Strictly’s Tess Daly struggled to continue hosting the BBC show on Saturday night, her husband has revealed.
The presenter, 55, was overcome with emotion after professional dancer Dianne Buswell delivered a heartfelt speech about her celebrity partner, Chris McCausland.
She said of the blind comic: ‘I have taught Chris all this time without a single visual cue.
‘He’s not been able to look at a video back to see if he did a great job or needs to work on anything.
‘He’s never been able to see his competitors, yet he’s seen this competition so well because he’s captured the spirit of the show.
‘I could not be more proud of him. He has shown that anything is possible.’
Strictly ‘s Tess Daly struggled to continue hosting the BBC show on Saturday night, her husband has revealed
Vernon and Tess pictured at the National TV Award in September
Tess, 55, was overcome with emotion after professional dancer Dianne Buswell delivered a heartfelt speech about her celebrity partner, Chris McCausland
The camera then cut to Tess, who was visibly fighting back tears after Dianne’s emotional words.
Speaking about the special moment, Vernon Kay told The Sun: ‘Chris has done absolutely amazingly and Dianne had everyone in tears in the semi-final when she said, look, Chris hasn’t seen other people dance.
‘He hasn’t seen what he’s accomplished, what he’s achieved. He hasn’t seen his own hand placement or footwork.
‘It just struck a cord and touched everyone in the studio. Tess was in tears and she had to really fight back tears when she did the next link to introduce the next dancer.’
Following their impressive dance, Chris has secured a spot in the Strictly Come Dancing 2024 final.
He’s now the frontrunner to take the title, with Ladbrokes listing his odds at a dominant 1/20.
Elsewhere, Tess’s husband Vernon and their daughter Phoebe gave a sneak peak into their festive home on Friday as they filmed their first ever TV advert together.
The father and daughter duo looked happier than ever as the radio presenter rocked a grey Christmas jumper as he joined his stunning eldest daughter, whom he shares with wife Tess.
Dianne said of the blind comic: ‘He’s never been able to see his competitors, yet he’s seen this competition so well because he’s captured the spirit of the show’
Vernon and Phoebe, 20, were all smiles as they used an iPad to finish their last minute Christmas shopping from their lavish kitchen before sitting down to stream a festive movie for the partnership with EE.
In the advert, Vernon was seen lifting weights as he used the internet for an online workout class.
The TV star later playfully fell asleep next to his daughter while watching a film before she yelled ‘dad’ to wake him up.
Phoebe looked sensational in the advert in a black long sleeved fitted jumper which she paired with blue denim jeans.
The father and daughter duo were also joined by their adorable family dog, Mickey before decorating their lavish Christmas tree in their home.
The BBC Radio 2 host also shares 15-year-old daughter Amber with wife Tess.
Since turning 18 Phoebe has started creeping into the public eye, making her red carpet debut alongside her father at the John Wick Chapter 4 premiere last March.
While TV presenter Vernon was on hand to support his daughter, he previously revealed that he and Tess insist his children don’t live off their fame and must form ‘their own careers.’
Elsewhere, Tess’s husband Vernon and their daughter Phoebe gave a sneak peak into their festive home on Friday as they filmed their first ever TV advert together
Tess and Vernon also share 15-year-old daughter Amber
It’s an important factor for the celebrity duo, who both fell into fame after being scouted as models and then turning to television.
Speaking to MailOnline in 2022, Vernon said he and his wife believe it’s important for their offspring ‘to find themselves’ and not be given their ‘life on a plate’, crediting the pair’s Northern backgrounds for shaping their parenting beliefs.
Vernon said: ‘We let them be independent when it comes to them and their futures because it’s important that you allow them to find themselves, which is character building and personality development.
‘Sometimes I think that the old silver spoon and life on a plate in front of them… I think that’s quite contradictory to how you want them to be.
‘Tess and I grew up in hearty, wholesome Northern families and that’s a huge trait that helped us in our personal development and I think that’s really important.’
He added: ‘I don’t disagree with anyone that does that by helping their kids, which is great, but I just think sometimes for us, personally, it’s whatever they’re into, they can go and discover themselves.’
Tess is of the same thinking as her husband, telling MailOnline in 2021 how she kept her children ‘grounded’ against the trappings of fame and raises them with ‘morals, respect and a work ethic.’
