VERNON KAY SAYS 'I SLAPPED MYSELF ON THE WRIST' AFTER DAUGHTER'S QUESTION

BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay says "I slapped myself on the wrist" after a question from his youngest daughter. Vernon, 51, and his wife, former Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly, are parents to daughters Phoebe, 20, and Amber, 16.

The couple first crossed paths at a party in 2000 when they were both working for competing TV channels. Vernon was hosting Channel 4's youth programme, T4, while Tess was part of ITV's SMTV:Live team alongside Ant and Dec. Their romance flourished and in 2003, they exchanged vows at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Horwich, near Bolton. These days, the family resides in their six-bedroom house in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.

It was within these walls that former Family Fortunes host Vernon experienced a moment of disbelief with his daughter Amber. The BBC Radio 2 presenter recounted how the teenager didn't recognise the "greatest ever" pop band.

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During his radio show on Thursday, Vernon shared: "I am wearing my Beatles t-shirt today and it says, 'John, Paul, George and Ringo'. When I first wore this around the house, our youngest said, 'Who are they?' I slapped myself on the wrist, bad parenting. 'Who are they?' It's the greatest band ever, it's The Beatles."

A recent study conducted in 2022 revealed that a third of Generation Z, typically defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, are unfamiliar with legendary bands like The Beatles and Queen. Almost half of the respondents surveyed by Roberts Radio admitted they didn't know British pop icon David Bowie.

Vernon has previously shared his appreciation for The Beatles, revealing to NME magazine that the legendary group's 1965 classic Help! is his preferred karaoke choice. The track, which served as the title song from the band's fifth studio album, just edges out Twist and Shout when he takes to the microphone.

He explained: "Always do something that people know. It's a classic because it bounces along, it rolls along that tune. That and 'Twist And Shout', but 'Twist And Shout' is an end-of-the-night song because you know you're gonna lose your voice."

During the same interview, Vernon disclosed that Lucky Man by The Verve was the first track he truly fell for. He recalled how the band's album Urban Hymns became a constant companion after relocating from Bolton to London to chase his modelling ambitions.

Vernon said: "It was the soundtrack of everything that was going on at the time. I was riding the crest of a wave with that album ['Urban Hymns'] playing in the background. I'd moved to London in '96 and it was never out of the CD player at the time. We were bouncing along, living the dream. I'd been scouted by a modelling agency so to be honest we were just freeloading."

More recently, Vernon expressed his gratitude to Radio 2 listeners following the announcement that his programme has become the most popular in the UK, with approximately 6.7 million people tuning in to his mid-morning slot each week.

Helen Thomas, the head of Radio 2, expressed her delight: "In a quarter where Sara Cox ran five marathons in five days, with the listeners getting behind her to raise an astonishing £12 million for Children In Need, I'm thrilled that Radio 2 continues to be the UK's most listened to single radio station.

"Vernon Kay continues to be the most listened to show on UK radio, growing to 6.7 million listeners each week. Many thanks go to the Radio 2 listeners, who are tuning in for just over 11 hours each week, a four-year record."

On Thursday (February 5) morning, Vernon shared his gratitude on his Instagram Story, telling his followers: "A huge thank you to everyone who's tuning in," followed by a series of red heart emojis.

2026-02-05T13:13:44Z