Vernon Kay has shared the unique parenting approach he and Tess Daly use, offering a rare look into their family life with daughters Phoebe and Amber.
Unlike most households where one parent plays the “good cop” and the other the “bad cop,” Vernon, 51, and Tess, 56, mix things up by alternating roles. They keep their daughters, Phoebe, 20, and Amber, 16, on their toes by switching between the two roles.
Vernon Kay shared that he and Tess Daly have a unique approach to parenting, alternating between playing the “good cop” and the “bad cop” roles. He explained that they like to keep their daughters, Phoebe and Amber, on their toes by switching things up.
He also discussed how they allow their daughters to make their own decisions. Vernon said, “We haven’t pushed them in any particular direction regarding their education or career. It’s entirely up to them. As parents, you can only guide them for so long, then you have to let them go and experience life for themselves.”
For the past 20 years, Tess Daly has been a constant presence on British TV, and many say she hasn’t aged a day. But the Strictly Come Dancing host attributes her youthful appearance not to dieting, but to a unique fitness routine.
Tess recently shared that she still fits into the same size jeans she wore in her 20s, but it’s not due to restrictive diets. Instead, she focuses on “maintaining” her figure through consistent exercise. She explained, “I’m wearing the same size jeans I was wearing in my 20s, but that’s not from dieting—it’s from maintaining.”
As for how she keeps in shape, Tess has offered fans a glimpse into her active lifestyle, which includes running on the treadmill while watching her favorite Netflix shows, doing morning skipping circuits, and even trampolining in her backyard.
She also credits daily yoga with helping her stay both physically fit and mentally grounded. Tess revealed in 2021 that she does an online yoga class every morning, which she described as “a little act of self-love.”
According to Tess, yoga has been a game-changer for her, helping her stay flexible, young, and free of aches and pains—and it’s all available for free online.
Tess Daly has been dedicated to fitness for years, and her routine is as much about mental clarity as it is about physical strength. She works out a few times a week, including online sessions with a trainer, which she says not only strengthens her body but also helps her stay mentally grounded. Yoga, in particular, has become an essential part of her fitness regimen. Tess shared that it “forces you into the moment,” offering a sense of calm and focus that relieves anxiety.
But yoga isn’t the only exercise Tess incorporates into her routine. She also found a way to combine fitness with her love for Netflix. In an interview with Women’s Health UK in 2021, Tess revealed her secret to guilt-free binge-watching: “I’ve got a treadmill, where I’ve realized I can watch Netflix and run 5k at the same time.” She added that she would never sit down to watch TV during the day, but running on the treadmill lets her justify it.
Tess enjoys a variety of exercises, including swimming, trampolining, and skipping. She particularly loves skipping because it’s fun, reminiscent of childhood, and a great way to wake up in the morning. In a 2020 interview with Health & Wellbeing, she explained: “Sometimes I’ll do five minutes of skipping at the start of the day – one minute on and one minute off. It’s great, it really wakes up the system. If you’re feeling sluggish, it’s a brilliant way to start the day—better than a cup of coffee!”
Skipping is also an inexpensive exercise that can be done anywhere, even indoors on rainy days. Tess praised its benefits for circulation and described it as a “joyful” workout that boosts endorphins and puts a smile on your face. She encourages everyone she knows to try it, saying, “It gets part of the body moving that you haven’t moved in a while, and it feels good!”
