The radio and TV personality said she “loved every moment” of her morning shows but quit to make up for a “decade-long beauty sleep deficit”. Announcing her departure to listeners, she said the roles were “an honor and a privilege”. On Friday she will present her last Radio 2 Early Breakfast Show. In a statement, Feltz said: “I loved every moment with Radio 2 ‘early birds’ and will miss my wonderful listeners, happy good friends and my dear friends and colleagues at Radio 2 with all my heart. “However, after nearly 12 blissful years, I now have to resign myself to making up for a decade’s worth of much-needed beauty sleep. “It’s been an honor and a privilege to be the voice of BBC Radio London’s breakfast for 20 years and, although I’m leaving the show, I’ll still expect hugs from my wonderful listeners when I see them on the streets of London. “ She added: “I’ll be enjoying an energy-boosting eye roll to swing from ziplines with my three bubbly grandchildren and goof around with my fiance Ben, who is annoyingly 10 years my junior.” Newly released BBC figures show Feltz was one of just three women in the top 10 highest-paid on-air talent, with her salary of more than £400,000 putting her in eighth place. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST Before taking over Radio London’s breakfast show, Feltz presented a phone-in program at the station for 10 years and from 2001 hosted a midday phone-in show. Radio 2 controller Helen Thomas said she wanted to “thank you [Feltz] wholeheartedly for the thousands of midnight starts he has made to entertain Radio 2 listeners.” Chris Burns, the controller of the local audio commission, said of Feltz: “The brightest spark you could ever meet – no matter how early it is and what’s in the news. To say Vanessa’s voice will be lost is an understatement.” After a two-week hiatus, he will be covering Jeremy Vine’s show for a fortnight as planned, starting on August 15. Her last day of Vine coverage on August 26 will be her last day on Radio 2 and will also mark her last show on BBC Radio London.
