The veteran broadcaster has been on our screens every autumn for more than two decades. But this year, Tess Daly will no longer be fronting Strictly Come Dancing, after she stepped back from the show alongside her co-host Claudia Winkleman last year. As the mum-of-two adjusts to life away from the BBC ballroom, let’s take a look inside her marriage to BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay.
Before the pair found fame on the small screen, Vernon landed his first job at a banana factory after leaving college, where he was tasked with putting stickers on imported fruit. He also held down a job as a school cleaner, covering for school caretakers across Bolton. He soon went on to do a spot of modelling, which eventually landed him a job in television after he was crowned ‘Model of the Week’ on Channel 4’s The Big Breakfast.
The happy couple tied the knot back in 2003 (Image: Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Tess was luckier with her TV career, with the blonde bombshell being scouted outside a McDonald’s restaurant while waiting for her sister in Manchester. Like her husband, her first job was also in modelling before she branched out into film and videos, going on to appear in two Duran Duran music videos.
Both Tess and Vernon were attempting to burst into the TV scene at the same time, with Vernon hosting T4 and Tess working on SMTV. The couple eventually crossed paths in 2001 when they were tasked with recreating a Britney Spears video together.
Love was soon in the air, with the pair dating shortly after meeting the Pop Princess. Talking about their connection, Tess once said: “I couldn’t imagine having more fun with anyone else. It was pretty explosive, I tell you.”
Two years later, Tess and Vernon walked down the aisle together in September 2003. They tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony in Vernon’s hometown. Just after walking down the aisle to Vernon, 51, Tess joined Strictly for the very first series in 2004. The couple share two daughters together, Phoebe, who was born in 2004 and Amber, who was born in 2009.
They welcomed two daughters: Phoebe (left) and Amber (right) (Image: Instagram)
The couple tend to keep their family life out of the spotlight, but over the years, they have shared snaps of their children on social media. Talking about fatherhood, the former model told the Daily Mail: “We let them be independent when it comes to their futures because it’s important that you allow them to find themselves, which is character building and personality development.
“Tess and I grew up in hearty, wholesome Northern families nd that’s a huge trait that helped us in our personal development, and I think that’s really important.” But it hasn’t always been plain sailing for the showbiz power couple.
Their marriage hit turbulent times back in 2010 when the BBC Radio 2 presenter confessed to “sexting” Page 3 girl, Rhian Sugden every day for four months. Their scandalous relationship came about when they met in a Bolton nightclub.
The former I’m a Celeb star admitted to sending flirty messages to “four or five girls” during that period. However, his representative stated firmly that his interactions with Rhian, 34, remained strictly non-physical.
The doting parents had to overcome their challenges in 2010 after a sexting scandal came to light (Image: PA)
He told The Sun at the time: “They never at any point had a physical sexual relationship.” In the aftermath, the TV host revealed on Radio 1 that his wife of 17 years was “extremely upset” over the scandal, and he openly chastised himself to his listeners.
He confessed: “I’ve let down my wife, Tess. I’m an idiot. I’ve been stupid and daft, but I’m not a sex pest. In some ways, I’m glad this story has come out. It feels like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.”
Kay even went as far as to make a poignant vow to Tess during his broadcast, promising a change. He added: “I knew it was getting silly. I’m never going to do it again, and hopefully I can clear the slate clean and start again.
“I’m so sorry. I’ve been an idiot and I’ve let my family down.” But in 2016, their marriage was rocked again when new allegations emerged suggesting Vernon might have reconnected with Rhian once again.
He hastily addressed the issue on Facebook, insisting that Tess was in the loop regarding the messages. The doting dad declared: “I was contacted by Rhian out of the blue back in December regarding the story in 2010, claiming she had information she wanted to pass on.
“I recognise how it may look when messages are pulled out of context, but there was never any inappropriate intent in our communication; I was merely trying to find answers to questions that I’ve had since 2010. Tess is aware of everything that has been discussed with Rhian.”
Addressing the original messages sent in 2010, Vernon admitted in a Daily Mail interview that sending them was a mistake. Acknowledging his past actions, he told the outlet: “I won’t air my dirty linen in public, but I wasn’t the first, and I won’t be the last. People make mistakes, and other people just deal with it.”
Discussing the stability of his marriage, he confirmed: “Never. I knew we would deal with it. Our relationship is strong enough that we deal with this. People do. I’ve had a few friends who’ve had to deal with… stuff… and we did.”
Meanwhile, Tess has remained silent about the racy texts, but conceded in a 2017 interview with The Times that their marriage has endured its “moments”. She reflected: “Marriage is a work in progress. Vernon and I are just people, at the end of the day.”
Despite their hurdles, the pair are more in love than ever (Image: PA)
Despite their rocky patch, the couple have grown closer over the years, so much so that in 2015, Vernon secretly organised for the couple to renew their vows during a lavish family trip to the South of France.
He booked the venue and sorted out a range of dress options for his wife for the special day. He previously revealed: “I booked a weekend in our favourite hotel in the South of France, and I spoke to her stylist at the time, and I said I needed four dresses.
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“She didn’t know anything. I gave her a card, and it said congratulations on your second wedding day, and I said, ‘We’re going to renew our vows’. She said, ‘I’ve got nothing to wear’ and I said, ‘You say that… pick one’.”
Vernon continued: “We went to reception and her mum, my parents, the kids, and my brother were waiting, and she was like, ‘Oh my God’ – we had such a lovely day.” During an interview with Women’s Health in 2020, Tess sweetly shared: “We’re soulmates, me and Vernon. It’s been a ride. And I love him more than ever.”
