Tess Daly and Vernon Kay have announced their separation after 23 years of marriage, with friends citing a widening age gap and diverging interests as key factors. The couple, who tied the knot in 2003, said in a joint statement on Friday that they are parting amicably and remain committed to co-parenting their two daughters.
According to a friend who spoke to the Daily Mail, the five-year age difference between the 57-year-old former Strictly presenter and the 51-year-old Radio 2 DJ has become more pronounced over time. “They are totally different people now,” the friend said. “They used to have so much in common but things have changed. They have changed. They have aged differently.”
The source described Kay as “still a big kid” who enjoys nights out, drinking, and attending events like Oasis concerts and the Superbowl, often without his wife. In contrast, Daly is said to be content with the split, with the friend noting, “She’s tougher than she looks. She will be just fine.”
The couple met at a BBC Christmas party in 2001 and got engaged on Christmas Day 2002. They married in September 2003 at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Horwich, near Bolton, eschewing lucrative magazine deals for a low-key ceremony. They share two daughters, Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 16.
Their marriage faced a public crisis in 2010 when Kay admitted to sending explicit texts to several women, apologising on air. Daly later said their partnership was “worth fighting for.” However, the couple’s recent statement confirmed their decision to separate, emphasising that no third parties were involved. Kay is expected to move out of the family home, though it remains unclear if the property will be sold.
