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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Rich Pelley

Sunday with Vernon Kay: ‘I’ve got a ridiculous number of stupid hobbies’

‘After college I couldn’t find a job, so I deep-cleaned schools’: Vernon Kay.
‘After college I couldn’t find a job, so I deep-cleaned schools’: Vernon Kay. Photograph: David Parry/PA

Are you up early? I like a lie-in, but anything after 10am is excessive. I like to get a lot of things done, because as soon as you get to midday, it’s a countdown back to bed.

Sunday breakfast? We like to go for brunches – scrambled eggs, mushrooms, lots of bacon. Not for Tess [Daly, Kay’s wife], though. She’ll always have a veggie sausage, which she likes.

Family activities? It usually involves our two dogs – a Maltese shih tzu called Micky and a chihuahua called Blue. We have cattle in the farm next to us, too, so we check on them, then maybe head for a pub lunch with friends.

What are you eating? If I’ve had a big breakfast, I’ll go for the chicken, or else it’s pork with all the trimmings. Don’t leave anything in the kitchen, bring it all out: gravy, Yorkshires, cabbage, carrots, turnips, swede. Stick it all on my plate.

Sunday housework? As a former caretaker, I know my way around a shammy. I keep it tidy on a Sunday. After college I couldn’t find a job, so I deep-cleaned schools and covered for caretakers who were sick around the Bolton metropolitan borough.

Sunday afternoon? I’ve got a ridiculous number of stupid hobbies. I fly radio-controlled aeroplanes. I like a bit of paintball. Never let age throw you in the shade when it comes to extracurricular activity.

Room for Sunday dinner? Tess makes a killer sandwich with big slices of whatever trendy bread’s going and loads it with fillings. There isn’t a square millimetre to spare.

Sunday relax? When the NFL season starts, I’m a big fantasy football player, so I’m glued to Sky or my iPad. It’s been the foundation of many a debate. Tess is like: ‘Please just turn it off for 10 minutes’ – but anything can happen in 10 minutes.

Sundays growing up? Just the dread of going back to school – I wasn’t very good at homework. Sunday nights were all about The Wonder Years, then NFL on Channel.

Last thing before bed? Ablutions, obviously! I clean my teeth four times a day – I’m obsessive. If I can’t fall asleep, I play 18 holes around my favourite golf course in my head, and I’m done.

Vernon Kay’s Dance Sounds of the 90s is available on Back to Back Sounds: Radio 2 90s on BBC Sounds and Radio 2

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