After Vernon Kay misses out on Radio 2 Breakfast Show job - who are his wife and children and how much does he earn?
Despite being the bookies’ favourite, Vernon Kay missed out to Sara Cox for the Radio 2 Breakfast Show job - but he probably won’t be too disappointed given his current salary.
He was tipped as the bookies’ favourite to take over the Radio 2 Breakfast Show slot following the dismissal of disgraced DJ Scott Mills over allegations relating to his personal conduct, but Vernon Kay missed out on the job to fellow Bolton-born host, Sara Cox.
On Friday (April 24), Vernon took to his own Radio 2 show to applaud Cox, saying: “Congratulations to Sara Cox, your new Radio 2 Breakfast Show host, she's going to be absolutely awesome. Without a doubt, she's going to be mega."
Vernon Kay, who hosts a mid-morning show on the same channel, was tipped as the favourite to replace Mills after he was abruptly taken off air. Last month, the station’s head Helen Thomas said Vernon Kay continues to be “the most listened to show on UK radio”, attracting 6.7 million listeners each week.
Veteran DJ Gary Davies, who unexpectedly started hosting Mills’ breakfast show last Wednesday, was also tipped as a possible replacement. OJ Borg, who hosts Radio 2’s weekday overnight show, was another of the station’s presenters who feature in the bookmaker’s list. William Hill also named broadcasters Rylan Clark and Clara Amfo as potential replacements.
However, it was Cox who landed the coveted job. The 51-year-old, who currently hosts the teatime show on the station from 4pm to 7pm, will take over the role in the summer. Cox said: “There are not enough adjectives to really sum up how I’m feeling about being trusted with such an iconic show but let’s start with ecstatic, honoured and incredibly chuffed.
“It’s been a dream to host the Breakfast Show since I joined Radio 2 and it feels like a bit of a full circle for me. I’ve had the most glorious seven years of my career on Teatime so thank you to my brilliant Teatime listeners who hopefully will join me at Breakfast for excellent music and all my usual nonsense plus some superstar guests. I honestly can’t wait to wake the nation up with the biggest most fun breakfast show ever.”
Mills was sacked by the BBC last month, shortly before it emerged the Metropolitan Police had launched an investigation into the 53-year-old in 2016 over allegations of serious sexual offences involving a teenage boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000. Gary Davies has been filling in as breakfast show host since Mills was taken off the air.
Vernon Kay wife and children
Kay married Tess Daly near Bolton in 2003 and they have two daughters together, born in 2004 and 2009. The family live in Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire.
In 2010, Kay was forced to apologise to his wife after it was revealed that he had been sending sexually explicit text and social media messages to model Rhian Sugden every day for four months. Later on, he admitted to sending similar messages to "four or five" other women at the same time.
How much does Vernon Kay earn?
Vernon Kay is listed among the top 10 highest-paid BBC stars. According to the BBC's 2024-2025 annual report, he earns between £390,000 and £394,999 for his work with the BBC, primarily as a Radio 2 presenter.