'Strictly's Tess Daly and Vernon Kaye’s ups and downs made 20-year marriage stronger'

ok.co.uk:

Tess Daly may be about to embark on her 21st series co-hosting Strictly Come Dancing, but September is also a special month on a personal level, as she celebrates her 20th wedding anniversary with husband Vernon Kay.

It feels like only yesterday that we saw photos of TV’s golden couple looking full of joy as they emerged from St Mary’s Catholic Church in Horwich near Vernon’s hometown of Bolton after their ceremony in 2003.

But this week, the pair are marking two decades of marriage, with Tess, 54, describing them as "soulmates".Talking about their milestone, which according to pals they will celebrate with a "lavish party", Tess said their relationship is as fresh as ever. "We still sit down for dinner and have so much to talk about – we just have a real laugh," she said.

The presenter also shared how laughter is one of the things that keeps the passion alive. "He’s always messing about, dad dancing, singing and laughing," she said. "There’s never a dull moment." When the former models first laid eyes on each other at a BBC Christmas party in 1999, it was a case of love at first sight and, according to Vernon, they bonded over the fact they’re both northerners. "She didn’t know anyone except me because we’d worked together that day – she spotted me in a crowd and we had a laugh," Vernon, 49, said. "I was instantly attracted by how independent Tess was – and that’s not changed at all." Luckily for Vernon, Stockport-born Tess was just as enthralled with him and described their connection as "instant".