Tess Daly
Helen Elizabeth "Tess" Daly[1] (born 29 March 1969) is an English model, novelist and television presenter, who has co-presented the BBC One celebrity dancing show Strictly Come Dancing since 2004.
Tess Daly | |
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![]() Daly in 2009 | |
Born | Helen Elizabeth Daly 29 March 1969 |
Nationality | English |
Education | New Mills Secondary School |
Occupation | |
Years active | 1990–present |
Television | Strictly Come Dancing |
Spouse(s) | Vernon Kay (m. 2003) |
Children | 2 |
Parent(s) | Vivian Daly Sylvia Daly (née Bradley) |
Website | Official Twitter |
Early life
Daly was born in March 1969,[2] in Stockport, Cheshire, to textile-factory workers[3] Felix James “Vivian” Daly (1932–2003), who died of emphysema, and Sylvia (née Bradley),[4][5] and grew up in Birch Vale near New Mills, Derbyshire. She attended Hayfield Primary School and New Mills Secondary School, where she gained 9 O-levels. She has a younger sister, Karen. Daly is of Irish descent.
Career
Modelling
Daly was scouted outside a McDonald's restaurant while waiting for her sister in Manchester. When Daly began her modelling career, there was already a model named “Helen” so she was asked to reconsider her name. Daly’s agent was infatuated with Nastassja Kinski from the film Tess and told her that she should change her name to “Tess”. Daly later recalled that she was “gullible and impressionable”. She has not officially changed her name by deed poll because she thinks it would be disrespectful to her parents.[6]
Six weeks after she turned 18 she undertook her first professional modelling job in Tokyo.[7] After a series of work assignments across Asia and Europe while based in London, she was based in Paris for five years. She then returned to London for six months, before moving to New York for work for five years.[7]
In 1990, Daly appeared in two Duran Duran videos for the songs "Serious" and "Violence of Summer (Love's Taking Over)", both from the album Liberty. She also appeared nude in the video for The Beloved's 1993 song "Sweet Harmony".[3]
She was later the face of Danone Shape yogurt and also of lingerie company La Senza in the UK and appeared in their Steal the Show Christmas 2009 campaign.[8]
Television
While Daly was living on the Lower East Side in New York City, a friend who arranged red carpet events suggested that she interview the celebrity attendees. After buying a video camera, Daly's first interview was with New York-based Quentin Crisp, author of The Naked Civil Servant, who became a friend until his death.[7] After a few red carpet interviews, in 2000, she sent a showreel to the producers of Channel 4's The Big Breakfast,[7] who immediately contracted her to host the Find Me a Model competition. Since then, she has presented shows including Get Your Kit Off, Singled Out, Smash Hits TV, SMTV Live, Back To Reality and the first series of Make Me a Supermodel with Dave Berry.
In 2003, Daly replaced Ulrika Jonsson as presenter of ITV makeover show Home On Their Own, a show where children made their choice of alterations to their house during the course of a weekend, while their parents went on holiday. Some of the home improvements included an Austin Powers room, individual doorbells for the children and a cinema living room.
Daly has co-presented BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing since 2004. She initially co-hosted the programme with Bruce Forsyth until he left the show in 2013; since 2014 she co-hosts with Claudia Winkleman. Daly missed the first half of the second series because she had recently given birth to her first daughter. Natasha Kaplinsky, the winner of the previous series, took her place for these episodes.
In January 2007, Daly and her husband Vernon Kay co-presented the second series of Just the Two of Us on BBC One.
Daly has also hosted This Time Tomorrow and the National Lottery show broadcast on BBC One. Since 2008, Daly has presented the BBC telethon Children in Need with Terry Wogan and Fearne Cotton. She also won the special Children in Need version of Strictly Come Dancing against Terry Wogan, where she was partnered with Anton du Beke. On 17 December 2008, Daly co-hosted the Royal Variety Performance.
In November 2013, Daly guest-presented an episode of The One Show alongside Matt Baker. In early 2015, she co-hosted Strictly Come Dancing charity spin-off The People's Strictly for Comic Relief for BBC One.[9] In 2015, Daly co-hosted Being Mum, a new show for AOL alongside Rochelle Humes.[10]
In 2019, she played an unnamed character who hosts fictional TV show The Spotlight, in the CBBC drama: Almost Never.
