Tess Daly and Vernon Kay may have just closed one glittering door — but it seems an even bigger one could be opening.
On Saturday, December 20, Strictly Come Dancing viewers were left in tears as Tess, 56, fronted her final-ever live show alongside Claudia Winkleman. The pair, who became one of British television’s most adored duos, confirmed their joint departure back in October, bringing an era to a close after more than two decades.
Tess has been with Strictly since its very first episode in 2004, initially presenting alongside the late Sir Bruce Forsyth before Claudia joined her in 2014. Together they helped steer the ballroom juggernaut into its 23rd series — a farewell that left fans emotional and nostalgic in equal measure.
Although the BBC has yet to announce their replacements, bookmakers are already convinced Tess won’t be off screens for long.
According to betting experts at Poker Scout, Tess could be preparing to swap the glittering dancefloor for ITV’s famous This Morning sofa — and not alone. Insiders believe she may present the daytime show alongside her husband, Vernon Kay.
A spokesperson for Poker Scout said:
“Tess Daly and Vernon Kay are among the UK’s most popular TV couples, so it’s no surprise to see them emerge as strong contenders to host This Morning. They’re currently priced at 2/1. With Tess’s live-TV experience and Vernon’s versatility, they have everything needed to become ITV’s next iconic daytime duo.”
While Tess is best known for her 20-year reign on Strictly, her presenting career spans decades. She has previously fronted shows including Get Your Kit Off, Singled Out, Smash Hits TV, SMTV Live, Back To Reality, Home On Their Own and the first series of Make Me a Supermodel.
Vernon, meanwhile, has been a fixture on British screens since launching his career on Channel 4’s T4 in 2000. He later went on to host All-Star Family Fortunes, Just The Two Of Us, Beat The Star, The Whole 19 Yards, Splash! and 1000 Heartbeats across ITV and the BBC.
The married couple, who have been together for 22 years and share two daughters, would join an already evolving This Morning presenting line-up following the departures of Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby in 2023. ITV has since installed Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley as permanent weekday hosts, with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary fronting Fridays.
If confirmed, Tess and Vernon would be following in the footsteps of legendary husband-and-wife presenters Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, who hosted the show for its first 13 years. Former couple Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford also fronted the Friday episodes for 14 years before their roles were reduced in 2020.
For fans still reeling from Tess’s emotional goodbye to Strictly, the possibility of seeing her return to daytime TV alongside Vernon could mark the start of an unexpected — and very happy — new chapter.
