Vernon Kay’s relationship with Tess Daly – and how Britney Spears brought them together-Josie Copson-Entertainment – Metro

Vernon Kay and Tess Daly have been married for 21 years (Picture: Getty)

Vernon Kay and Tess Daly have been married for 21 years, but it all began in an unlikely way.

The M&S: Dress the Nation host, 50, first forged a connection with Strictly Come Dancing presenter Tess, 55, after being tasked with recreating a Britney Spears video. We want, sorry, need, footage!

After the popstar successfully served as their cupid (unbeknownst to her) in 2001, the couple began dating before tying the knot.

Although they’ve faced some hard times, the small-screen power couple, have always weathered the storms together and have even enjoyed a similar career trajectory.

Let’s take a look at their impressive show business journey and love story…

When did Vernon Kay and Tess Daly meet?

They began dating in 2001 (Picture: Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Vernon and Tess first met at a BBC Christmas party in 2001, and on a recent episode of Scott Mills’ Radio 2 show, Vernon was feeling nostalgic.

He recounted their relationship beginnings to an astonished Scott: ‘Strictly Come Dancing’s Tess and I, recreated the video for Britney Spears’ Hit Me Baby One More Time. That’s how we first met,’ he began. We wonder if the couple refers to each other by their job titles at home.

Britney may not know it, but she helped the couple begin dating (Picture: VEVO)

He continued: ‘Yeah, I was dressed…no, she was dressed as Geri Halliwell in the Spice Girls Union Jack dress; I was dressed as Britney Spears in the Hit Me Baby One More Time video school uniform. It was in a charity shop on Shepherd’s Green, Shepherd’s Bush Green.’

It wasn’t just Britney, 42, who played a part, Scott, 51, also had a hand in orchestrating the whole thing.

‘I think you teed it up. I think you set it up as, “Why don’t you and our new presenter, Tess Daly, go and do this?”‘ Vernon recalled.

Tess has previously spoken to The Sun about their ‘immediate’ connection. ‘I couldn’t imagine having more fun with anyone else. It was pretty explosive, I tell you,’ she shared.

When did Vernon and Tess get married?

After two years of dating, Vernon and Tess got married (Picture: Mark Campbell/REX/Shutterstock)

After just two years of dating, Vernon and Tess got married on 12 September 2003.

St Mary’s Church in Vernon’s hometown Horwich was their chosen venue, before their reception at Rivington Hall Barn. Adding some cool factor to their special day, they travelled in a VW camper van, which had the words ‘Just Married’ written on the back window. The bride wasn’t the only one in white, with Vernon also opting for a suit in the hue and a pink shirt.

After their nuptials, Vernon said he was ‘over the moon’. Cute!

They went on to renew their vows on their 10th wedding anniversary in the south of France after Vernon arranged it as a surprise. There were two extra special guests in attendance…

Who are Tess and Vernon’s children?

They have two daughters together (Picture: Instagarm / Tess Daly)

Tess and Vernon have two daughters together – Phoebe (born 2004), and Amber (born 2009), who were able to be at the second ceremony.

Speaking about how the couple like to raise them, Vernon told Daily Mail: ‘We let them be independent when it comes to their futures because it’s important that you allow them to find themselves, which is character building and personality development.

‘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.

Inside Tess and Vernon’s 21-year marriage

Tess calls marriage ‘a work in progress’ (Picture: Dave Benett/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA)

Although they’ve shared many happy times, there have also been tough moments.

Vernon text glamour model Rhian Sugden in 2010 and 2016, leading to a public apology. ‘Tess is extremely upset about this and we’re working through it. But in some ways, I’m glad this story has come out. It feels like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders,’ he said.

‘I’m so sorry. I’ve been an idiot and I’ve let my family down,’ he said on BBC Radio One. He added that he’d made ‘foolish’ decisions: ‘I’ve disappointed and let down a lot of people. To my family and everybody, I’m very sorry.’

‘Marriage is a work in progress. Vernon and I are just people, at the end of the day,’ Tess told The Times in 2017.

Tess and Vernon’s careers

M&S: Dress the Nation is on ITV (Picture: David Tarling/Roy J Baron)

One of the things Tess and Vernon have in common is their route into show business – they both had modelling careers, before landing presenting roles.

For Vernon, it all began at the BBC Clothes Show, where he was scouted by an agency after being convinced to walk the catwalk by a friend. At the time, he was working in a DIY shop.

He made the transition from modelling to TV with Channel 5’s The Mag – a weekend compilation show targeted at young viewers. He then moved over to Channel 4’s equivalent T4 where he stayed from 200 to 2005.

It provided a launchpad for Vernon to become a game show king. All-Star Family Fortunes, Beat the Star, Splash!, Boys and Girls and Celebrities Under Pressure are all on his growing CV.

Currently, Vernon is the host of BBC Radio 2’s mid-morning show after he replaced Ken Bruce last year. He is also presenting a new ITV series, M&S: Dress the Nation, in which ten candidates are competing to secure a highly coveted in-house design role, with their own bespoke collection.

The busy man has also been confirmed for the Children In Need live appeal on BBC next month on November 15. ‘To help means so much to me,’ he said on The One Show after he was announced. ‘It’s going to be emotional.’

Tess hosts Strictly with Claudia (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)

Meanwhile, Tess has become the face of autumnal weekends with her role fronting Strictly alongside Claudia Winkleman.

She was also first scouted while out and about, but arguably at a slightly less glamorous location – outside a McDonald’s restaurant.

At the time, she was called Helen but changed her name as there was already a model with the same moniker. Now called Tess, she travelled the world, even living in Paris and New York – each for five years.

In the American city, she began doing red-carpet interviews after a friend suggested she would be good at it. It led to Channel 4’s The Big Breakfast in 2000, before she moved on to Smash Hits TV, SMTV Live, Back To Reality and her career-defining job, Strictly, in 2004.

M&S: Dress the Nation airs tonight on ITV1 at 8pm.

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