Writing
In 2011, Daly's first novel, The Camera Never Lies, a tale of love behind the scenes, was published by Coronet, an imprint of Hodder & Stoughton. It's Up to You New York, Daly's second book, was published in 2013.[11]
Personal life
Daly married DJ and TV presenter Vernon Kay on 12 September 2003, at St Mary's Catholic Church in Horwich, near Bolton.[13] Together, they have two daughters; Phoebe, born on 17 October 2004, and Amber, born on 30 May 2009. Daly and Kay live in Fulmer, Buckinghamshire.[14]
Filmography
Television
Year | Title | Channel | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | L.A. Pool Party | Presenter | ||
2002–2003 | SMTV Live | ITV/CITV | Co-presenter | |
2004 | Back to Reality | Channel 5 | Co-presenter | With Richard Bacon |
Sport Relief | BBC One | Co-presenter | With Jamie Theakston | |
2004— | Strictly Come Dancing | Co-presenter | With Bruce Forsyth or Claudia Winkleman | |
2006–2007 | Just the Two of Us | Co-presenter | With Vernon Kay | |
2008 | A Night of Heroes: The Sun Military Awards | ITV | Presenter | Replaced by Amanda Holden and Phillip Schofield from 2009 |
Royal Variety Performance | BBC One | Co-presenter | ||
This Time Tomorrow | Presenter | |||
Happy Birthday Brucie! | Presenter | One-off TV special | ||
2008–2019 | Children in Need | Co-presenter | with Sir Terry Wogan, Dermot O'Leary, Greg James and Ade Adepitan | |
2013 | The One Show | Guest presenter | 1 episodes | |
2015 | The People's Strictly for Comic Relief[9] | Co-presenter | With Claudia Winkleman | |
Being Mum[10] | AOL | Co-presenter | With Rochelle Humes | |
2018 | Sir Bruce: A Celebration[15] | BBC One | Presenter | |
2019 | Almost Never | CBBC | Host of fictional show The Spotlight |
- Guest appearances
- Shooting Stars (2002, 2011)
- Bo' Selecta! (2002)
- Davina (2006)
- The Paul O'Grady Show (2007)
- Celebrity Juice (2012, 2014)
- Would I Lie to You? (2012)
- 8 Out of 10 Cats (2012, 2013)
- That Puppet Game Show (2013)
- Alan Carr: Chatty Man (2013)
- The Guess List (2014)[16]
- Celebrity Squares (2015)
- Through the Keyhole (2015)
References
- "Weekend birthdays". The Guardian. 26 April 2014. p. 49.
- Meechan, Lauren (27 April 2019). "Tess Daly: Strictly host reveals 50th birthday gaffe after recent family heartbreak". Daily Express. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- "Profile: Tess Daly". BBC. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- "Tess Daly's family tree is full of English and Irish ancestors". Find My Past. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- "i Laughed on the TV...But Inside I Was so Broken Up". Daily Mirror. 25 February 2006. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- Kelly, Emma (24 October 2020). "Strictly host Tess Daly's real name isn't Tess – but she's never officially changed it". Metro.
- Day, Elizabeth (26 September 2010). "Tess Daly: the interview". The Observer. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- Tess Daly steals the show at La Senza, Bras.co.uk, 2 November 2009
- Lee, Ben (11 September 2014). "The People's Strictly announced by BBC". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- Wightman, Catriona (17 October 2014). "Tess Daly and Rochelle Humes land AOL show". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- "It's Up to You, New York by Tess Daly". Goodreads. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- Eames, Tom (16 May 2013). "Tess Daly becomes new face of L'Oréal". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- "The sun shone, the bride wore white ....and so did the groom". Bolton Evening News. 13 September 2003. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008.
- Adams, Stephen (4 May 2008). "Perfect country life a short hop from the M25". Daily Telegraph.
- "Sir Bruce: A Celebration". BBC. 11 March 2018.
- Klompus, Jack (3 May 2014). "Tess Daly, Rob Brydon in Strictly pose: A sign of things to come?". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 May 2020.