BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay has offered a surprisingly frank glimpse into his household's weekend viewing habits, openly questioning whether restoring a classic vehicle could truly compete with watching his wife, Tess Daly, host Strictly Come Dancing.
A Listener's Confession Sparks Vernon's Candid Reaction
The moment unfolded during Vernon's popular Good News Wednesday segment on November 26, a regular feature where he shares uplifting stories from his audience. A listener named Adrian wrote in to explain that his positive news was finally painting the panels on a 1936 Morris 8 after a full year of restoration work.
Adrian boldly claimed that this hands-on project "beats watching the telly and doom scrolling." Vernon, however, was quick to challenge this assertion, immediately leaping to the defence of the BBC's flagship Saturday night entertainment programme.
Reading the message on air, Vernon responded with a dose of good-humoured scepticism: "Not sure it beats watching Strictly Come Dancing on a Saturday night on BBC One, with Strictly Come Dancing's Tess Daly and The Traitors' Claudia Winkleman but there you go." He then laughed and acknowledged the merit in Adrian's hobby, adding, "Fabulous stuff. Nice. Good getting in the garage and just tinkering with stuff. You know what I mean?"
The End of an Era for Strictly's Beloved Presenting Duo
This light-hearted exchange comes just weeks after a major announcement shook the Strictly Come Dancing fanbase. In October, Tess Daly and her co-host Claudia Winkleman revealed they would be stepping down from the show at the conclusion of the current series.
The pair, who have fronted the main show together since 2014, released a heartfelt joint statement confirming their departure. They expressed that hosting the programme had been "an absolute dream" and that they were always planning to leave together, feeling that "now feels like the right time."
Their final appearance as hosts is scheduled for the show's festive special on Christmas Day. Tess Daly has been a cornerstone of Strictly since its inception in 2004, originally co-hosting with the late Sir Bruce Forsyth, whom she credited for setting the show's warm and witty tone.
Vernon and Tess, who married in 2003 after meeting on T4, are parents to two daughters and are widely regarded as one of Britain's most enduring and solid television couples, often sharing witty insights into their family life and busy broadcasting careers.
