BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay apologised to listeners after getting emotional while discussing his family life, before accidentally saying the wrong thing on air
Vernon Kay with wife Tess Daly and their daughters(Image: tessdaly / Instagram)
BBC presenter Vernon Kay, who shares two daughters with wife Tess Daly, has issued an apology for using language his mum wouldn’t be pleased with, during a discussion about vintage technology that prompted him to share personal family memories.
The TV and radio presenter, 51, explored how technology has evolved by referencing his Sony Walkman. Vernon explained: “Earlier this week I was talking about finding my old [Sony] Walkman in the loft, played some old mixtapes from various clubs in the north west.
“It’s interesting, we were talking in the studio how the evolution of playing music whilst you’re on the go, whilst you’re mobile, has changed so much through the years. I was fascinated, I lifted the lid and just watched the tape go round.
“I was in a trance, thinking wow it’s so mechanical, it’s so raw, it’s there, you can see the engineering in it and these days you just press play and music plays in your ear.
“There was something so stunning about watching a tape go round knowing that back in the day, it was the opposite, you hated winding it on with a pencil and then mixtapes. So there have been many advances in personal listening technology, some of which took off, others not so much.”
Vernon subsequently played a segment from Tomorrow’s World showcasing the Dataplay, a device that never gained traction.
Later during the BBC programme, he turned to video recordings and revealed how his dad would accompany his grandad on lorry trips throughout Europe, before inadvertently uttering the word “Jesus”, then recalling his mother’s disapproval of taking the Lord’s name in vain.
He explained: “My mum in particular, has some footage somewhere of my grandad from way back when, because when my dad used to do international lorry driving he used to take my mum’s dad with him in his truck.
“So they’d go down to the south of Spain, Africa, all that kind of stuff. I think they’ve got some old cine-reel footage of them both trucking together.
“Trucks in them days weren’t as comfy as they are now….I was emotional then, I was getting quite emotional then.”
He then remarked to radio producer Phil: “You’re like a big full stop. He’d be a rubbish therapist, move on, your time’s up son, get out. Go on. Jesus.”
Suddenly realising his slip-up, he quickly added: “Sorry for swearing, do beg your pardon…You just feel so relaxed and then you forget that seven million people are listening.
“I’m so sorry. Gladys, she hates me using the Lord’s name in vain…so sorry.”
