Tess Daly and Vernon Kay separate after 23 years of marriage — Tess And Vernon

Tess Daly and Vernon Kay, writing as tess and vernon, said on Friday that they have separated after 23 years of marriage. Their joint statement framed the split as amicable and asked for privacy while they move through the transition.

Friday’s joint statement

“After much consideration, and with a deep sense of care and respect for one another, we have made the decision to separate amicably.” That line set the tone for the announcement, which they shared on their social media accounts and followed with a clear message that the decision “has not been an easy choice.”

They also said: “We remain great friends and, most importantly, fully committed to our roles as loving and supportive parents, which will always be our priority.” The couple share two daughters, Phoebe, 23, and Amber, 19, so the statement draws a firm line around parenting even as the marriage ends.

2003 to 2026

The pair married in 2003, and Friday’s announcement closes a public relationship that stretched across more than two decades. They said there were no other parties involved in the decision, asked for privacy during the transition, and added: “We will not be making any further public comments. Tess and Vernon.”

That matters because the two have kept a visible joint presence for years, appearing together on Instagram and sharing a commercial partnership as food ambassadors for Marks and Spencer. The separation ends that shared domestic and public setup at the same time, with both now signaling a lower-profile next chapter.

2010 and after

The marriage had already survived a very public crisis in 2010, when Vernon Kay was exposed for exchanging inappropriate messages with Rhian Sugden after meeting her at a Bolton nightclub. Daly was reportedly devastated by the revelation, but ultimately chose to work through the betrayal and salvage the union.

Friday’s statement suggests a cleaner break this time: no public sparring, no extra explanation, and no room left for speculation beyond what they chose to say. For readers following tess and vernon as a long-running public couple, the practical takeaway is simple — the relationship has ended, the parenting commitment remains, and they are drawing a boundary around the rest.