Tess Daly's spent an idyllic summer with her family, enjoying a relaxing holiday in California with coastal bike rides and sunset dinners, romantic getaways with her husband, Vernon Kay, and spending quality time with her daughters before her eldest, Phoebe, flies the nest.
Over the summer break, Tess Daly’s Instagram feed has been filled with loved-up snaps of her and Vernon, 49, taking family horse rides on the beach and throwing celebrations to mark their daughter, Phoebe, 18, passing her A-levels as well as her and Vernon’s upcoming 20th wedding anniversary.
And as the 54-year-old Strictly co-host – who also shares daughter, Amber, 13, with her husband – prepares to return to work for the 21st series of the hit BBC ballroom dancing show that starts next month, friends say she’s suffering from post-summer blues as the reality of “real life” kicks in.
An insider says, “Tess loves her job and she can’t wait to get back to the show, but there’s also an element of dread ahead of the long days spent at the studio, and sadness that her incredible summer with the family is over.
“It’s even more painful with Phoebe heading off to drama school and their family dynamic changing with her leaving home, which is very bittersweet for both her and Vernon.
“The summer break was better than Tess could have ever dreamed, so she almost feels like she’s now on a comedown from the high of the last two months.”
Last year, the star – who co-presents the dance show alongside Claudia Winkleman – revealed how her “biggest luxury” is turning off her phone for three hours at a time while she’s on holiday.
And opening up about juggling her hectic work schedule with family life, she said, “Every woman I know is doing their best. Trying to tick off everything on the to-do list. I never finish mine.
“The juggle is real. Like every working mother, I know we’re always juggling – you’re stirring the stir-fry and answering work emails at the same time. It’s constant.”
She’s also made no secret of her upset over Phoebe flying the nest, admitting she’s been in “denial” and “didn’t want to think about it”.
But pals say having quality time with her eldest over the summer has helped ease her heartache, as well as having her upcoming anniversary celebrations to look forward to.
The source says, “Tess feels incredibly grateful to not only be doing a job she loves but have the support of her family around her, too. She’s been feeling a little down, but Vernon has reminded her that it’s only natural since they had such an amazing few weeks, and that her reality is still one most people would give their right arm for! She feels extremely lucky that she got to spend so much time with the girls this summer and is excited for Phoebe’s new journey.
“She and Vernon still have their anniversary to celebrate and they’ve got lots planned for that, so she feels very grateful and knows that the brief low she’s experiencing is the pay-off for the incredible highs they had as a family this summer, and that it will no doubt return as soon as the show starts."
