Vanessa Feltz, 64, and Phats & Small star, Ben Ofoedu, 54, were together for 16 years before they split in 2023 when Vanessa discovered the singer had been cheating13:08, 14 Aug 2026Updated 13:14, 14 Aug 2026Ben Ofoedu has made some shocking claims about his ex, Vanessa Feltz, following their sad split three years ago. The couple, who were together for 16 years, went their separate ways in 2023 after Vanessa, 64, discovered the Phats & Small star, 54, had been 'cheating ferociously'.‌Vanessa, who said she was "heartbroken" by their demise, spoke candidly about the break-up this week and the pressures of an age-gap relationship.‌The TV star said that in reality ‘it’s a big fat bore being mummy to a hulking great adult.'‌Her comments have seemingly prompted an angry outburst from ex Ben, who retaliated by claiming Vanessa treated him like her "lapdog".‌In a blistering attack on the grandmother, he fumed: "For 17 years she emasculated me, verbally abused me, and made me feel small," reports the Mail.Ben continued: "She spoke to me in a derogatory way in front of so many people and would tell me off like a mother. She would constantly tease me and say that what I did wasn’t important.""I really knew we’d hit rock bottom because she said to me once that if we ever finished: 'No one would care about you because I’m a national treasure, and you’re just a one-hit wonder'. So I just became this kind of lapdog that was adjacent to her life."‌Defending his bombshell comments on X, he wrote: "I only respond articles that she writes about me. I was bullied in my relationship for 17 years and she’s still trying to bully me in the media."All those who don’t believe me just don’t want believe me for their own prejudice agendas but I think deep down inside the truth is in plain sight."Ben married another Vanessa last year. Vanessa Brown is 23 years his junior, with the pair seemingly settling into married life as they post a series of loved-up photos to social media regularly.Article continues belowVanessa spoke out about age-gap issues on This Morning this week. Explaining that sometimes there is an expectation for the older person in a relationship to play a parental role before revealing her reality of such a set-up, she mused: "Can it work? Yes. Is it easy? No. And there's a whole mummy/daddy thing going on. If you're the end up being, and I certainly didn't want to be, mother to this hulking great adult."The Mirror has contacted Vanessa's rep for comment.Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.