Vernon Kay was left red-faced on BBC Radio 2 after co-host Sara Cox exposed an embarrassing mishap that derailed his plans for a Halloween costume reveal. The presenters were closing their breakfast shows on Friday, October 30, when Sara, 51, turned her attention to Vernon's studio and couldn't resist poking fun at what she saw.
After wishing listeners a happy Halloween and congratulating her nephew Dan and his new bride Evie, Sara suggested Vernon's surroundings weren't quite as spooky as expected.
She told him: "And over in Vernon's Studio, it doesn't look that spooky. There's a whiff of Book Day about it."
Vernon's Reaction to the Teasing
Vernon immediately realised he was about to come under fire, firing back: "Shut your face Cox, I know where you're going at with this," reports the Mirror.
Sara wasn't prepared to let him off the hook, asking whether he wanted to explain what had happened himself. Vernon replied: "Thank you. Just let me cushion the fall from you throwing me under the bus. It's fine."
The Halloween Costume Plan That Fell Apart
The presenter then revealed there had been plenty of excitement surrounding Vernon's planned Halloween outfit, with listeners expecting a big reveal during the broadcast. She recalled: "All the talk has been like, 'All right, now you're going to see his outfit. You wait till you see his costume, you wait.' And we're going to put the cameras on, and you'll see it."
But the surprise had fallen apart before Vernon could show off his costume. "And then something went pear-shaped, but I'll let you explain," Sara added.
Vernon attempted to explain how the plans had gone awry, comparing himself to a moth drawn towards a bright light. "Well the thing is Sara, you know... You know what I'm like? I'm like a moth when it sees the fluorescent light in the garage," he said.
Admission and a Previous Slip-Up
After Sara asked whether he'd spotted something shiny that morning, Vernon admitted he'd simply forgotten to take his costume with him when leaving home. "Yeah I went chasing and left the house without my Halloween costume, so it's no surprise to many, disappointment to lots," he confessed.
The latest exchange comes just days after Vernon found himself in an awkward situation during another BBC Radio 2 broadcast. The 52-year-old had addressed an earlier slip-up on his October 27 programme while chatting with travel correspondent Ellie Brennan. A week earlier, Vernon had introduced Ellie as the "Lady of the Lanes" before attempting to come up with alternative titles, including "Lady of the Layby". However, one suggestion proved particularly unfortunate when he described her as "The Harlot of the Hard-shoulder".
Realising he had used a word with an unintended meaning, Vernon quickly searched for its definition and admitted he had got it wrong. Reflecting on the blunder, he said: "I've just given it a Google. Yeah, it's not what I thought it meant. Yeah, education is key." He later acknowledged: "Oh no, it's quite offensive."
