Vernon Kay has revealed he is 'banned' from talking about bacon sandwiches on his BBC Radio 2 show. The 51-year-old presenter, who took over the mid-morning slot from Ken Bruce in 2023, said co-star Janine Maya-Smith has forbidden him from discussing the topic on air.
The revelation came after Kay described his Saturday morning bacon butties as 'so delicious' during a segment about hot cross buns. Addressing colleague Steve, Kay said: 'Steve, I’ll be honest with you, if we were friends... and you were to come round my house on a Saturday morning when I’m making my bacon sandwich, which Janine banned me from talking about, because it’s so delicious, I think I would change your mind.'
Kay had previously joked about receiving a ticking off for discussing his bacon and cheese sandwich. Last year, a colleague could be heard urging him not to 'go down that road again' after he mentioned the sarnie on air.
The controversy began when Kay discussed hot cross buns, saying he likes them with 'lashings and lashings of butter' and noting they are now available in 'different flavours'. One listener, Rachel from Brandon, Suffolk, complained: 'Do not, please do not mess with a hot cross bun. Once you change the flavours... it is no longer a hot cross bun.'
Kay also revealed he and colleagues have been 'ranking the various types of sourdough' available in shops, describing it as 'quite controversial'. He said: 'Each one of us had a different favourite sourdough... it’s on the rise.'
