Vernon Kay and Tess Daly have been married for almost 21 years and have two daughters together – but the couple’s first meeting was ‘explosive’
Vernon Kay and his wife Tess Daly had a very “explosive” start to their romance.
Despite acknowledging the typical marital rollercoaster, their love remains strong, attributing their relationship success to shared backgrounds. Love sparked at a BBC Christmas do back in 2001 for the pair, who had both transitioned from modelling to TV presenting around that time.
During a recent appearance on Scott Mills’ Radio 2 show, Vernon revealed that he and Tess “recreated” a Britney Spears video which stunned Scott, revealing an unknown connection to their love story. Vernon told Scott: “It was Strictly Come Dancing’s Tess and I, recreated the video for Britney Spears’ ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’. That’s how we first met.” He added: “Yeah, I was dressed…no, she was dressed as Geri Halliwell in the Spice Girls Union Jack dress; I was dressed as Britney Spears in the ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ video. School uniform – It was in a charity shop on Shepherd’s Green, Shepherd’s Bush Green.”
A flabbergasted Scott questioned: “And for a moment, did you think that it was me instead of your wife? “. Vernon clarified: “Well, no, I think we talked about it. I think you teed it up. I think you set it up as, ‘Why don’t you and our new presenter, Tess Daly, go and do this?'”
Scott was left stunned as Vernon Kay revealed: “In a roundabout way”, that Scott was responsible for his marriage to Strictly’s Tess Daly, prompting Scott to exclaim: “I can’t get my head round that.”Tess has been open about their immediate connection, confessing to Fabulous magazine: “It was all quite immediate, really, because we instantly had such a blast together.” She continued: “I couldn’t imagine having more fun with anyone else. It was pretty explosive, I tell you.”
Five years Tess’ junior, Vernon, 50, quickly recognised her maturity compared to past girlfriends. In an interview with the Guardian, he expressed: “Tess was the first proper woman I’d ever met.” But it was Tess’s choice of plastic that truly clinched it for Vernon. “She had a visa card when I was still on a student solo card,” he joked.
While in the I’m A Celebrity castle, Vernon disclosed that popping the question to Tess, 55, back in 2002 was among the happiest times of his life. He reminisced about the Christmas Day proposal at Tess’ family home in Stockport: “I think it was when I proposed to Tess. On Christmas Day it was, it was the last present under the tree.”
As Tess marvelled over her ring, Vernon, on bended knee, enjoyed her astonished expression, recalling: “While she was so consumed by the ring, I was on one knee. She was like that [pulls shocked face]. It was awesome.” Its believed Vernon splurged a cool £250,000 for Tess’ stunning emerald cut diamond engagement ring shining from a platinum band.
The couple made their love official with a wedding on 12 September 2003. Shunning the lavish celeb style for something more personal, they vowed lifelong commitment at St Mary’s church in Vernon’s hometown Horwich, Bolton. A vision in white, Tess dazzled guests in a Marina Adanou strapless A-line dress, while Vernon looked sharp in an Alexandre Savile Row white suit, jazzed up with a pink shirt and lively tie.
Post-ceremony saw the couple head to Rivington Hall Barn for their reception; the journey itself made quirky as Vernon chauffeured them in a rented vintage VW campervan. Five years ago, Vernon whisked Tess off to the romantic settings of the South of France, where unbeknownst to her, he had arranged a vow renewal ceremony complete with multiple wardrobe options for his unsuspecting wife.
The doting dad-of-two opened up to his fellow campmates about the romantic gesture, saying: “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.” He added: “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’.” Tess herself has previously credited their blissful partnership to their shared backgrounds. She told the Belfast Telegraph: “There’s an unspoken understanding between us, because we come from similar stock. We come from similar families. We’ve been brought up in a very similar way, really. I guess that’s one of the reasons I always felt so comfortable with him.”
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