Vernon Kay never misses Strictly Come Dancing so he can see if his wife Tess Daly is OK
Vernon Kay always tunes into Strictly Come Dancing - whether he is working or not - to make sure his wife Tess Daly, who co-presents the BBC Latin and ballroom dance show with Claudia Winkleman, is OK.
Vernon Kay always watches Strictly Come Dancing to ensure his wife Tess Daly is OK.
The BBC Radio 2 DJ will "rarely go out" when the hit BBC Latin and ballroom dance show is on, and if he does have to work when the programme is being broadcast, Vernon will have it playing on a TV wherever he is.
He told the Sunday Mirror newspaper's Notebook magazine: "I rarely go out when Strictly's on because I want to make sure everything's alright.
"If I'm working, I have it on at the side of the stage."
Vernon and Tess - who got married at St. Mary's Church in Horwich, Bolton, Greater Manchester, in 2003 - have two daughters together, Phoebe, 20, and Amber, 16, and they do not watch Strictly Come Dancing every week like their dad.
Vernon, 51, said: "The girls are like, 'Oh, Dad, we've grown up with this for 20 years. We're going out.'
"It's one of those things they take for granted. Strictly's always been on in our house - they don't know life without it."
On June 14, Tess, 56 - who has hosted Strictly Come Dancing since it began in 2004 - was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in King Charles' Birthday Honours for her services to broadcasting.
And Vernon is an incredibly proud husband.
Speaking about Tess's MBE - which her Strictly Come Dancing co-presenter, 53-year-old star Claudia Winkleman, who replaced the show's original co-host Sir Bruce Forsyth when he died in 2017 aged 89, also got for services to broadcasting - he said: "We may have popped a couple of corks.
"To be recognised for what she's done is amazing, and it shows how important Strictly is.
"It's been the fabric of British life for 21 years, and whenever it wins a BAFTA or a National Television Award, and someone says, 'This is for everyone behind-the-scenes,' it really is because the whole team is magnificent."
The new series of Strictly Come Dancing starts on September 20 with the pre-recorded launch show - in which the 15 celebrities taking part in the programme discover who their professional dance partner will be.
The stars battling it out to win the coveted Glitterball Trophy are 36-year-old Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey - also known as Nitro from BBC's Gladiators - Love Island star Dani Dyer, 29, retired footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, 53, and Doctor Who actress Alex Kingston, 62.
Also, YouTuber-and-podcaster George Clarke, 25, EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal, 46, trailblazing model Ellie Goldstein, 23 - the first model with Down Syndrome to grace the cover of British Vogue magazine - and RuPaul's Drag Race UK star La Voix, 45, will grace the ballroom floor.
In addition, retired England rugby player Chris Robshaw, 39, The Apprentice 2019 candidate Thomas Skinner, 34, former Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison, 37, and Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis, 66, were also confirmed to be taking part in the new series of Strictly Come Dancing.
And completing this year's line-up are Lorraine and Good Morning Britain's Los Angeles Correspondent Ross King, 63, former England women's football player Karen Carney, 38, and Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope, 30 - who replaced Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn, 49, after he withdrew from the series for medical reasons.
