Vernon Kay Apologizes After Jimmy Savile Slip-Up On Radio 2 Breakfast Show

Vernon Kay has issued an apology after he accidentally checked Jimmy Savile’s name during the Radio 2 Breakfast Show.

The former Family Fortunes host fills the moment for Zoe Ball in her morning radio show, and during Tuesday’s broadcast, he interviewed soft cell singer Marc Almond.

At one point during the interview, Vernon read a message from a fan of Marc, who said that the star’s music had helped him “through some dark days”.

“I saw him at Pride and I think I was the first in Hyde Park to run down and wait for him at the front,” Vernon read before referring to his “duet with Jimmy Savile.”

“Jimmy Somerville, sorry,” he quickly corrected, after accidentally mentioning the deteriorating former broadcaster.

He quickly added, “This is a clip we do not want … to hear again. Sorry. Sorry. Jimmy Somerville … back.

“So there you go, your music is really out there,” Vernon said to the singer, who was still laughing at Gaffe. “Crikey, I’ll never live that down, will I? Eh? There’s a meme there.”

“Keep going!” Marc quickly added.

After the gaff, Vernon played three songs in a row, only to have his phone alarm go off in the middle of the morning traffic report.

“I think I should turn off this half hour radio,” he joked. “Can we go to the BBC iPlayer and just let it go?”

After the show, Vernon responded to a fan who commented on the gaffe with a face palm emoji, commenting: “Oh no !!! I could die !!! “

When another listener suggested the clip was “guaranteed to come later”, he added: “For the rest of eternity !!!”

Over the weekend, Vernon was forced to come in at the eleventh hour to host this year’s comic relief telethon, after scheduled presenter Joel Dommett tested positive for Covid.

He also starred with Matt Lucas and David Walliams in a revival of their rock profile sketch.

The show Radio 2 Breakfast is broadcast every morning from 6.30 am.