Vernon Kay’s comment comes after he ranted about continuous speculation on who could replace his wife Tess Daly and her co-star Claudia Winkleman on Strictly Come Dancing
BBC Radio 2’s Vernon Kay was quick to clarify his comments on-air this week after naming his “best” co-presenter. The television star, who has shared the screen with a host of famous faces including Alex Jones and AJ Odudu, singled out one colleague as particularly memorable.
Reminiscing about his early days in television, the 51-year-old fondly remembered how a former Welsh presenter guided him through the process. Speaking to his co-host Ellie Brennan live on the show, he enthused: “I learned so much with the amazing Josie d’Arby, [she’s] probably the best TV presenter I’ve ever worked with.
“She could read a piece of A4 once, and it would be in there. RADA trained, knew how to read a script, she was unbelievable, so much fun.” Vernon and Josie teamed up for shows such as The Phone Zone and TOTP@Play, a music spin-off from Top of the Pops during the noughties.
During this period, the dad-of-two said Josie, who now has a very different career, “held [his] hand” and showed him the ropes of presenting. “She really did, she was amazing,” he continued, before echoing: “Josie d’Arby, the best presenter I’ve ever worked with, so talented and such a lovely person, hi Jose!”
As his co-host moved on to deliver the latest traffic updates, Vernon interjected to quickly clear things up. He added: “No offence to any of the others that I’ve worked with, I just had a hot flush then, you’re all brilliant.”
Vernon’s comments follow his fury over speculation surrounding his wife Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s potential successors on Strictly Come Dancing.
Last month, the duo revealed they would be passing on the “sparkly baton” to fresh faces once the current series wraps up. In a separate heartfelt statement shared by Tess, she reflected on her “21 unforgettable years” on the programme.
As part of the post, she wrote: “Strictly has always been about joy, celebration, and bringing people together – and I’m so proud to have played a small part in something that continues to mean so much to so many.”
Following their announcement, numerous celebrities have been tipped as possible replacements, with names such as La Voix, Alex Jones, Holly Willoughby, Bradley Walsh and Paddy McGuinness all in the frame.
Speaking about the rumours during an on-air chat with his co-star Scott Mills, Vernon fumed: “It’s hilarious really, since Tess and Claud announced that they will be leaving all the dentist, doctors and reception magazines are all saying, ‘It’s going to be this person, it’s going to be that person’.
“Let me just say this for the record, and I know a lot of people listen to his because we get quoted a lot of times. Do you honestly think that the people at Strictly Come Dancing mid-series are going to have a roundtable about who is going to host it next year?” Vernon continued his tirade, stating: “Sometimes common sense when you put your fingers to the keyboard makes a big difference.”
When Scott suggested he could be the one to step in for his wife, Vernon quipped: “I tell you who it is, it’s me and Rylan [Clark]. There you go, done, simple.”
Echoing his co-star’s sentiment that producers are currently focused on the ongoing series, Vernon agreed, saying: “It’s not even finished, as if they’ve got time! They’ve got a Christmas special to organise, just behave yourselves! Wind your necks in, it does my head in.”
