Tess Daly and Vernon Kay looking in front
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Vernon Kay admits ‘you nearly launched me under the bus’ as he is forced to address Tess Daly question live on air

He lied about Tess's age on the spot

Vernon Kay told Tina Daheley: “You nearly launched me under the bus,” after she asked about Tess Daly’s age.

The playful moment unfolded on his BBC Radio 2 show during a discussion about age-gap relationships.

It turned a broad topic into a pointed personal question for the presenter. The exchange came months after Vernon and Tess announced their separation following 22 years of marriage.

Vernon Kay and Tess Daly smiling
Tess and Vernon share two daughters (Credit: Splashnews.com)

Vernon Kay turns Tess Daly age question into a joke

Vernon handled the surprise by leaning into humour rather than dwelling on the awkwardness. He initially estimated a five-year gap but left Tina unclear about who was older.

Her follow-up pushed him to clarify the answer. Vernon then said: “Tess is… I’m older than Tess.”

The presenter is actually five years younger than his former wife. He is 52, while Tess is 57. His claim reversed their real age positions and immediately sharpened the joke.

Tina apologised after Vernon’s under-the-bus remark. She explained that she had shared her own circumstances before putting him on the spot.

That openness mattered because she felt asking others to share without doing so would be unfair. Tina’s partner is seven years younger than her.

Their age difference bothered her during her twenties but became less significant as they grew older.

Her experience framed the conversation around changing attitudes at different stages of life. Vernon agreed that candid exchanges were part of radio.

Vernon Kay walking through Manchester Piccadilly
Vernon and Tess were married for 22 years (Credit: Splashnews.com)

Vernon Kay shares the impact of his new glasses

Vernon’s recent glasses update struck a similarly down-to-earth note. He said his new plus-one lenses had already produced a major improvement.

Vernon explained: “These are only plus one but it makes a massive difference. I’m having the time of me life.”

The practical result followed a long delay in arranging an eye test. He had continued straining his eyes rather than visiting an optician. Family members helped him decide to address the problem.

He also said everyone in his household now wears glasses. Before revealing the choice, Vernon had teased listeners about a major, life-changing decision.

The eventual announcement concerned his eyesight and a practical change he had postponed. Both updates let Vernon discuss personal matters without losing his good humour.

Read more: ‘Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy!’ Fans congratulate Vernon Kay over huge news months following Tess Daly split

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This article was produced with the assistance of AI technology to synthesise source reporting and structured data. It has been reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by our human editorial team before publication.