Vernon Kay breaks silence on his and Tess Daly's shock split
Vernon Kay has broken his silence on his and Tess Daly's split, which they announced on May 8.
Vernon Kay has broken his silence on his and Tess Daly's "amicable" split.
The couple announced their shock breakup with a joint Instagram post on May 8 after "much consideration" and a "deep sense of care and respect for one another".
And Vernon, 52, thanked fans for their support on his BBC Radio 2 show on Monday (11.05.26), saying: "I just want to say on behalf of myself and Tess, thank you, thank you for all your well-wishes, it's been greatly appreciated."
Before he spoke on his programme, the former Family Fortunes host smiled en route to BBC Radio 2, as he broke cover for the first time since he and Tess, 57, announced their split after 23 years of marriage on their Instagram Stories on May 8.
The former couple's statement read: "After much consideration, and with a deep sense of care and respect for one another, we have made the decision to separate amicably.
"This has not been an easy decision, but it comes from a place of mutual understanding and a shared desire for what is best for both of us.
"We remain great friends and most importantly, fully committed to our roles as loving and supportive parents, which will always be our priority.
"There are no other parties involved in this decision. We kindly ask for privacy during this time as we navigate this transition together.
"We will not be making any further public comments.
"Tess and Vernon."
The ex-Strictly Come Dancing co-host and Vernon - who have daughters Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 16, together - reportedly "just grew apart" before they called their marriage quits.
A source close to the couple told The Mirror : "Vernon and Tess have been talking about it for a while, but no one has moved out yet. It is all very amicable.
“They are both in a really good place about the decision, and given they are splitting up, it is remarkably friendly at the moment. The truth is they've just grown apart."
The TV stars' marriage was hit by scandal in 2010, when it emerged that Vernon had sent racy texts to other women.
However, Tess insisted at the time that her marriage was worth fighting for.
During an appearance on The One Show, Tess shared: "It's been tough as you can imagine, but I've taken some time out to think things through.
"At the end of the day, we've had 10 great years together, we've got two beautiful kids, and we both think that's worth fighting for."
Tess admitted that it was tough to deal with a marriage crisis so publicly. However, she appreciated the support she received amid her struggles.
She said: "Dealing with it in private is difficult enough, but dealing with it in the public is even harder.
"I've had so much support from everyone that I meet, really, not just family and friends - that has really touched me a lot and has been amazing."
Tess subsequently described married life as a constant "work in progress".
She told The Times newspaper: "All marriages have their moments. It would be unrealistic to say they don't.
"Marriage is always a work in progress. Vernon and I are just people at the end of the day."
