Tess Daly and Vernon Kay Separate After 22 Years of Marriage
Tess Daly and Vernon Kay have split after 22 years of marriage, saying on Instagram that they are separating amicably. vernon kay shared the same joint statement on his Story, and the pair said they will keep their focus on Phoebe and Amber.
“After much consideration, and with a deep sense of care and respect for one another, we have made the decision to separate amicably.” They said the choice “has not been an easy choice,” adding that it comes from “a mutual understanding and a shared desire for what is best for both of us.”
Instagram Story statement
The statement was posted to Daly’s Instagram Story and repeated by Kay on his own. It also drew a line under any speculation around the split: “There are no other parties involved in this decision.”
That public wording matters because it sets the terms of the separation before either presenter returns to work in public view. Kay is currently on Radio 2, while Daly has spent 2004 to 2025 on Strictly Come Dancing and announced her departure from the show alongside Claudia Winkleman in 2025.
22 years, two daughters
They married in 2003 after meeting in 2001 at a Christmas party while working at different TV channels. Kay proposed on Christmas Day in 2002 at Daly’s parents’ home, and they married near his hometown in Horwich, outside Bolton.
The couple have two daughters, Phoebe and Amber, and the statement puts parenting at the center of what happens next: “We remain great friends and most importantly, fully committed to our roles as loving and supportive parents, which will always be our priority.”
Phoebe and Amber
Phoebe was 21 and Amber was 16 in the article, so the separation lands at a moment when the family is already split between adulthood and school age. That makes privacy more than a polite request; it is the practical boundary the pair are trying to set while they adjust to life after a long public marriage.
They closed by drawing a firm line around future comment: “We kindly ask for privacy during this time as we navigate this transition together” and “We will not be making any further public comments.” For readers, the message is simple: the marriage is over, the parenting arrangement is the priority, and the pair do not appear ready to turn this into an extended public story.
