Ben Ofoedu has married 29-year-old Vanessa Brown in a £100,000 ceremony at Rose Castle in Cumbria, calling his new bride “Vanessa 2.0” after his former fiancée Vanessa Feltz.
The 52-year-old musician, who split from TV presenter Feltz in 2023 after 16 years together, wed aesthetics expert Brown on Wednesday in what he described as “the happiest day of my life”.
“I have been waiting for this feeling, I have always wanted to be married since I was seven years old,” Ofoedu commented.
He went on to admit: to the Daily Mail “I almost gave up on marriage, thinking there wasn’t a lady that would walk down the aisle for me.”
The couple met in April 2024 at a gala dinner in Carlisle where Ofoedu was performing, before getting engaged in New York this February.
The lavish celebration featured 72 guests including Boyzone members Shane Lynch, who served as best man, and Keith Duffy, alongside S Club 7’s Bradley McIntosh and 911’s Lee Brennan.
Brown dazzled in a Berta Privee strapless lace gown whilst Ofoedu opted for a cream suit and black shirt.
The day began with a blessing in a small church before moving to the castle lawn.
Guests toasted with £33-a-bottle Jean-Noel Heritage Champagne and enjoyed lobster ravioli, roast chicken, salmon and cheese soufflé. The couple’s first dance was to Boyzone’s Every Day I Love You.
A £7,500 drone show told their love story, depicting their chance meeting when Ofoedu performed with Boyz on Block as a last-minute replacement for Boyzlife at the Elite Awards in Carlisle.
Reflecting on his previous relationship, Ofoedu made cutting remarks about his years with Feltz, telling the Daily Mail: “Never again will I do that. I wasted 17 years of my life.”
He criticised long engagements, stating: “If you don’t want to commit to someone, that’s fine.
But don’t pretend you do and hold on to someone for a long period of time. Let them free, let them fly.”
The DJ, who refuses to mention Feltz by name “ever again”, claimed their relationship had different definitions of love.
“This love with Vanessa [Brown] has made me realise that the other one didn’t love me as much as she made out,” he said.
He also referenced Feltz discussing their sex life on television, saying: “I knew what I was getting into going out with someone that talks about their sex life on TV.”
New bride Vanessa Brown was equally dismissive of her husband’s former relationship, telling the publication: “To be honest I don’t care whatsoever, I couldn’t care less about her. She is his ex – I have exes – and they’re in the past.”
The 29-year-old aesthetics expert added: “Why would you care? Enjoy your retirement, your family and just chill. Stop talking about it, it’s so tragic!”
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Brown revealed the couple hope to start a family within the next year and are planning a business venture together. She dismissed negativity surrounding her husband’s past, stating: “When it comes to his last relationship, a lot of it is spiteful and untrue.”
“Part of me feels sorry for her but it’s my life and I don’t care,” she concluded.
