Tess Daly reveals she’s considered introducing daughter Phoebe, 16, to modelling

She proudly watched her husband Vernon Kay place third on I’m A Celebrity last Friday. 

And Tess Daly shared a rare insight into family life on Frankie Bridge’s Open Mind podcast, which was released on Tuesday. 

The presenter, 51, spoke of how she believes their daughter Phoebe, 16, could follow in her footsteps as a model, why Vernon, 46, decided to take part in the hit ITV show and looked back at her experience in working in the fashion industry. 

Motherhood: Tess Daly shared a rare insight into family life on Frankie Bridge’s Open Mind podcast, which was released on Tuesday

When asked by Frankie, if she would ever let her daughters Phoebe and Amber, 11, go into modelling, Tess, who is 5ft9ins, said: ‘Phoebe is an inch taller than me and she’s gorgeous. 

‘I said to her “you know, you could go and meet my old modelling agents.”

‘She said “mum I don’t want to do that, I want to be a businesswoman or an actress’. 

Family: The presenter, 51, spoke of how she believes their daughter Phoebe, 16, (centre left) could follow in her footsteps as a model now she's a teenage (pictured with Vernon and Amber)

Family: The presenter, 51, spoke of how she believes their daughter Phoebe, 16, (centre left) could follow in her footsteps as a model now she’s a teenage (pictured with Vernon and Amber)

Tess, who appeared on the podcast to discuss NSPCC’s campaign to safeguard children when they go online, added: ‘If they ever did want to model, I wouldn’t stop them but I would accompany them as much as I could. I would hand hold them through the process.’ 

Meanwhile, the Strictly presenter revealed her youngest daughter Amber was only allowed to stay up twice to watch Vernon on I’m A Celebrity, because of the programme being on late. 

Of her eldest, Tess said: ‘Phoebe has actually been really enjoying it, because obviously, as teenagers, everything we do is really embarrassing. 

Dad: Meanwhile, the Strictly presenter revealed her youngest daughter Amber was only allowed to stay up twice to watch Vernon on I'm A Celebrity because of the late time it was on

Dad: Meanwhile, the Strictly presenter revealed her youngest daughter Amber was only allowed to stay up twice to watch Vernon on I’m A Celebrity because of the late time it was on

‘I look at her face sometimes she is quietly proud and laughing along with him when he’s break dancing.’ 

Tess went on to explain how her husband’s decision to join I’m A Celebrity was big because the family is ‘quite private’. 

She said: ‘Timing wise it was perfect because he’s been asked before and he couldn’t do it… And of course you don’t realise how intense it is when they’re in there, or for you. I’ve not missed an episode so my bedtime has  been much later.’

Tess also spoke about her time as a model, saying her first job was in Japan at the age of 17. 

When asked by Frankie, if she would ever let her daughters go into modelling, Tess said: 'Phoebe is an inch taller than me and she's gorgeous'

When asked by Frankie, if she would ever let her daughters go into modelling, Tess said: ‘Phoebe is an inch taller than me and she’s gorgeous’

‘I was there for two months. I never cooked for myself, washed for myself. I’d lived at home, I was still a kid really.’ 

Speaking of her decision to leave modelling to pursue a career in TV, the presenter described how she wanted to not solely be based on her looks, and be able to ‘learn my craft’.    

She said: ‘When I was modelling I had agents who sort of would take me to one side on a Friday afternoon and they would say to me “putting a little bit of weight on aren’t you? I can see you look a bit wider in those jeans.”  

Modelling career: Tess also spoke about her time as a model, saying her first job was in Japan at the age of 17 (pictured 2002)

Modelling career: Tess also spoke about her time as a model, saying her first job was in Japan at the age of 17 (pictured 2002) 

‘I would look at myself and I think “well, actually these are the same jeans I’ve been wearing for months and they fit the same on me.” 

‘I would take it and feel a bit uneasy the next time I had a Kit Kat but then three weeks later the same agent would say to me: “Oh you look like you’ve lost a bit of weight. Don’t lose too much”.

‘And I thought “I haven’t changed. This is your perception of me and this is not reality.”

‘But I saw other girls who took that on more than I did. I had two feet on the ground and it’s not easy. I saw others girls with eating disorders and the likes.’

Tess described how she wanted to get out of the modelling industry before she was ‘kicked out’ due to her age and so sent a video reel to the BBC which kick-started her TV career.  

Strictly: Tess described how she wanted to get out of the modelling industry before she was 'kicked out' due to her age and so sent a video reel to the BBC which kick-started her TV career

Strictly: Tess described how she wanted to get out of the modelling industry before she was ‘kicked out’ due to her age and so sent a video reel to the BBC which kick-started her TV career

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