Vanessa Feltz’s heart has ‘snapped into a million pieces’ following her split from Ben Ofoedu after 16 years together.

The TV personality, 60, confirmed this week that her relationship with Phats and Small singer Ben, 50, who she became engaged to in 2006, was over.

Fighting back tears as she opened about what a ‘horrible shock’ her break up has been, Vanessa admitted it has been a ‘very difficult’ time, speaking to presenter Sue Atkins on Talk TV.

She said: ‘The thing is, that my mum died at 57 years old and I have mourned her every day. She’s missed so much – now I might start crying and I hope I don’t as that would be very unprofessional.

‘So, when I lived to be older than my mum, and I am older, I’m 60, I’ve been so grateful to be alive. I’ve been so grateful, because I didn’t think it was a given right? I was so pleased.

‘So, I was absolutely determined to wring every ounce of happiness and fun and adventure and excitement from every day. And I really mean it, I’m not just saying it because it’s sloshy and slushy – I really mean it.

So, when people say “Eurgh, you’re 60, you’re old, how do you feel?” The answer is grateful. I feel incredibly grateful, I’m so pleased to be alive. And I’m so determined to enjoy everything I’m given to have.

‘But obviously when you get a horrible shock and your heart snaps into a million pieces and you’re just thinking, “Oh my God,” all that thing about enjoying every minute, it’s a gift, it’s a wonderful thing, just kind of evaporates. It’s very difficult.

‘It’s hard then, because you’re on track to be appreciating every minute and you’re feeling so sad. It’s hard, isn’t it? I’m determined to do it, but it is hard. I don’t want to be derailed from it.’

The pair got engaged in 2006 (Picture: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Wylde Moon)

Despite admitting she is determined to ‘keep calm and carry on’, Vanessa is ‘worried’ about what the future holds.

She said on her TalkTV show: ‘I can’t be the only person in the country nursing a broken heart, can I? I am absolutely determined to put my best foot forward, to keep on trucking, all that sort of stuff. Keep calm and carry on.

‘Having said all of this, obviously inside I’m feeling all sorts of things, no questions about it.

Vanessa and Ben had been together for 16 years (Picture: Tabatha Fireman/Getty Images)

‘Very hurt, very sad, terribly disappointed, worried about the future, all the normal stuff – of course I am.’

The TV star took to Instagram over the weekend to confirm she and Ben had split, writing at the time: ‘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.

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‘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.

‘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. I am not going to let this defeat me.’

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