Tess Daly shares a lighthearted TikTok video dancing with her daughter Phoebe, just one day before revealing her separation from husband Vernon Kay.
The Fun Family Moment
Phoebe, 21, posts a playful clip featuring her stylish look in a blue blazer and jeans as she dances energetically. Tess, 57, the former Strictly Come Dancing host, joins in wearing a beige Adidas track top, twirling and shaking her hips. The caption teases: ‘Mum’s TikTok era pending?’
Joint Separation Announcement
The couple, married since 2003, releases a joint statement on Friday detailing their amicable split. They explain: “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 of 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. We will not be making any further public comments.”
Friends confirm both remain at their Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire home. The pair, estimated net worth around £10 million, last appear together publicly in February hosting an episode of The One Show. They serve as food ambassadors for Marks & Spencer.
Background and Reactions
Tess and Vernon meet in 2001 while presenting Top of the Pops@Play. Friends express shock at the news. One states: “When Vernon told me, I was stunned, I didn’t see it coming, nobody did. This is going to take some getting used to.”
Sources indicate the decision follows significant deliberation, with daughters Phoebe and Amber, 17, fully involved. A friend notes: “Tess and Vernon are actually really, really happy now. They’re still living together for now though that will of course change in the near future. The girls were very much part of the decision. They had grown apart, they are different to when they first met. They acknowledged that and decided life would be better if they were to split. They are both in their 50s, they have so much time left and they have decided they would be happier not being together so that’s what they’ve done. It is all very, very amicable. They have lived through so much together, they have had so many happy times. They have had more than two decades of laughs and are extremely proud of their girls but they know splitting is for the best.”
No third party factors in, and divorce lawyers have not yet been engaged.
Past Challenges
The marriage weathers a 2010 scandal when Vernon engages in explicit messaging with model Rhian Sugden, 39, met at a Bolton nightclub. Though no physical affair occurs, Tess works to salvage the relationship and forgives him.
Rhian reflects in a Channel 4 documentary, Page Three: The Naked Truth: “He just got away with it. It ruined everything for me. I felt like I was going up and up with my career and then that came along. I wish I’d never met him. He got to give an apology on the radio and just got to carry on, with Family Fortunes, ironically. It still makes me feel sick.”
Vernon admits on-air to flirting with “four or five girls,” saying: “I’ve let down my wife Tess. I’m an idiot. I’ve been stupid and daft but I’m not a sex pest.” The incident impacts his career, leading to the loss of Family Fortunes and fewer high-profile gigs.
Recent Context
The separation follows Tess’s exit from Strictly Come Dancing after 21 years, her final episode five months prior. Vernon supports her regularly at Elstree Studios. Reports earlier suggest they enter a “new chapter” in their marriage post her departure. A friend of Tess shares: “It’s all changed for her within six or seven months. She’s happy.”
