Tess Daly was absent from the BAFTA TV Awards on Sunday night, following her shock split from husband Vernon Kay. The former Strictly Come Dancing host, 57, would typically attend the prestigious event, but announced on Friday that she and Kay had separated after nearly 23 years of marriage.
The ceremony, held at London's Royal Festival Hall, saw Netflix drama 'Adolescence' take the top prize, while emotional speeches from This Morning's Martin Lewis and Dame Mary Berry moved viewers. Daly's former co-host Claudia Winkleman won the award for Best Reality for 'The Celebrity Traitors', and Daly sent her congratulations on Instagram, writing: 'The very best. Love you.'
Daly and Kay, who met in 2001 while working in TV and married in 2003, have two daughters, Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 16. In a joint statement posted on Friday, they said: 'After much consideration, and with a deep sense of care and respect for one another, we have made the decision to separate amicably. We remain great friends and most importantly, fully committed to our roles as loving and supportive parents.' They emphasised that no other parties were involved and requested privacy.
Daly and Winkleman stepped down from presenting Strictly Come Dancing at the end of last year after more than a decade. Kay, who hosts BBC Radio 2's mid-morning slot and is known for 'Family Fortunes', previously expressed support for Daly's decision, saying the show 'holds a special place in both of our hearts'.
