Strictly’s Tess Daly says she cried watching husband Vernon Kay on I’m A Celebrity

Tess Daly has revealed that she cried every time she watched Vernon Kay during his I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! stint.

The Strictly presenter, 51, candidly reflected on being separated from her husband of 17 years for five weeks, saying ‘I felt like I was going through it with him’.

Vernon, 46, finished in third place on the latest series of the hit ITV show which was filming in Wales and saw Giovanna Fletcher crowned Queen Of The Castle.

Emotional: Tess Daly has revealed that she cried every time she watched husband Vernon Kay during his I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! (pictured after reuniting following the show)

Tess told The Sun: ‘Every time he welled up on the TV, I would find myself welling up because I felt like I was going through it with him. 

‘I mean I was fed and never cold — but he slept on the floor for two and a half weeks, which the edit didn’t show, because he didn’t fit in the beds.

‘Then when he did a little message to me in the telegraph in the final, I was like, “Oh god” — I had to leave the room quickly so the teenager couldn’t see me cry.’ 

She also discussed how Vernon being away for such a long period of time impacted their family life, joking that all their appliances broke while he was away. 

Tough: The Strictly co-host, 51, said it 'felt like I was going through it with him' during his weeks away home, with the star adding that Vernon slept on the floor for two weeks as he didn't fit in the camp beds (pictured on the show)

Tough: The Strictly co-host, 51, said it ‘felt like I was going through it with him’ during his weeks away home, with the star adding that Vernon slept on the floor for two weeks as he didn’t fit in the camp beds (pictured on the show)

The mother-of-two said the dishwasher and heating were just two of the things which stopped working making her realise how much Vernon does at the house. 

Elsewhere in the interview, Tess and Vernon discussed their careers in showbiz and what their daughters – Phoebe, 16, and Amber, 11 – think of them.

Tess revealed that their eldest daughter spoke about her working with Claudia Winkleman on Strictly during a school assembly, which made her ‘proud’. 

She also added that it was a ‘privilege’ to work on Strictly this year considering all the extra things that have been brought in to ensure a safe show during the pandemic.   

It comes after Vernon enjoyed a date night at home with Tess and gushed about their much needed quality time in a post shared via Instagram on Thursday.

Family: Vernon and Tess are parents to Phoebe, 16, and Amber, 11 (pictured together)

Family: Vernon and Tess are parents to Phoebe, 16, and Amber, 11 (pictured together)

Sweet: It comes after Vernon shared loved-up snap with Tess and gushed about their 'special' date night at home in a post he shared on Thursday

Sweet: It comes after Vernon shared loved-up snap with Tess and gushed about their ‘special’ date night at home in a post he shared on Thursday

Amusing: Vernon joked he doesn't 'miss rice and beans with fried rodent', and I'm A Celebrity winner Giovanna asked why he 'didn't even order a side of pigeon' in a comment

Amusing: Vernon joked he doesn’t ‘miss rice and beans with fried rodent’, and I’m A Celebrity winner Giovanna asked why he ‘didn’t even order a side of pigeon’ in a comment

The presenter looked smitten as he posed with the Strictly Come Dancing co-host in a black-and-white snap from their evening together. 

Tess looked away from the camera in the loved-up snap as he posed side-by-side with her other half, who smiled at the camera.

Delighted by their evening, Vernon wrote in the caption: ‘Last nights date night….  The joy of good, refuelling food and a jolly good catch up with the fam was very special! Didn’t miss rice and beans with fried rodent one bit!!!’ 

I’m A Celebrity winner Giovanna seemed amused by Vernon’s comments on their meal as she joked: ‘You didn’t even order a side of pigeon? Or Squirrel? Or Eel?’

'Feeding him up': The Strictly Come Dancing star recently took to her Instagram Stories and shared a photo of chicken soup and bread she made for her other half

‘Feeding him up’: The Strictly Come Dancing star recently took to her Instagram Stories and shared a photo of chicken soup and bread she made for her other half

The author then added that she thought Vernon had shared a ‘stunning picture’ of the two of them.

Earlier this month, Tess said she was already ‘feeding up’ her husband after his two-and-a-half stone weight loss.

The Strictly Come Dancing star took to her Instagram Stories and shared a photo of chicken soup and bread she made for her other half.

Alongside the photo, the TV host wrote: ‘Chicken soup at bedtime… feeding him up’. 

Tess told of her joy at having her husband back home as she shared a photo of the pair together and wrote: ‘After almost 5 weeks away (2 and a half in isolation before going into the Castle) it’s so good to have him home. Now it’s time to get that Christmas tree up.’ 

Hot stuff: Vernon revealed after leaving the show that he lost 2.5 stone on rice and beans diet (pictured mid-way through the series)

Hot stuff: Vernon revealed after leaving the show that he lost 2.5 stone on rice and beans diet (pictured mid-way through the series) 

It comes after Vernon claimed he lost a lot of weight during his 19-day stint on I’m A Celebrity and was left feeling ‘drained’.

The Family Fortunes host, who came third in the reality show, said the programme’s doctor delivered the news after a check-up before he left Gwrych Castle in Wales.

He said: ‘We were eating nothing but rice and beans. For the first two meals you’re like, “Yeah, we can do this”, then you realise every meal is bloody rice and beans. It’s awful. You’re so drained. 

‘The medic weighed us after the show and I’ve lost just over two and a half stone, and I haven’t got two and a half stone to lose. So you’re physically drained, you’re emotionally drained because you’re missing your family.’ 

The finalists: Givoanna was crowned the Queen of the Castle, with Jordan North placing second and Vernon coming in third

The finalists: Givoanna was crowned the Queen of the Castle, with Jordan North placing second and Vernon coming in third