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Privacy NoticeTess Daly has presented Strictly Come Dancing since the BBC dance show’s launch back in 2004. Twenty years on, iconic Tess is still hosting, alongside Claudia Winkleman, who joined in 2014, following the departure of show legend Sir Bruce Forsyth. However many fans won’t remember that Tess had brief hiatus in series 2, when she took a break to give birth to her daughter, Phoebe, now 19-years-old. Tess missed the first half of the second series and Natasha Kaplinsky, the winner of the previous and first series, took her place for these episodes.
Iconic Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly, has co-hosted the popular BBC dance show since it’s launch in 2004, but there was one year which saw the presenter take a brief hiatus and Strictly winner Natasha Kaplinsky took her place
(Image: PA)
Natasha, a newsreader and television presenter, won the first series of Strictly Come Dancing with her professional partner, Brendan Cole. She then returned in Series 2 to join Bruce Forsyth in presenting the show for the first few weeks, whilst Tess was on maternity leave In more recent years, newsreader Natasha revealed she was “forced” to take part in the BBC TV hit. She previously told The Daily Mirror: “I got completely forced and put into a corner, external. “I’d just started at BBC Breakfast and obviously the bosses at Strictly had a shopping list and a newsreader was on it and I was their easiest target. I honestly tried every single excuse not to do it. I was petrified.”
Twenty years since the show started, iconic Tess is still hosting, alongside Claudia Winkleman, who joined in 2014
(Image: PA)
Meanwhile, Tess’ first daughter Phoebe Elizabeth Kay was born on 17 October 2004 at a London hospital. In her book, Tess revealed she had a caesarean birth with Phoebe due to having abnormal cells (on her cervix, which were treated after the birth). She had been desperate to have a natural birth but after consulting three doctors, was advised to have a C-section. Tess recalled: “The sensation of having a caesarean, of the doctor feeling around to pull our baby into the world, was like having a builder with huge boots on inside me, pulling at random bits from the wall of my womb as he stomped about.”
Tess and Vernon’s first daughter Phoebe Elizabeth Kay was born on 17 October 2004
(Image: Instagram)
Tess told of the moment when Vernon asked the doctor: “What is it?” and he replied, “It’s a pink one.” But joy quickly turned to worry though, as their daughter didn’t cry when she was born. Tess had a little cuddle but then Phoebe was taken to have her passages cleared and to be observed. Naturally, Tess panicked, but fortunately, all was well. “Phoebe was brought to my room over an hour after I had her,” remembered Tess. “I was so happy to finally have my baby in my arms and to be able to cradle and hold her next to my skin. Having her here just felt like the most natural thing in the world.”
In her book, Tess revealed she had a caesarean birth with Phoebe due to having abnormal cells
(Image: PA)
Nowadays Tess and her husband, radio and TV presenter Vernon Kay, aren’t seen with their children too often. The couple are parents to 14 year old Amber and 19 year old Phoebe, and now their eldest daughter is an adult they only occasionally post a few images of her to social media. Vernon currently hosts his own mid-morning show on BBC Radio 2, while Tess is busy with presenting duties on Strictly Come Dancing. In an interview with OK! in 2022, Vernon revealed the reason he had never danced on the show himself. “I’ve never been asked, to be honest with you,” he said. Could this be because it would be a conflict of interest, with Tess as presenter? “I never thought of that,” he said.
Natasha, a newsreader and television presenter, who the first series of Strictly Come Dancing with her professional partner, Brendan Cole
(Image: PA)
“I’m good friends with many of them, I play golf with Anton. So maybe that is why they haven’t asked me. I do enjoy the process of getting to know the dancers, I enjoy watching their rehearsal tapes and I enjoy sitting down with Tess and watching It Takes Two.” He also watches the live show each Saturday, for a very specific reason. “The only appointment-to-view TV for me is Strictly,” he said. “Each week I dread Tess tripping up when she comes around the corner on the stage. I make sure I am watching after the titles, when Tess says hello and welcome to Strictly and Claudia says something. I just want to make sure she’s done the opening link without tripping on her beautiful gown.” The show is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, and this year’s celebrity dancers include comedian Chris McCausland, former Love Islander Tasha Ghouri, JLS singer JB Gill and TOWIE star Pete Wicks.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnBBC BreakfastStrictly Come DancingNatasha KaplinskyTess DalyVernon Kay
