Vernon Kay Gets New BBC Role After Missing Radio 2 for Tess Daly’s MBE Ceremony

Vernon Kay has landed a brand new BBC role after he skipped his Radio 2 show to watch his wife Tess Daly receive an MBE.

The presenter, 51, took a day off from the national airwaves to be front and centre as Tess, 56, was awarded the honour her services to broadcasting and charity work.

She dedicated the accolade to her late father Vivian who passed away in 2003, just 18 days after her marriage to Radio 2 DJ Vernon.

Now it’s been revealed Vernon has landed a brand new quiz show on BBC Two called ‘Do You Know Your Place?’.

The new commission will see the dad-of-two front 20 episodes for the broadcaster’s daytime schedule.

It stars three celebrity’s knowledge of the United Kingdom put to the test with The Traitors series one contestant Paul Gorton acting as an ‘unreliable’ tour guide.

Vernon Kay has landed a brand new BBC role after he skipped his Radio 2 show to watch his wife Tess Daly receive an MBE

The presenter, 51, took a day off from the national airwaves to be front and centre as Tess, 56, was awarded the honour her services to broadcasting and charity work

Tess dedicated the accolade to her late father Vivian who passed away in 2003, just 18 days after her marriage to the Radio 2 DJ Vernon

Speaking about the new show, Vernon said: ‘I’m absolutely thrilled to be fronting Do You Know Your Place?

‘It’s a cracking new quiz that’s all about the people and places we know best. It’s got great banter, brilliant guests, and that classic British competitive streak. I can’t wait for everyone to see it on BBC Two.’ 

The BBC have yet to reveal when the new programme will make it to screens. 

His new show comes just weeks after wife Tess announced she was jointly stepping down from Strictly Come Dancing with Claudia Winkleman.

The pair – who had made a pact to always leave the ballroom together – shocked fans with a video posted to social media revealing the news.

Meanwhile, despite having two decades of presenting experience under his belt, Vernon was forced to apologise earlier this week for swearing live on air. 

He was discussing Sara Cox’s Great Northern Marathon Challenge for BBC Children In Need when he made the accidental slip-up.

Responding to an emotional ad for Sara’s marathon challenge, which said towards the end: ‘Go Sara go, you’re doing fabulously, keep on moving, Sara’s Great Northern Marathon Challenge continues’, Vernon said: ‘It does indeed! Bl***y hell.’ 

It has been revealed Vernon has landed a brand new quiz show on BBC Two called ‘Do You Know Your Place?’

The new show sees three celebrity’s knowledge of the United Kingdom put to the test with The Traitors series one star Paul Gorton act as an ‘unreliable’ tour guide

Squirming, he added: ‘I mean flipping hell, oh gosh. Sorry, sorry, I apologise, I apologise.’

After apologising for his live on-air blunder, Vernon seemingly explained that his reason for the slip-up was due to a young boy’s story hitting him right in the feels.

He continued: ‘But that one there, the counselling one for a 12-year-old boy whose twin has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, that got me that.’

Last month Vernon was honoured with this year’s Variety Club Silver Heart Award 2025 for Outstanding Contribution to Radio.  

Vernon has presented live radio for the BBC for two decades now and in 2023 he took over Ken Bruce’s slot.

He previously hosted his own show for Radio 1 from 2004 until 2012.

Vernon moved to commercial station Radio X in 2015 where he anchored his show for two years. He then returned to the BBC in 2021.