Tess Daly and Vernon Kay shocked fans everywhere when they announced on Friday night that they had split up after almost 23 years of marriage.
The former Strictly Come Dancing host, 57, tied the knot with fellow TV star Vernon, 52, in September 2003 and they went on to have Phoebe, 21, and 16-year-old Amber together. Many were stunned when they took to social media to reveal that they have called time on their relationship.
A joint statement posted to Instagram read: “After much consideration, and with a deep sense of care and respect for one another, we have made the decision to separate amicably.
“This has not been an easy choice, but it comes from a place of mutual understanding and a shared desire for what is best for both of us. We remain great friends and most importantly, fully committed to our roles as loving and supportive parents, which will always be our priority.”
Here, The Mirror takes a look at the signs that things were always heading this way for the couple, who are known and loved by millions of TV viewers.
5View 5 ImagesThe pair used to feature on each other’s Instagram grids frequently but have not been on each other’s pages since February
5View 5 ImagesTess recently put this potentially cryptic message onto her Instagram – and Claudia Winkleman left three heart emojis(Image: Tess Daly/Instagram)
Last month, Vernon, who, along with Tess, does not say much about his family life, candidly revealed that things in the house had changed. He told The Times: “Now that Phoebe is 21 and Amber is nearly 17, our relationship with them is changing. We talk about encouraging them to leave the nest and be independent but we don’t really want them to’!”
Vernon and Tess have not appeared on each other’s social media pages together since February, which is around the time they hosted The One Show together. For their combined two million followers, they would often keep fans up-to-date with loved up selfies and family snaps, but that has all disappeared recently. In April, Tess, Vernon and Phoebe all went on a sunny getaway together, but they only ever posted pictures of themselves with their daughter, not each other.
View 5 ImagesThe couple recently went on a getaway with their eldest but their faces did not appear in any pictures together(Image: Tess Daly/Instagram)
Perhaps the biggest clue of all comes in the aftermath of Tess announcing that she, along with long-standing co-star Claudia Winkleman, had decided to quit Strictly Come Dancing after more than a decade working together.
View 5 ImagesTess quit Strictly Come Dancing in December and it’s said that she wanted to go travelling for a year but Vernon couldn’t commit(Image: PA)
A source told Closer: “Tess always put Vernon and the girls first and now she wants to be a bit selfish and make the most of their situation and her new-found freedom.
Article continues below
“Vernon says they couldn’t really do a whole year as he has his Radio 2 show, but he likes the idea of jetting off for weeks at a time, then coming home.”
Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.