I'LL BE TAKING TIPS FROM TESS

As he gets set for hosting duties for this year's BBC fundraising extravaganza, Kay has the ideal ally to get him prepared

- SALLY MCLEAN

VERNON Kay says he will ask his wife Tess Daly for tips ahead of his first time presenting Children in Need.

The 50-year-old will front the three-hour TV fundraiser - filled with star-studded sketches, music and surprises from celebs alongside The Saturdays Rochelle Humes, Paralympian Ade Adepitan, comics Mel Giedroyc and Chris Ramsey and actor Lenny Rush.

And Vernon, who admitted he even kept his new gig from his kids, knows he won't have to look far for helpful advice on presenting the BBC appeal show that first aired in 1980 with Sir Terry Wogan at the helm.

He said: "Only Tess knew I'd been offered the gig - so they all found out when we announced it on The One Show along with everyone else.

"They're buzzing for me... BBC Children in Need has always been a big deal in our house - as you'll know, Tess presented it for years alongside Sir Terry.

"There's the emotional element of being part of something that's doing so much good, but also the practical - terrifying element that millions of people will be tuning in.

"I'm going to be wearing my lucky underpants on the night and I'll be tapping Tess up for some tips."

All the presenters love the whirlwind events of the night and the significance of the show, broadcast from Salford.