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Ben Ofoedu

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Ben Ofoedu
Birth nameBenedict Spencer Ofoedu
BornBritish Hong Kong
Occupation
  • Musician
Years active1989–present
Member ofIntenso Project
Formerly of

Benedict Spencer Ofoedu (/oʊfeɪduː/) is a British singer-songwriter. He is best known for being the former fiancé of Vanessa Feltz and for his media appearances arising from this – although he had some success as a vocalist, having sung on ten UK Singles Chart entries as part of Benz, Phats & Small, and Intenso Project; a solo single, "Your Love", charted at No. 76 on the same chart.

Early life

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Benedict Spencer Ofoedu[1] (/oʊfeɪduː/)[2] was born in Hong Kong and moved to the United Kingdom with his family when he was two years old. His parents were Igbo; his father was a merchant seaman.[3]

Career

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1980s and 1990s: Early career

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In 1989, Ofoedu featured on the tracks "Don't Stop" and "The Deep", from Humanoid's Global.[4] He then formed Big Ben & The Fox.[5] In 1993, Ofoedu joined the band Benz under the name B.I.G. Ben, along with Tim Shade (Benjamin Balogun), and Darkboy (Anthony Benedict Thompson);[1] The group had five singles enter the UK Singles Chart; "Boom Rock Soul" (No. 62), "Urban City Girl" (No. 31), "Miss Parker" (No. 35), "If I Remember" (No. 59), and "On A Sun-Day" (No. 73).[6]

In 1999 he became the singer of Phats & Small[7] after they found they needed a frontman for their hit single Turn Around,[8] which peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.[9] Ofoedu would later sing on their singles "Feel Good" and "Tonite",[10] which charted at No. 7 and No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart.[9] In 2000, he released a solo single "Your Love"[7] under the name "Ben", which charted at No. 76 on that chart.[11]

2000s and 2010s: REDhill, Intenso Project, and Boyz on Block

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In 2001, he joined REDhill, whose other members were Mark Brightman, Rodney Williams, and Shane Lynch; they were never signed, and disbanded in 2002. Ofoedu, Brightman, Williams, and Tony Thompson would later form Four Story in late 2003,[12] who with "Hand on My Heart" appeared on Making Your Mind Up with the intention of representing the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest; they came fifth.[7]

In 2002, he joined Intenso Project,[7] which peaked at No. 22, No. 32, and No. 23 on the UK Singles Chart with "Luv Da Sunshine", "Your Music" featuring Laura Jaye, and "Get It On" featuring Lisa Scott-Lee.[13] In 2008, he wrote Chanelle Hayes' "I Want It".[14] On 11 March 2017, he appeared as one fifth of Boys Allowed, a parody of Girls Aloud, on Let's Sing and Dance.[15] On 13 April 2018, he featured on the Power of Muzik's "Bruised",[16] a charity single which raised money for Barnardo's[17] and which also featured All Together Now winner Michael Rice,[18] Asher Knight, Angels N Bandits, and Luena Martinez,[16] who would later win The X Factor: The Band as part of RLY.[19] In 2019, he co-founded the boy band pop supergroup Boyz on Block.[7]

Television career

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Ofoedu has appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks four times; as a panellist he appeared on 14 October 1999[20] and 4 October 2004,[21] and as one of the Identity Parade he appeared on 17 November 2014[22] and 12 October 2021.[23] On 22 September 2006, Ofoedu performed magic tricks on The All Star Talent Show, where he came fifth.[24] On 29 March 2015, Ofoedu appeared on the BBC's The Big Questions, where the big question in question was "Do you need to be born again to be a Christian?".[25] On 29 November 2015, he appeared on Fern Britton Meets...,[26] and in September 2022, Ofoedu appeared on Pointless Celebrities.[27]

In April 2007, he and his then-fiancée Vanessa Feltz turned up on an episode of Channel 4's Celebrity Wife Swap, in which she spent a week with Paul Daniels, and Ofoedu spent a week with Debbie McGee.[28] On 22 September 2007, Feltz and Ofoedu won £150,000 on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire.[29] Between 10 January[30] and 24 June 2011, Ofoedu and Feltz co-hosted Channel 5's The Vanessa Show.[31] In July 2011, the pair appeared on Pointless Celebrities, reaching the final, but failing to win the jackpot for their charity;[32] they appeared again in February 2019, winning £2,500.[33] They also appeared on All Star Mr & Mrs in July 2014,[34] and on Celebrity Big Brother's "Bit On the Side" as panel members on 1 September 2014.[35]

