Vanessa Feltz had her heart broken last year when her engagement to Ben Ofoedu ended in disaster and betrayal – but fans fear the star’s new man could be using her for fame

Vanessa Feltz has been warned by friends to be cautious dating a prolific Tinder user – fearing she could get hurt again.

Last year, the 62-year-old broadcasting legend was left devastated when 51-year-old fiancé Ben Ofoedu cheated on her – destroying their 16-year relationship. The star went on to lose weight as she struggled to eat while battling heartache. While reality show fans saw the star tentatively dip her toes back into the dating world last summer when she was a contestant on E4’s Celebs Go Dating.

Last month, Vanessa was spotted on a date with prolific love coach, and supposed ‘most attractive man on Tinder’, Stefan-Pierre Tomlin, 33. The TV and radio star and the model were spied enjoying a three course meal together at Sheesh in London’s Mayfair – sparking reports they are striking up a romance.

Now friends of Vanessa have stepped forward to say that they are encouraged to see Vanessa back out dating – but hope that she will be cautious in order to avoid harming her heart again. However, it also sounds like her friends are aware that Stefan-Pierre’s reputation as something of a Lothario should give Vanessa cause for thought.

Vanessa was in a relationship with Ben Ofoedu for 16 years – until he ruined everything by cheating on her (
Image:
Dave Benett/WireImage)

Vanessa lost two stone in a ‘heartbreak diet’ following the end of her engagement (
Image:
Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hearst)

Someone close to the presenter told OK! magazine: “It’s very early days for Vanessa and her new man, but her friends are encouraging her to be cautious. It’s no secret that he likes the limelight – being the most swiped man on Tinder speaks for itself – and they’re telling her to take everything with a pinch of salt.”

The words of warning come a week after the Mirror shared snaps of Vanessa and Stefan-Pierre on their date together. Stefan-Pierre rose to prominence in 2017 when he was crowned the ‘most attractive man on Tinder’ after 14,600 women swiped right in the hope of matching with him,

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However, he has himself explained he struggles to find love – saying last year: “I’m discovering it’s hard for girls to see me for who I am. They like the idea of me but they don’t realise what my lifestyle entails. Having the name Mr Tinder isn’t ideal for a girl looking for Mr Right.” He has found some success as a relationship advisor, however, saying: “It brings me immense joy to coach individuals through genuine love relationships.”

Last year, Vanessa was left heartbroken when her engagement to singer Ben collapsed – bringing to an end their 16-year-long romance. She lost two stone on a ‘heartbreak diet’ as she was left so devastated by the fact he had cheated on her that she struggled to eat. She told Closer magazine last August: “I’ve been too heartbroken to eat anything, and I don’t think that’s a very nice diet. I’ve been on it before and it’s horrible. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I’m sure I’ll get my appetite back when I go back to being OK.”

While Ben himself openly discussed the fact he had been unfaithful – saying: “It was purely sexual, there were no feelings involved… It felt like a chore. I just fell back into it with her to keep her sweet and everything under wraps… I cheated because I was insecure. The girl in Ibiza said things like ‘You’re such a great guy. I don’t know why you’re not married. Who wouldn’t want to marry you?’ That coupled with alcohol was a recipe for disaster. It was a volatile situation. That’s why that happened.”