An emotional Tess Daly spoke last week about being “in denial” as she prepares for a huge upheaval in her family life.
Appearing on the Loose Women panel, the Strictly presenter confessed that she did not want to think about her eldest daughter, Phoebe, 18, fleeing the nest to go to drama school. And when panellist Jane Moore said she couldn’t believe how old Phoebe was, Tess confessed, “I know, same, I’m in denial. She’s not ever leaving, I can’t think about it.”
Now insiders reveal that while Tess is filled with pride that her daughter is moving onto the next chapter in her life, she can’t help but worry about how her absence will change things back home.
A source tells Closer, “Tess is understandably feeling mixed emotions about Phoebe going off to drama school. She’s incredibly proud and excited for her to experience a new adventure, but still feels upset when she thinks about her leaving the nest and is worried over how the family dynamic at home is set to change.
“Tess is extremely close to Phoebe and, aside from missing her desperately, is feeling a bit anxious and tearful about losing her for good. She fears these will be her last few months at home as she’ll no doubt want to live with friends after drama school, so it feels more like a permanent split.”
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Tess, 54, is mum to both Phoebe and younger daughter Amber, 13, with husband Vernon Kay, 48. The showbiz couple will celebrate 20 years of marriage come September, but have endured ups and downs after Vernon was embroiled in a “sexting” scandal when he admitted messaging a glamour model in 2010, seven years after tying the knot with Tess. He was alleged to have tried to make contact again with former Page Three girl, Rhian Sugden, in 2015, though claimed at the time he was “merely trying to find answers to questions that I’ve had since 2010”.
The couple moved on from the drama and have largely kept their daughters out of the limelight, but Phoebe made her red carpet debut last month when she attended the John Wick Chapter 4 UK premiere with her dad.
BBC Radio 2 DJ Vernon has also voiced how strange it feels preparing to send his eldest teenage daughter off to drama school, saying last year, “It’s weird that Phoebe will soon be leaving home because it only feels like two minutes they [she and Amber] were both in nappies.”
Vernon also revealed how his parents had told him to “enjoy every minute” where his daughters were concerned, admitting that Phoebe’s 18th year “rolled upon us so quickly”.
He also discussed how he and Tess have raised their children to be independent, especially when it comes to their future careers, as they will not be falling back on their famous parents’ fame.
“Sometimes I think that the old silver spoon and life on a plate in front of them… I think that’s quite contradictory to how you want them to be,” he explained. “Tess and I grew up in hearty, wholesome Northern families and that’s a huge trait that helped us in our personal development and I think that’s really important.”
He added, “I don’t disagree with anyone who does that by helping their kids, which is great, but I just think sometimes for us, personally, it’s whatever they’re into, they can go and discover themselves.”
And an insider says that despite Tess having Vernon’s full support as they prepare to have one less family member in the house, it hasn’t stopped her waves of sadness as she reminisces about the days when the girls were younger.
“Vernon’s been doing his best to comfort Tess and assure her that they will still have Amber at home with them, so it’s not as if they’ll be enduring full-on empty nest syndrome,” a source says. “But Tess can’t help feeling like the impact Phoebe’s departure will have from the family home could unsettle things there. She gets very upset thinking about it, but knows it’s the best thing for Phoebe. She’s feeling nostalgic for when the girls were little and relied on
her for everything.”
For Phoebe’s 18th birthday last October, Tess shared a carousel of photos showcasing her daughter at different stages in her life, writing, “Where did the time go? Our little Phoebe is 18 today! Wishing you the happiest birthday! We are so proud of you and can’t wait to celebrate this milestone with you. Love you to the moon & back.”
And now, a source adds that Vernon has been helping Tess focus on the things they can look forward to as a couple.
An insider explains, “Vernon is keen to remind Tess about what devoted, hands-on parents they’ve been over the years and how, once the girls leave, they can start living their own lives and ticking off some of their bucket list, like travelling and taking up new hobbies.
“Tess is trying her best to look at the positives of the situation. She’s excited for more adventures with Vernon as the trajectory of their lives start to change – as their girls start carving out their own futures.”