16 November 2023 , 11:33
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Vernon Kay has lived a dramatic life since finding fame as a young TV presenter on Channel 4.
The star is doing a three-day Ultramarathon Challenge in aid of Children in Need. After travelling across the UK, he is facing the toughest stretch yet as he cycles through the rolling hills of the gorgeous Peak District today and will end his 115-mile challenge in his beloved hometown of Bolton, Greater Manchester, on Friday. So far, the former All Star Family Fortunes host has raised a whopping £1million for the charity, with donations still coming in.
No doubt he will be receiving support at the finish line from his wife, Strictly Come Dancing presenter Tess Daly, who he has now been married to for 20 years. The couple met as they were both up-and-coming stars in television, when Vernon, 49, was a host on Channel 4's T4 and Tess, 54, was presenting SMTV on ITV.
The couple have been married since 2003 and share two daughters (Dave Benett/Getty Images)
The couple overcame a sexting scandal (tessdaly/Instagram)The couple tied the knot in 2003 at a church in Bolton and they share two daughters - Phoebe Elizabeth Kay, 19, and Amber Isabella Kay, 15. While the pair often gush over each other on their social media, their union hasn't always been an easy road.
Some years after they married, the couple were rocked by claims that Vernon had been sending saucy messages to four other women as well as glamour model Rhian Sugden. He and Tess had been married for seven years at the time and had their two young girls at home.
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Tess was obviously heartbroken by the shocking news and what followed were several grovelling apologies from her husband as he desperately tried to save his marriage. In an interview with The Sun at the time, he confessed: "Tess is extremely upset about this and we're working through it... I've been stupid and daft but I'm not a sex pest. I've only done this with four or five girls and I've known them all well – they've been friends or work colleagues.
"I know a single guy can get away with things like that but I'm married and I understand this is off limits." Following the explosive 2010 revelations, the couple were able to eventually put the drama behind them and move on with their romance.
However, five years later it was claimed that Vernon and Rhian had been exchanging messages once again. Vernon was forced to publicly address the claims and denied that there had been anything "inappropriate" about their messages. He insisted the pair were merely discussing information about the 2010 incident.
The dad of two addressed the drama by putting out a statement revealing he'd told Tess everything. In a post on Facebook, he wrote: "Regarding today's story: I was contacted by Rhian out of the blue back in December regarding the story in 2010 claiming she had information she wanted to pass on.
"I recognise how it may look when messages are pulled out of context but there was never inappropriate intent to our communication." Rhian later apologised for being in contact with a married man and expressed her regret about the situation.
While Tess didn't publicly address the reports at the time, in 2017 she admitted that marriages are a 'work in progress'. In an interview with The Times, she explained: "All marriages have their moments. Marriage is a work in progress.
She added: "Vernon and I are just people, at the end of the day." Despite their rocky patch, in recent years the couple appears to have been going strong in their enduring romance.Their relationship and close bond were further revealed when Vernon headed to Wales to appear in I'm A Celeb in 2020. Tess' devotion to her husband was evident in a collection of touching posts on social media as she supported her husband.
"We're soulmates, me and Vernon," she said to Women's Health following his time on the ITV show. "It's been a ride. And I love him more than ever."
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 04: Jack Black attends The Art Of Elysium's 13th Annual Celebration - Heaven on January 04, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/WireImage)Having been in the industry for more than 20 years, the broadcaster has interviewed a host of celebrities during his time on screen. However, some chats have been better than other, with one awkward encounter with a Hollywood movie star standing out in particular. When School of Rock landed on the big screen in 2003, lead actor Jack Black won over a legion of fans for his loveable character Dewey Finn.
Although Vernon was less than impressed when he met the star for an interview, and an unlikely feud ensued. The pair initially crossed paths when the former Family Fortunes host was working as a TV presenter on Channel 4's T4.
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Jack was already established as a big name but Bolton-born Vernon was still making his mark as a celeb interviewer and was 'nervous' ahead of the chat. Speaking to The Sun in 2020, Vernon admitted: "I don't know whether he'd had a hangover or whether it was because I was either the first or last interview of the day, but he was horrible.
"He was an absolute d**k, an a******e." Vernon bitterly continued: "When you're so rude, arrogant and pig-faced to a young TV presenter, who's so nervous and trying to hone his skills, and you're so arrogant to dismiss that, it's just not on." He went on to label the actor a "c**k", adding: "I hope he reads it, and let this be a lesson to Jack Black."
Vernon went on to interview the movie star about a few of his films while acting as a host for T4, including the 2010 flick Gulliver's Travels, 2003 Hollywood hit School of Rock, and 2001's Shallow Hal. Allegedly, his attitude was "just the same every time".
Children In Need airs Friday at 7pm on BBC One