Personal life

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Ofoedu is a born-again Christian;[36] his nickname in Benz, B.I.G. Ben, was short for Believe In God Ben.[37] He was engaged to television and radio presenter Vanessa Feltz between 2006[38] and 2023;[39] the pair did not marry due to Feltz's previous bad experiences with marriage (her previous husband had cheated on her),[40] and they split up due to Ofoedu also cheating on her.[39]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Trade Marks Opposition Decision (O/315/00)" (PDF). IPO. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Shape Your Future Podcast Episode 112: Ben Ofoedu, Singer and Song Writer". YouTube. 16 December 2016. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  3. ^ "Turned Around". Magzter. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  4. ^ Humanoid (1 May 2023). Global (Media notes). Westside Records.
  5. ^ Clapham, Alain (23 December 1995). boombastic. Echoes.
  6. ^ "BENZ". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 2 May 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Boyz On Block: Who exactly are the band that have been asked to perform at Preston's Christmas lights?". Lancashire Evening Post. 11 October 2019. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  8. ^ Arena, James (15 May 2017). Stars of 21st Century Dance Pop and EDM; 33 DJs, Producers and Singers Discuss Their Careers. McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers.
  9. ^ a b "PHATS & SMALL". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  10. ^ Phats & Small (1999). Now Phats What I Small Music (Media notes). Multiply Records.
  11. ^ "BEN". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  12. ^ "Four chaps with a Euro-vision". East London and West Essex Guardian. 23 February 2006. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Intenso Project". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  14. ^ "So, this Chanelle Hayes single..." DigitalSpy. 9 May 2008. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Members of our favourite boy bands unite for a Girls Aloud classic on Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief". Digital Spy. 11 March 2017. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  16. ^ a b "Power Of Muzik – Discography". Spotify. Archived from the original on 25 April 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Anti-bullying music tour to visit Battersea school". Wandsworth Guardian. 12 April 2018. Archived from the original on 27 April 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Hartlepool singer Michael Rice uses the power of music to tackle bullying". Hartlepool Mail. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  19. ^ "X Factor: Can The Band winners Real Like You be successful?". BBC News. 16 December 2019. Archived from the original on 27 April 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  20. ^ Guide, British Comedy. "Never Mind The Buzzcocks Series 6, Episode 6". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  21. ^ Guide, British Comedy. "Never Mind The Buzzcocks Series 15, Episode 3". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  22. ^ Series 28, Episode 7. Never Mind the Buzzcocks. BBC Two. 17 November 2014.
  23. ^ Series 29, Episode 4. Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Sky Max. 12 October 2021.
  24. ^ Episode 3. The All Star Talent Show. Channel 5. 22 September 2006.
  25. ^ "Episode 12, Series 8, The Big Questions". BBC. 1 January 1970. Archived from the original on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  26. ^ "Fern Britton Meets..., Series 7, Shane Lynch". BBC. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  27. ^ "Pointless Celebrities, Series 15, Music". BBC. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  28. ^ "Sorry for Vanessa? Now that's magic". Herald Scotland. April 2007. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  29. ^ "BBC Radio London presenter Vanessa Feltz's famous partner who was a 90s pop star". MyLondon. 10 February 2021. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  30. ^ "Interview – Vanessa Feltz & Ben Ofoedu ('The Vanessa Show')". Digital Spy. 8 January 2011. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  31. ^ 24 June 2011. The Vanessa Show. Channel 5.
  32. ^ "JustWatch". JustWatch. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  33. ^ "Pointless Celebrities, Series 11, Family". BBC. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  34. ^ "All Star Mr & Mrs Episode 5". ITV. Archived from the original on 4 March 2018.
  35. ^ 1 September 2014. Celebrity Big Brother: Bit on the Side. Channel 5.
  36. ^ Cochrane, Kira (29 November 2006). "When more is more". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  37. ^ "Billboard". 22 June 1996. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  38. ^ "'It gets worse': Vanessa Feltz on 'bloody annoying' age gap with musician partner Ben Ofoedu". The Independent. 1 January 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
  39. ^ a b "Ben Ofoedu Admits To Cheating On Vanessa Feltz As He Breaks Silence On Split". Huffington Post. 12 February 2023. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  40. ^ "Vanessa Feltz shares reason she refused to marry Ben Ofoedu before split". Birmingham Mail. 9 February 2023. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
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