Vanessa Feltz, 60, has opened up about why she split from her fiancé Ben Ofoedu, 50, after sixteen years.
The This Morning star was inundated with support after she took to Instagram to announce the "incredibly sad" news that their relationship was over. While she hinted at Ben's infidelities, adding that "once the trust in a relationship is gone then you can't really get it back", she has previously revealed another reason why their engagement didn't last.
WATCH: Vanessa Feltz emotionally discusses split from fiance Ben
"Don’t let anyone tell you that the age gap doesn’t matter," Vanessa explained to The Sunday Times in January. "It’s bloody annoying and it gets worse, especially as our relationship coincided with acres of menopause, which started on my very first day presenting the Radio 2 breakfast show in 2011 with a massive hot flush at 4am and is still going on."
Vanessa – who was previously married to Michael Kurer from 1985 to 2000 – met Ben through Boyzone star Keith Duffy and they got engaged in December 2006.
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The TV star had said they already felt like a married couple and had no "imminent" plans to get married despite their long engagement. However, she announced they were separating in an emotional Instagram video from their £3.5million London home on Sunday.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe couple got engaged in 2006
"Well I haven't been on Instagram for three weeks and that's because my relationship with Ben is over after sixteen years and I honestly didn't know what to say to you on Instagram," Vanessa began.
"But now it's clear that it's over and I really do feel that once the trust in a relationship is gone then you can't really get it back, and that's what I would tell anyone else to do.
Vanessa hinted that his infidelity and their age gap both had parts to play in their split
"And so I just wanted to say that obviously I feel incredibly sad and I am pretty disappointed and shocked and all those horrible things but also full of resolve. Because I am not going to let this defeat me."
Celebrity friends such as Carol Vorderman, Holy Willoughby and Ruth Langsford rushed to support her, including Myleene Klass who was one of many to commend her "brave" confession.
"You have got this Vanessa and we have got you. You have been so brave and will absolutely rise from this like the Queen you are. You deserve loyalty and love and knowing your worth and not settling for anything less than that takes balls. Proud of you. x."
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