BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay has looked back on the many holidays he has taken over the years – with one getaway proving particularly dramatic
Vernon Kay has shared a harrowing memory from a family holiday that has lingered in his mind. Reflecting on his travels, the 51-year-old fondly recalled many joyful trips over the years – though not all were smooth and stress-free.
Discussing childhood breaks, the BBC Radio 2 host explained that many involved long weekends in destinations like Blackpool, alongside visits to Torquay and Newquay. “And we loved a jaunt to Jersey. Then, when the package holiday came along, we ventured abroad on Monarch Airlines,” he told The Times.
“My uncle Graham, his brother Robert, his daughter, my auntie Christine, my cousin Lee, me, Dad, Mum and my younger brother Steven all stayed in a villa in Praia da Luz on the Algarve. We walked around looking like ice creams because we had that much sun cream on.”
Recounting one especially frightening episode that remains vivid in his memory, he continued: “One time I saved my brother from drowning. He dived in the pool and started panicking, so he owes me one there.
“It was my mum’s 40th birthday and I remember having peri peri chicken for the first time and Mum having her first ever cigarette. She smoked two drags and coughed for the rest of the night,” Vernon recalled.
Nowadays, the broadcaster tends to holiday more with his wife, Tess Daly, alongside their two daughters, Phoebe and Amber. During his radio show last year, he disclosed the family’s ambition to discover more of America via campervan.
Last month, Vernon treated followers to snapshots of a family jaunt to New York City on Instagram. Sharing pictures and videos from the adventure, he penned: “Fleeting visit to NYC with the family. Cold yet still a fantastic city. Great locations, great views, great food! ! ICONIC. What a treat.”
The break came on the heels of a significant professional change for Tess, who bowed out from Strictly Come Dancing. Her exit, alongside co-presenter Claudia Winkleman, was announced during the 2025 series.
Following an 11-year partnership hosting the programme, both have embarked on different ventures. Tess briefly returned to the BBC to front The One Show with Vernon, while also dedicating time to her swimwear enterprise.
Her comeback coincided with Claudia’s announcement of her upcoming BBC chat show, scheduled to debut this month.
Though replacements for the Strictly presenting duo remain unconfirmed, Vernon has floated two potential candidates he reckons would excel in the position. Chatting to The Metro, he remarked: “Alex Jones should be on the floor. She is probably the funniest presenter I’ve worked with.
“With the formalities of The One Show, I don’t think she gives the audience the opportunity to see her funny and irreverent side. She’d be perfect because she is one of the best in a live TV scenario. Absolutely brilliant.
“If they pick anyone but Alex, that person has to, literally, be made of liquid gold. Then upstairs, someone who knows the show better than most…Rylan [Clark].”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
