Vernon Kay’s father has spoken out about his son’s sudden separation from Tess Daly after 23 years of marriage.
The Radio 2 host, 52, and former Strictly Come Dancing host, 57, released a joint statement earlier this month confirming they were ‘amicably’ parting ways and that this was a mutual decision and not down to any third party.
Then, last week, Vernon publicly addressed his fans for the first time since the split went public on his Radio 2 show, where he expressed his gratitude for their support.
Now, his father, with whom he shares a close relationship, has addressed the ongoing speculation that another person could have been involved in their unexpected breakup.
Reiterating the former couple’s stance, he told the Daily Mail: ‘That’s absolutely 100% rubbish. He’s not interested in finding anyone else at the moment, and there is nobody else involved.’
TV’s longtime golden couple – parents to two daughters, Phoebe and Amber – hit a rough spot in their relationship in 2010 when Vernon was caught up in a sexting scandal with UK glamour model Rhian Sugden, among other women.
Tess Daly and Vernon Kay’s relationship – key events
2001 – Tess and Vernon meet while Vernon is working at Channel 4 and Tess is at ITV
2002 – Vernon proposes on Christmas Day at Tess’ parents’ home
2003 – they marry at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Vernon’s hometown, Horwich, near Bolton
2004 – first daughter Phoebe is born
2009 – second daughter Amber is born
2010 – Vernon admits to sending explicit messages to Page 3 model Rhian Sugden and other women for four months
2010 – a month later, Tess addresses the sexting scandal, insisting that their marriage was ‘worth fighting’ for
2013 – Vernon surprises Tess with a vow renewal in the South of France, 10 years on from their first wedding
2017 – Tess says their marriage is a constant ‘work in progress’
2020 – appearing on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Vernon says his infidelity is ‘in the past’ and has been ‘forgotten about’, adding that they’ve ‘moved on’
2025 – Vernon celebrates as Tess receives her MBE in one of their final major public appearances together
February 2026 – the couple appear on screens together for the last time, co-hosting BBC’s The One Show
May 2026 – Tess and Vernon announce that, ‘after much consideration’, they have separated ‘amicably’
He later expressed his regret and, during his time on I’m A Celebrity in 2020, confirmed that he and Tess had ‘moved on’ from that incident.
Elsewhere, Norman shared that there was ‘no bad blood’ between Vernon and Tess, even if it is ‘sad when a couple splits up’.
He continued: ‘But it’s an amicable split, and there is no bad blood between them. They have just gone in different directions, that’s all. ‘Sometimes these things happen for the better and this is one of those cases.’
Revealing that he has phoned Vernon every day since the breakup, he confirmed everything was all right and has even offered relationship advice to his son, citing his own long marriage.
‘My advice to him is not to rush into another relationship and he’s not doing that because he’s got plenty of time,’ he said.
Tess Daly and Vernon Kay’s split statement in full
‘After much consideration, and with a deep sense of care and respect for one another, we have made the decision to separate amicably.
‘This has not been an easy choice, but it comes from a place of mutual understanding and a shared desire for what is best for both of us.
‘We remain great friends and most importantly, fully committed to our roles as loving and supportive parents, which will always be our priority.
‘There are no other parties involved in this decision.
‘We kindly ask for privacy during this time as we navigate this transition together.
‘We will not be making any further public comments.’
Later adding: ‘He’s not as old as me and will come out well from this situation. I’m sure that everything will work out fine for them both.’
This year marks a new chapter for Tess in both her personal and professional life as she lets go of both her husband and Strictly, which have been a part of her life for over two decades.
According to reports, the pair – who stress that they remain devoted parents to their daughters – toasted the end of their marriage after publicly releasing the news.
The showbiz couple first started dating in the early 2000s after meeting at a BBC Christmas party, before tying the knot in 2003.
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