Vernon Kay doesn’t want his kids to live off the fame of him and his wife Tess Daly, insisting that they build “their own careers.”
The TV host, 48, told MailOnline that he is currently looking to drama schools to send eldest daughter Phoebe, 17, where she can combine her passions for acting and business.
And unlike some showbiz couples, Vernon and Strictly host Tess, 53, believe it’s important for their offspring to “find themselves” and not get their “life on a plate,” taking the northern background of credit the couple for shaping their parenting beliefs.
‘We’ll let them be independent’: Vernon Kay doesn’t want his kids to live off the fame of him and wife Tess Daly, insisting they build ‘their own career’
Vernon said, “We let them be independent when it comes to them and their future because it’s important that you enable them to find themselves, which is character building and personality development.
‘Sometimes I think that the old silver spoon and the life on a plate in front of it… I think that’s quite contradictory to how you want them.
“Tess and I grew up in warm, healthy Northern families and that’s a huge quality that has helped us in our personal development and I think it’s very important.”
He added: “I don’t disagree with anyone who does that by helping their kids, which is great, but I just think for us personally sometimes it’s what they like, they can start exploring on their own.”
‘Tess and I grew up in northern families’: Unlike some showbiz couples, Vernon says he and Strictly host Tess care about their offspring ‘finding themselves’ and not getting their ‘life on a plate’
Growing up: The TV host told MailOnline that he is currently looking to 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 London family home, originally from Bolton, Lancs.
The former host of Family Fortunes says he embraces “every minute” that his kids are home, while admitting the couple are growing up fast.
He explained: “It’s weird that Phoebe is leaving home soon because it only feels like they were both nappy for two minutes.
“It’s such a cliche and you don’t take it on board at the time, but both of our parents said we should enjoy every minute and take lots of pictures because tomorrow they’re in college and they’re going out.” .
“You think ‘yes, that’s in 18 years’ and in the click of a finger it’s there for you and you go through college applications, different courses she could take, and options she could take and it’s like wow it just comes at us so fast.’
In fact, he says his daughters are now so grown up that 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 whole family used to dress up and watch Strictly, but now his teenage daughters are only interested in what Mommy Tess is wearing
‘I’d consider it’: Vernon, who co-hosted This Morning with Rochelle Humes this summer, hints he’d be interested if the role ever became full-time – although he accepts that’s unlikely, given the roster of talent already associated with the show
He said: ‘Now that the girls are getting older, it’s more about me sitting in front of the TV watching and supporting Tess while the girls go away and do what a 13-year-old and an almost 18-year-old do.
“I’m glued, I’m static on the couch and watch every episode and when I’m out of the house I check it on my phone and the girls like to see what mommy is wearing, we used to get dressed and watched Strictly but now they’re like she looks great and they’re gone, they’re gone.”
The girls had the chance to see Vernon on TV this summer as he hosted the ITV show This Morning while Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby were on holiday.
He was a hit with viewers alongside co-host Rochelle Humes, and Vernon hints he’d be interested if the role ever went full-time – though he accepts that’s unlikely given the roster of talent already on the show, including Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, for him.
He explained, “If that call came, I’d certainly consider it, but Phil and Holly are synonymous with This Morning and Alison, Dermot, so let’s see.”
Even if he doesn’t get the regular appearance, Vernon – who came second in the 2020 series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! – is more than happy with how his career has progressed so far.
In fact, if he never worked again, the former T4 presenter admits he’d show off his resume.
He said: “I was lucky enough to do 14 series of Family Fortunes, I’ve hosted Top of the Pops twice, I did T4, the Radio 1 stuff, three network series in America, countless game shows and panel shows, I’m always standing open to suggestions for something new, but god forbid my career ends tomorrow i’d say wow, that’s a pretty comprehensive resume right now.
‘I got into television when I was 25, I was modeling when I was 22. I’m happy now and I’m not hunting anymore.’
Vernon is partnering with McDonald’s as part of their Happy Readers campaign, with the global food chain donating half a million free books to underprivileged children in September.
Research by the National Literacy Trust shows that 1 in 5 children aged 5 to 8 say they don’t have their own book at home, which is the highest figure since 2019 in the UK.
As the start of a new school year begins, McDonald’s is donating 500,000 free books in just four weeks to areas in the UK that need them most to ensure that as many children as possible come to class in September with a book in their hand. return.
Vernon said bedtime reading with his two daughters was essential to bonding with them from an early age.
He added: “Reading is something that brings you closer to your children, it’s a personal thing, you let their imaginations run wild and you open their minds to fantasy and give them a chance to explore, there are very many educational pieces from 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 partners with McDonald’s on this year’s Happy Readers program, aiming to raise awareness of the importance of literacy in children
McDonald’s is donating 500,000 free books to children in areas in the UK that need them most. Kay is making 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 showing that 1 in 5 children aged 5 to 8 say they do not have access to a book at home
Charity: Vernon is partnering with McDonald’s as part of their Happy Readers campaign, where the global food chain will donate half a million free books to underprivileged children in September
Bookworm: At the start of a new school year, McDonald’s is donating 500,000 free books in just four weeks to areas in the UK that need them most