Vernon Kay insists he and Tess Daly's kids won't live off their fame
EXCLUSIVE ‘We don’t want life served on a plate to them’: Vernon Kay insists he and Tess Daly’s daughters won’t live off the couple’s fame – as Phoebe, 17, prepares to enrol at drama school
Vernon Kay doesn’t want his children to live off his and wife Tess Daly’s fame, insisting they form ‘their own careers.’
The TV presenter, 48, told MailOnline he’s currently looking at drama schools to send eldest daughter Phoebe, 17, where she can combine her passions for acting and business.
And unlike some showbiz couples, Vernon says himself and Strictly host Tess, 53, believe it’s important for their offspring ‘to find themselves’ and not be given their ‘life on a plate’, crediting the pair’s Northern backgrounds for shaping their parenting beliefs.
‘We let them be independent’: Vernon Kay doesn’t want his children to live off his and wife Tess Daly’s fame, insisting they form ‘their own careers’
Vernon said: ‘We let them be independent when it comes to them and their futures because it’s important that you allow them to find themselves, which is character building and personality development.
‘Sometimes I think that the old silver spoon and life on a plate in front of them… I think that’s quite contradictory to how you want them to be.
‘Tess and I grew up in hearty, wholesome Northern families and that’s a huge trait that helped us in our personal development and I think that’s really important.’
He added: ‘I don’t disagree with anyone that does that by helping their kids, which is great, but I just think sometimes for us, personally, it’s whatever they’re into, they can go and discover themselves.’
‘Tess and I grew up in Northern families’: Unlike some showbiz couples, Vernon says himself and Strictly host Tess believe it’s important for their offspring ‘to find themselves’ and not be given their ‘life on a plate’
Growing up: The TV presenter told MailOnline he’s currently looking at drama schools to send eldest daughter Phoebe (pictured) where she can combine her passions for acting and business
Vernon and Tess, who also share daughter Amber, 13, have been married for 19 years and live together in their family home in London, having originally hailed from Bolton, Lancs.
The former Family Fortunes host says he’s embracing ‘every minute’ his kids are at home as he admits the pair are growing up fast.
He explained: ‘It’s weird that Phoebe will soon be leaving home because it only feels like two minutes they were both in nappies.
‘It’s such a cliché and you don’t take it on board at the time but both our parents told us to enjoy every minute and take lots of photographs because tomorrow they’ll be at university and leaving home.
‘You think ‘yeah, that’s 18 years away’ and in a click of a finger it’s there in front of you and you’re going through university applications, different courses that she could possibly do, and options she could take and it’s like wow it’s just rolled upon us so quickly.’
Indeed, he says his daughters are now so grown up they don’t even watch Strictly together anymore, only tuning in to see what Tess is wearing.
‘We used to dress up’: Vernon explained that the entire family used to dress up and watch Strictly but now his teenage daughters are only interested in seeing what mum Tess is wearing
‘I would consider it’: Vernon, who co-hosted This Morning over the summer with Rochelle Humes, hints he would be interested if the role ever became full-time – although he accepts that’s unlikely, given the queue of talent already associated with the show
He said: ‘Now that the girls are getting a bit older it’s become more about me sitting in front of the telly and watching and supporting Tess while the girls go off and do whatever a 13 and an almost 18 year old go and do.
‘I am glued, I am static on the sofa and watch every episode and if I’m out the house I watch it on my phone and the girls like to see what mum is wearing, we used to dress up and watch Strictly but now they’re like she looks great and they’re off, they’re gone.’
The girls had the chance to watch Vernon on the TV this summer while he guest-hosted ITV show This Morning while Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby were on their holidays.
He was a hit with viewers alongside co-presenter Rochelle Humes and Vernon hints he would be interested if the role ever became full-time – although he accepts that’s unlikely, given the queue of talent already associated with the show, including Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, ahead of him.
He explained: ‘If that phone call came then I would consider it then of course but Phil and Holly are synonymous with This Morning and Alison, Dermot, so let’s see.’
‘I’m no longer chasing’: Vernon, whose TV career begun when he was 25, said if it all ended tomorrow he’d be a happy man after finding presenting Family Fortunes for 14 series and hosting Top of the Pops twice
Even if he doesn’t get the regular gig, Vernon – who finished runner-up in the 2020 series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! – is more than content with how his career has gone to date.
In fact, if he never worked again the former T4 host admits he would be chuffed with his CV.
He said: ‘I was fortunate enough to do 14 series of Family Fortunes, I hosted Top of the Pops twice, I did T4, the Radio 1 stuff, three network series in America, numerous game shows and panel shows, I’m always open to suggestions for something new but if God forbid my career ended tomorrow I’d say wow that’s a pretty extensive CV right now.
‘I got into telly at 25, I was modelling at 22. I’m content now and I’m no longer chasing.’
Vernon has teamed up with McDonald’s as part of their Happy Readers campaign, which will see the global food chain donate half a million free books to disadvantaged children this September.
Research from the National Literacy Trust revealed that 1 in 5 children aged 5 to 8 say they do not have a book of their own at home, which is the highest figure since 2019 in the UK.
As the beginning of a new school year begins, McDonald’s is donating 500,000 free books in just fours weeks in areas across the UK that need them the most to help ensure as many children as possible return to class this September with a book in their hand.
Vernon said bedtime reading with his two daughters was essential in forming a bond with them from a young age.
He added: ‘Reading is something that brings you closer to your kids it’s a personal thing, you let their imaginations run wild and you’re opening up their minds to fantasy and give them a chance to explore, there are loads of educational pieces out there and with the involvement of digital literature that can accompany a physical book.
‘For parents in general it’s wonderful, you sit down and read for 10 minutes and say goodnight.’
- Vernon Kay has partnered with McDonald’s on this year’s Happy Readers programme, aiming to raise awareness of the importance of children’s literacy
- McDonald’s is donating 500,000 free books to children in areas across the UK that need them the most. Kay is creating a series of special readings of some of the books available for free this year, which will go live on the McDonald’s Family Hub in September
- The initiative follows research by the National Literacy Trust which reveals 1 in 5 children aged 5 to 8 say they do not have access to a book at home
Good cause: Vernon has teamed up with McDonald’s as part of their Happy Readers campaign, which will see the global food chain donate half a million free books to disadvantaged children this September
Bookworm: As the beginning of a new school year begins, McDonald’s is donating 500,000 free books in just fours weeks in areas across the UK that need them the most
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