Vernon Kay apologised to his fellow Bolton-born presenter Sara Cox on BBC Radio 2 after referring to her by her old nickname 'Coxy.' The exchange came during the handover between their shows on Tuesday, July 14, the same day the BBC disclosed their salaries: Vernon earns between £405,000 and £409,999, while Sara pockets between £320,000 and £324,999.
Handover Banter Revives 'Coxy' Persona
Sara, who took over the Breakfast Show earlier this month from sacked Scott Mills, was greeted by Vernon with: "It's a delight, Coxy." Adopting a mock accent, Sara replied: "Hi, buddy. How are you buried Coxy with a bottle of vodka and 10 deck of Marlboro Lights." Vernon then asked: "Has that gone now," to which Sara confirmed it had, describing herself as "rebranded and sensible" though adding "the sensible bit is not going well."
Sara's Transformation from 'Ladette' to Fitness Enthusiast
Sara's lifestyle has changed dramatically since her early career. Now a married mother of three, she completed last year's Great Northern Marathon challenge in aid of BBC Children in Need, covering 135 miles across five days and raising over £11 million. The 'Coxy' image is firmly in the past, but Vernon revived it during their on-air exchange.
Sara's Dislike of the 'Ladette' Label
Sara has previously expressed her dislike of the term 'ladette,' telling the Guardian that the implication is "we want to be little lads." She said on Elizabeth Day's How To Fail podcast: "I've always hated it. But, I think I just hate it, literally, of that collection of letters, where they've cobbled together the word 'ladette.' If they'd have come up with a brand new word, that didn't have the word 'lad' in it, then it'd be fine. (A word) which meant women spending their own earnings, having fun, going out with their friends, having independence, not being afraid. Not worried about being glamorous or feminine or ladylike, but actually just being themselves and having a laugh and being really good mates with other girls and supporting. So, the vibe of 'ladette' and the fact that they tried to minimise, hold us down a little bit with that, was that: 'You're just trying to be like the boys.' And, we were never trying to be like the boys."
Sara also confessed to This Morning that the label "makes my toes curl now." She expressed gratitude to Vernon for texting her over the weekend following her debut week hosting the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show.
