BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay shared his relief at still working for the corporation after momentarily forgetting the name of a long-standing colleague live on air
Vernon Kay has expressed his gratitude for remaining on the BBC’s roster. The Radio 2 host began his broadcasting journey more than 25 years ago with the youth-focused programme T4.
By 2004, he had secured a position at BBC Radio 1, hosting a Sunday entertainment programme. Just four months into his tenure, he inherited the 10am to 1pm weekend slot previously held by Colin Murray and Edith Bowman.
However, Vernon stepped away from the microphone in 2012, citing his desire to dedicate more time to his wife Tess Daly and daughters Phoebe and Amber. Presenter Matt Edmondson succeeded him.
Beyond radio, Vernon has fronted programmes including Family Fortunes and Vernon Kay’s Gameshow Marathon. He later joined the newly established Radio X in 2015, where he remained for two years.
Following a nine-year hiatus from the BBC, Vernon returned in 2021 to deputise for Rylan Clark, subsequently filling in for broadcasters such as Steve Wright and Dermot O’Leary. In 2023, he secured the mid-morning programme, succeeding the iconic Ken Bruce.
Recently, during his Radio 2 broadcast, Vernon voiced his appreciation for his continued employment with the broadcaster. This came after he momentarily struggled to recall the name of a veteran colleague.
Introducing his on-air team, Vernon said: “We’ve got the wonderful , the amazing Janice, Janine, and there she is….and….what’s her name…Jennifer, happy Jennifer. We’ve got Janice Janine and Jen, who I have known for a very, very long time, since we were at Radio 1, 10…five…three years ago, it was a long time.”, reports the Express.
“To be honest, Jennifer and I are still happy that we’re employed. Considering the very low bar that we raised ourselves when we started our careers in broadcasting, we’ve done really well Jennifer.”
In other news, Vernon had some unwelcome tidings for fellow Radio 2 presenter Gary Davies earlier in the week. The pair had planned to hit the golf course together following Vernon’s return from his holiday, but those plans were soon scuppered.
Vernon revealed he had sustained an injury at home while rearranging furniture, telling Gary: “I’ve got some bad news Gary. I was lifting furniture on Friday, I’ve pulled my back. Chiropractor this week.”
A disappointed Gary enquired: “So we’re going to have to delay our game?” Vernon cheekily suggested they could still go ahead with the round, albeit with Gary taking the spoils. Gary quipped in response: “Then let’s go out. It’s the only chance I’ll ever get.” Vernon, though, expressed doubts about whether he’d manage their usual local course, saying: “Where we play they don’t have buggies so I can’t.”
His broadcasting partner offered reassurance that arrangements could be made, noting: “We do. Because I’m also a little bit crocked, I’ve got a dodgy achilles, a dodgy knee, so I’ve been buggying around.”
The presenter indicated they’d have to “see how the chiropractor goes” before deciding if they could venture onto the greens, though he confessed he’d be keen to play given the “weather is beautiful”.
This wasn’t Vernon’s only frank discussion about his wellbeing this week. He’s disclosed he’s been battling Morton’s neuroma, a nerve condition affecting the third and fourth toes.
The NHS describes the ailment as involving “thickening of tissue” around a nerve in the foot. Those affected commonly experience what’s described as a “shooting, stabbing or burning pain,” or the unusual sensation of treading on a stone.
Fortunately for Vernon, he had a fortuitous meeting with someone who could assist with his ailment. He recounted: “I’ve got Morton’s neuroma, it’s a nerve issue between the third and fourth toe on your foot and it’s so painful. So yesterday I was at the services, I was charging the electric car, and I was struggling a little bit with the machine that actually does it, I was faffing around.
“There’s no instructions, it just assumes that you know how to do it, and I didn’t. I didn’t know how to pay, I didn’t know how to get it started. Anyway, we got there in the end and this gentleman who was parked in the bay next door to my car wound down his window and said, ‘Hi Vernon,’ I said, ‘How are you?’
“We shook hands, he said, ‘You alright there? You struggling?’ I said, ‘A little bit, I think it’s working now’.
“When we said that it went [buzzing noise] and then it started to charge my car. We got chatting away, ‘Where you going? Blah blah blah.’ Said, ‘I’m going just down the road but I’ve run out of energy so I’m just topping up my car’. ‘Brilliant, what do you do for a living?’ ‘I’m a foot specialist’.”
Vernon described how the chap then introduced himself as Nick. He continued: “I said, ‘Nick, open your passenger door please’. He said, ‘What?’ I said, ‘I’ve got a serious foot issue, you need to look at it, it’s killing me’. He went, ‘Are you serious?’ I went, ‘Yeah’.”
The encounter resulted in the celebrity securing an appointment at Nick’s clinic, where he says he’ll receive steroid treatment for his ailment. The NHS recommends consulting your GP if foot pain is preventing you from carrying out everyday tasks or is deteriorating. Similarly, if there’s no improvement within a fortnight, or if you experience pins and needles, reduced strength, or loss of sensation, medical attention should be sought.
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