{"id":36910,"date":"2026-08-10T18:01:35","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T13:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=36910"},"modified":"2026-08-10T18:01:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T13:01:35","slug":"vanessa-feltz-insists-age-gap-relationships-are-not-easy-after-split-from-ben-ofoedu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=36910","title":{"rendered":"Vanessa Feltz insists age gap relationships are &#8216;not easy&#8217; after split from Ben Ofoedu"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_71ac79\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Vanessa Feltz has insisted that it is &#8220;not easy&#8221; to be in an age gap relationship after recently admitted that she made a &#8220;huge mistake&#8221; in going on a date with a much younger man<\/h2>\n<p><button xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37534120\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Vanessa Feltz\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37534120.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Loose-Women-TV-show-London-UK-24-Oct-2024.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37534120.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/0_Loose-Women-TV-show-London-UK-24-Oct-2024.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37534120.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_Loose-Women-TV-show-London-UK-24-Oct-2024.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37534120.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Loose-Women-TV-show-London-UK-24-Oct-2024.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Vanessa Feltz has spoken out about the pitfalls of being in an age gap relationship  \" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Vanessa Feltz has spoken out about the pitfalls of being in an age gap relationship  <cite aria-label=\"Image: Ken McKay\/ITV\/Shutterstock\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Ken McKay\/ITV\/Shutterstock)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Vanessa Feltz has insisted that it is &#8220;not easy&#8221; to be in an age gap relationship. The broadcast legend, 64, split from pop star <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/ben-ofoedu\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Ben Ofoedu<\/a>, 54, in 2023 after 16 years together when she discovered he had been unfaithful.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">More recently, the former <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/strictly-come-dancing\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Strictly Come Dancing<\/a> star has been open and honest about her attempts to get back on the dating scene and recently went out with a &#8220;much younger man&#8221; but, candidly admitted that she has never been &#8220;more conscious&#8221; of her age than when there was a gap.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">She said: &#8220;Oh gosh I&#8217;m sure they can work if you&#8217;re lucky enough to find a kindred spirit. I wouldn&#8217;t legislate against them but let no one imagine for a second that age gap is just a number, that is a clich\u00e9 it&#8217;s not true and let no one think that if you&#8217;re in an age gap relationship you&#8217;re not more<a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/3am\/celebrity-news\/vanessa-feltz-ben-ofoedus-troubles-29154494\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\"> conscious of your age than you are in your entire life.<\/a>&#8220;<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37534114\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37534114\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.549053356282272\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Vanessa Feltz, Ashley James, Andi Peters, Rochelle Humes\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37534114.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_This-Morning-TV-show-London-UK-10-Aug-2026.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37534114.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_This-Morning-TV-show-London-UK-10-Aug-2026.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37534114.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_This-Morning-TV-show-London-UK-10-Aug-2026.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37534114.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_This-Morning-TV-show-London-UK-10-Aug-2026.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Vanessa appeared on Monday's This Morning alongside  Ashley James, Andi Peters, Rochelle Humes\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Vanessa appeared on Monday&#8217;s This Morning alongside  Ashley James, Andi Peters, Rochelle Humes<cite aria-label=\"Image: Ken McKay\/ITV\/Shutterstock\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Ken McKay\/ITV\/Shutterstock)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Vanessa was making an appearance Monday&#8217;s <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/this-morning\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">This Morning<\/a> during a debate with hosts Andi Peters and Rochelle Hulmes, as well as Made In Chelsea&#8217;s Ashley James, and explained that sometimes there is an expectation for the older one in such a relationship to play a parental role before listing other drawbacks and one positive of being intimate with someone much younger.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">She added: &#8220;Can it work? Yes. Is it easy? No. And there&#8217;s a whole mummy\/daddy thing going on. If you&#8217;re the end up being, and I certainly didn&#8217;t want to be, mother to this hulking great adult.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;And also, conversationally, they haven&#8217;t heard of Wacky Races, they&#8217;ve never read a book. The sex is meant to be spiritual and energetic at least.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Just weeks ago, Vanessa admitted that she had been trying her luck with dating again but went out with someone who was &#8220;significantly younger&#8221; than her and it all went a bit awry despite her high hopes for the evening.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">She said: &#8220;He was an artist, he was significantly younger than me. He said something like &#8216;Oh, you look beautiful,&#8217; and we were getting on the same tube. He made a fast move on me and a girl who I didn&#8217;t know and had never met but she was sitting opposite said &#8216;Go on, go on, V!&#8217;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;So I did go out with him for dinner one night and he was one of the ones who tells you about his very sad life. I went in all sparkles and thinking, &#8216;Oh, we met on the escalator, there&#8217;s got to be a good story here&#8230;&#8217;<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37465260\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37465260\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.4657980456026058\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Vanessa Feltz and Ben Ofoedu\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37465260.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Loose-Women-TV-show-London-UK-19-Jun-2018.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37465260.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Loose-Women-TV-show-London-UK-19-Jun-2018.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37465260.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Loose-Women-TV-show-London-UK-19-Jun-2018.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37465260.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Loose-Women-TV-show-London-UK-19-Jun-2018.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Vanessa split from singer Ben Ofoedu in 2023 after 16 years together\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Vanessa split from singer Ben Ofoedu in 2023 after 16 years together<cite aria-label=\"Image: Ken McKay\/ITV\/REX\/Shutterstock\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Ken McKay\/ITV\/REX\/Shutterstock)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Speaking on Best&#8217;s Suddenly Single podcast, she added: &#8220;But he was serious and quick in this very long dinner. Also, terrible mistake, never do this, wasn&#8217;t my fault, I didn&#8217;t realise this had happened but he booked one of those tasting menus that goes on for about 10 years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Because you don&#8217;t see the menu, I had no idea how many courses it was going to be. I think it might even have been eleven! It just went on and on and on, and you don&#8217;t know how many so you don&#8217;t know how much to eat because you don&#8217;t know when you&#8217;re going to get full!<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;And he was so busy into his tragic life story, I&#8217;m really sorry he had a terrible life and everything but I didn&#8217;t know him. It felt like course 107, and I am polite, I don&#8217;t get up and walk out but I really would&#8217;ve loved to. I wanted to say &#8216;Look mate, we&#8217;ve done nine courses, I don&#8217;t like the food, and I don&#8217;t like you very much, I&#8217;m sorry you&#8217;ve had a terrible life but I never want to see you again.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;But I felt that would be really rude, So I felt I had to sit through it it took about 10 years to get to the end of it. I had really lost the will to live. I was holding my head on my hand just to stop myself from falling under the table. But I did try. Surely it&#8217;s a numbers game and it will end up all right in the end?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><em>Like this story? 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to be in an age gap relationship after recently admitted that she made a &#8220;huge mistake&#8221; in going on a date with a much younger man Vanessa Feltz has spoken out about the pitfalls of being in an age gap relationship (Image: Ken McKay\/ITV\/Shutterstock) Vanessa Feltz&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36911,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37534120.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200d\/0_Loose-Women-TV-show-London-UK-24-Oct-2024.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity-gossip"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36910","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=36910"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36910\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/36911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=36910"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=36910"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=36910"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}