Tess Daly returns to the network with Vernon Kay — a surprise co‑hosting night that changes viewers' post‑Strictly routine

Here’s the part that matters: tess daly’s brief comeback reshaped Wednesday night viewing for fans who are still adjusting to her exit from the dancing show. The 56‑year‑old presenter stood in beside husband Vernon Kay on February 25 to front The One Show, marking a joint appearance the pair had not made in almost two decades and putting her first post‑Strictly outing squarely in the spotlight.

Who felt the impact when Tess Daly stepped back in front of a live audience

Regular viewers and loyal audiences were the most immediate group affected — familiar rhythms were interrupted as a high‑profile presenter who left a long‑running role returned to an evening magazine slot. Vernon’s choice to open the programme with a direct welcome and to explain the temporary change to the presenting lineup set the tone: an unexpected reshuffle that shifted attention to the couple and to the guests booked for the night.

How the February 25 edition played out (embedded details)

Vernon Kay began the programme by greeting the audience and revealing he would be presenting alongside his wife. He explained that Alex and Roman were absent because they were at Windsor Castle filming the channel’s 500 Words project. Turning to his wife, he introduced Tess as a stabilising presence and received warm applause; Tess said she was thrilled to be there and previewed a busy episode that included Jessie Buckley, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Bridgerton actors Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha. Viewers responded quickly online with a mix of surprise and enthusiasm.

Viewer reaction, online chatter and the unexpected emotional context

• Many viewers said seeing Tess on a show other than her long‑running dancing programme felt strange and would take getting used to.
• Comments also praised her appearance and celebrated the on‑screen pairing with Vernon; several social posts noted how glowing she looked and flagged the novelty of the couple presenting together.
• Multiple posts referenced the fact this was the first time they had presented together in roughly 20 years and called the evening a pleasant surprise.

Where this sits in her timeline and why it matters now

It’s easy to overlook, but the appearance has several time‑layered resonances: Tess first began hosting the long‑running dance show in 2004 alongside Sir Bruce Forsyth; Claudia Winkleman stepped into a presenting role after his exit in 2014. Tess left that programme a few months ago after a 21‑year stint, with a final hosting spot during the show's Christmas special. She and Claudia announced their departures last October, saying they had loved working as a duo and would leave together. Their final glitterball winners were Karen Carney and Carlos Gu; during that final, a message from Queen Camilla was read aloud by Craig Revel Horwood that praised the partnership and wished them well.

What’s easy to miss is how many of those moments — the long tenure, the joint departure, the ceremonial final night — make a single studio return feel like a small but meaningful pivot rather than a full comeback.

• T4 and SMTV were where the couple first crossed paths when both were early‑career presenters; their romance began shortly after meeting on T4.
• They tied the knot in 2003 and have been described as married for 22 years; this night marked their first shared presenting role in about 20 years.
• Her return to the evening magazine format is her first public TV hosting since the Christmas special that closed her long run on the dancing show.
• The replacements for the dance programme have not been fully confirmed, though one familiar daytime presenter has been mentioned by viewers as a likely candidate.

Here’s the real question now: will this single guest‑hosting night become a pattern for tess daly as she explores projects beyond her previous role? Recent coverage indicates the Feb. 25 appearance was positioned as a one‑off return; details may evolve.

Micro timeline: 2003 — the couple married; 2004 — Tess began hosting the dance show with Sir Bruce Forsyth; 2014 — a presenting change followed Forsyth’s exit; February 25 — Tess co‑hosted The One Show with Vernon Kay for the first time in roughly 20 years.

In short, the night was less about a formal new job announcement and more about a visible reshaping of familiar TV habits — an emotional nudge for viewers still acclimating to life after the dance programme’s long‑running presenting duo.