Bariatric surgeryUnited Kingdom6 min read
Did Vanessa Feltz have a gastric bypass? Yes, and she explained it herself
Vanessa Feltz, one of British broadcasting's most familiar voices, sat on the This Morning sofa in March 2019 and did what few celebrities of her generation had done: explained her weight-loss surgery in detail, on live television, including the complication that led to it. Here is what she said and what bariatric surgery involves today.
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Medically reviewed by Andrey G. Ugay, lead bariatric surgeon. Review date: .
Key facts about the procedure
- Back to work2–4 weeks
- Stay in clinic1–5 days
- Final result18–24 months
- Price
$4,800from $3,600
Profile
Vanessa Feltz
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Who
- British broadcaster and TV presenter
- Year of operation
- 2019
- Quote source
- Daily Mail, 27 March 2019
What did Vanessa Feltz say about her gastric bypass?
Vanessa Feltz's story was an unusual one, because her gastric bypass was not a first step but a rescue. As the Daily Mail reported on 27 March 2019, she told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that years earlier she had a gastric band — and in January 2019 the band slipped, embedded in her liver and caused a hiatus hernia, so surgeons removed it and converted it to a bypass in the same operation.
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WhatsAppShe woke up in intensive care, she said: “I came round in intensive care, I didn't feel great, but I came back to work after a week.”
Why talk about it at all? Her answer was simple: “I'd rather tell the truth than not. I'd rather just be open about it. I have nothing to hide.” She admitted her first reaction to the suggestion of a bypass was alarm — “God, I don't want one of those. The bypass is a proper operation” — and she was candid about the feelings behind her weight: “I feel like 'why couldn't I say no to a piece of cake? Just why not?'” Three stone had gone in under three months. Her verdict at that point: “Am I pleased? I feel great and I'm very relieved, and so far I haven't seen a downside at all.” And her advice to others carried both caution and respect for the surgery: “Consider it very carefully, don't plunge into it. Get the best possible surgeon you can find.”
That is what this article relies on: her words as quoted by the newspaper. Everything below describes bariatric surgery in general, not her treatment.
What her story teaches patients
Feltz's account is useful precisely because it is not an advertisement. It shows that the older gastric band technology can fail years later — slippage is one of its recognised complications — and that a failed band can usually be converted to another operation in the hands of an experienced team.
More on this topic: Bariatric surgery with support all the way to your result, Mini Gastric Bypass (MGB), Gastric Sleeve (Sleeve Gastrectomy), Bariatric Operations in Phoenix, Obesity Surgery in Singapore.
It shows that bariatric surgery is real abdominal surgery with real recovery, not a cosmetic quick fix: her own first reaction, that the bypass "is a proper operation", is the healthiest sentence in the whole story.
And it shows the modern standard of aftercare: she was back at work within a week and publicly reflective about the psychological side of eating. Today sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass, done laparoscopically, are the mainstream operations, and every serious programme wraps them in dietetic and psychological follow-up — the part of the treatment that decides long-term success as much as the surgery itself.
What bariatric surgery looks like today
Bariatric surgery changes the stomach so that smaller amounts of food produce lasting satiety. All operations are done under general anaesthesia, today usually laparoscopically, through small punctures.
Gastric sleeve (sleeve gastrectomy)
- How it works
- Most of the stomach is removed, leaving a narrow tube
- Typical candidacy
- The most common operation worldwide today
Gastric bypass
- How it works
- A small stomach pouch is connected to the small intestine, bypassing part of it
- Typical candidacy
- Higher BMI, reflux or type 2 diabetes often favour it; also the standard conversion after a failed band
Gastric band
- How it works
- An adjustable band restricts the upper stomach
- Typical candidacy
- Rarely used today; reversible, but carries long-term complications such as slippage
Candidacy is usually a body mass index of 35 and above, or 30 and above with weight-related conditions, after documented attempts at other methods. The final choice is made with a surgeon after examination.
Who is a candidate and how to prepare
Preparation starts weeks before surgery:
- Assessment — blood tests, ultrasound, ECG and a check of the oesophagus and stomach; a psychologist and a dietitian see every patient.
- Before surgery — a low-calorie diet is often prescribed to shrink the liver; smoking and alcohol stop; blood-thinning medicines are paused on the doctor's instructions.
- Plan the aftercare — ask before booking which check-ups, vitamin schemes and dietitian visits are included. Lifelong vitamin supplementation is part of every bariatric operation.
Vanessa Feltz's caution — do not plunge into it — is exactly what the assessment stage is for.
What recovery looks like
Most patients stay one to two nights in hospital. The first weeks are liquid and then soft food, progressing to normal textures over about a month. Walking starts the day after surgery; structured exercise returns over four to six weeks. Weight loss is fastest in the first six months and continues over 12–18 months.
Follow-up is permanent in spirit: blood tests for vitamins and minerals, dietitian reviews and monitoring that lasts for life.
How the first year after bariatric surgery usually goes
- Day of surgeryGeneral anaesthesia, laparoscopic operation; one to two nights in hospital.
- Weeks 1–2Liquid diet; short walks from the first day after surgery.
- Weeks 3–4Soft food introduced; most people return to non-physical work.
- Months 2–6Normal textures return; weight loss is at its fastest.
- Months 6–12Exercise routine established; vitamins and blood tests stay on schedule.
- Months 12–18Weight stabilises; annual follow-up continues for life.
Bariatric surgery at City Medical Centre
City Medical Centre performs gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery for international patients, including patients from London. The first consultation is free and can start online: the surgeon reviews your history and tests, agrees the operation and the price is fixed in the contract before a date is booked. Prices start at $3,600 for a gastric sleeve, with gastric bypass from $4,000. More details are on the bariatric surgery page and the page for patients from London.
To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Vanessa Feltz or her treatment. Her story is quoted here only because she chose to discuss her surgery openly on television.
Frequently asked questions
Did Vanessa Feltz have a gastric bypass?
Yes. She revealed on This Morning in March 2019 that she had a gastric bypass in January 2019, during surgery to remove a slipped gastric band that had embedded in her liver.
What did Vanessa Feltz say about her surgery?
She said she would "rather tell the truth" and has "nothing to hide", admitted her first reaction was "God, I don't want one of those. The bypass is a proper operation", and reported feeling great three stone lighter. Her advice: "consider it very carefully, don't plunge into it."
Can a gastric band be converted to a bypass?
Yes, when a band fails or causes complications, experienced surgeons commonly remove it and convert to a sleeve or bypass in the same operation — the course Vanessa Feltz described.
How much weight can bariatric surgery help lose?
Typically a substantial share of excess weight over 12–18 months, depending on the operation, starting weight and aftercare. The surgeon gives realistic numbers at the consultation.
How much does bariatric surgery cost at City Medical Centre?
Prices start at $3,600 for a gastric sleeve, with gastric bypass from $4,000. The final price is fixed in the contract after the free consultation.
Sources
What the article says about the celebrity is based only on these public statements.
- Daily Mail, 27 March 2019
Medical background and further reading
General information about the procedure from health authorities and medical societies. It is not advice for any individual patient.
- PubMed / NCBI — Benefits and Risks of Bariatric Surgery in Adults: A Review (JAMA, 2020)
- PubMed / NCBI — Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy vs Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: systematic review and meta-analysis (2016)
- World Health Organization — Obesity and overweight
- American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery — Bariatric Surgery Procedures
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