.”
“I completely understood his anger at me and I certainly didn’t snap back at him, but it was a very awkward conversation.”
Despite the revelations about Ben’s behavior in the email and phone call, Vanessa apparently decided to forgive him.
However, last month, Vanessa announced that she had finally called it quits after a series of other illicit relationships surfaced.
She, a mother of one, remained silent for six years but only decided to speak out after she said Ben insulted her in his mea culpa interview, in which he described their relationship as “purely sexual with no feelings involved” and – more disparagingly , that sex with her was ‘almost a chore’.
