BBC boss accidentally emails star damning review of Vanessa Feltz

The memo claimed her breakfast show was 'lacking personality'

Vanessa Feltz (Getty)

A confidential memo from a BBC chief has been published by various media outlets, revealing disparaging comments about presenter Vanessa Feltz.

Station editor David Robey wrote how the Radio presenter’s breakfast show was “lacking personality” and getting 55-year-old to keep up the pace of news was “a constant battle”.

Robey made the mistake after accidentally believing he was sending a trailer out to staff, not the star’s annual review. He immediately asked employees to delete the message, which was subsequently leaked to the press.

"When we launched Vanessa's breakfast programme, we were aware we would have to find the right balance between her skills and the much tighter format,” the report reads, according to The Sun.

"We reduced the number of stories (fewer, bigger, better) and tried to create more time for her personality and interaction, but it still felt constricted and lacking personality. Vanessa loves a long interview… but it's a constant battle to get her to suit the pace of breakfast".

Feltz was recently revealed to be the second highest earning woman by the broadcaster, making between £350,000 and £399,999 a year. Listening figure show that 161,000 people tune in weekly to her BBC London show; the previous year’s figure stood at 208,000.

A BBC spokesperson said in response: “We regularly review our output. Vanessa is an award-winning presenter whose programmes have consistently delivered strong listening figures over many years. She is an asset to the station and we have every confidence in her.”