Vernon Kay and Tess Daly Announce Separation After 23 Years of Marriage

Television presenters Vernon Kay and Tess Daly announced on Friday that they are separating after 23 years of marriage. The couple, aged 52 and 57 respectively, posted identical statements on their Instagram accounts stating that the decision was mutual.

They described the separation as amicable and said it came from a place of mutual understanding. "This has not been an easy choice, but it comes from a place of mutual understanding and a shared desire for what is best for both of us," the pair wrote.

" The announcement followed an interview Kay gave to The Times that was published on 27 April. In the conversation, which focused on family life, he referenced the couple's two daughters, Phoebe, 21, and Amber, nearly 17. He noted that their relationship with the children had evolved as the daughters reached adulthood.

"Now that Phoebe is 21 and Amber is nearly 17, our relationship with them is changing," Kay said. " He added that he and Daly had prioritised open communication with their children from an early age. The couple met in 2001 while beginning their television presenting careers and married in 2003.

Their marriage had previously weathered a public scandal in 2010 when Kay admitted to sending explicit messages to five women. At the time he said he had let down his family and that they were working through the situation.

Images of the couple together had become less frequent on their social media accounts in recent months. Daly last posted a photo including Kay in February when the pair presented an edition of BBC One’s The One Show. It was the first time they had presented the programme together in two decades.

Kay last posted an image of Daly to his Instagram account in November to mark her receiving an MBE for services to broadcasting. The couple’s joint public appearances had also become less frequent since Daly announced her departure from Strictly Come Dancing six months ago after presenting the show since 2004.

The statements released on Friday evening emphasised that their two daughters remain the central priority. The pair said they would continue to support the children as co-parents while navigating the changes in their own relationship.