The Tess Daly Vernon Kay split ends 22 years of marriage. The Strictly Come Dancing host and BBC Radio 2 presenter announced their separation on May 8, 2026.

They married on September 12, 2003 at St Bartholomew's Church in Bolton. Family, close friends, and a small reception. No glossy magazine deal — they wanted it private.

Both came from working-class Northern English roots — she from Birmingham, he from Bolton. The wedding stayed near home. They stayed near family. That groundedness was their brand.

Vernon's 2010 sexting scandal nearly broke them. They separated, went to counselling, and quietly reconciled. For 16 years, they were proof a marriage could survive.

Their daughters Phoebe (21) and Amber (16) are at the centre. The joint statement promised amicable co-parenting. Both girls have been raised quietly in Bolton, away from the cameras.