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THE SEXT FILES

Vernon Kay plotted hotel tryst with Page 3’s Rhian as the full extent of his betrayal is revealed

TV host sent Page 3 beauty hundreds of texts over months

VERNON Kay rang Page 3 girl Rhian to arrange a hotel get-together behind wife Tess Daly’s back just three weeks ago.

TV host Vernon, 41, and 29-year-old Rhian agreed to meet at a discreet apartment hotel while he was in Manchester working for Comic Relief.

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And today The Sun reveals the full extent of his betrayal, with details of the hundreds of flirty texts he has sent Rhian over the past three months.

Vernon has held crisis talks with Tess this week after we told he was secretly texting Rhian again — six years after his marriage nearly ended when he was caught sexting her.

Tess, 47, will be infuriated to learn he also phoned Rhian to arrange a hook-up. Vernon asked her to meet him at the quiet apartment hotel because of the risk of being recognised at a more popular place.

He said: “I didn’t book the Malmaison because it was too busy. Cos if you wander in there . . . do you know what I mean?”

Vernon was in Manchester on March 13 for a Comic Relief charity run. Their meeting fell through after Vernon said he had an “emergency”.

Messages show how he repeatedly tried to arrange a private hotel hook-up with Rhian and stored her name in his phone under the name “Alice”.

He also ordered her to delete all their exchanges — and not mention them to a soul.

 Tempting beauty ... Page 3 girl Rhian Sugden
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Tempting beauty ... Page 3 girl Rhian Sugden

The WhatsApp chats between Vernon, 41, and Rhian, 29, make a mockery of his claim the texts have been “taken out of context.”

And Strictly Come Dancing host Tess, 47, will be devastated to learn Rhian asked Vernon if he wanted to stop the texting — and he declined.

She asked the father of two: “Should I stop messaging you?”

He replied: “I think it’s reassuring you do message. We get on.”

Rhian Sugden and Vernon started messaging each other in December — six years after his marriage to Tess nearly ended when he was caught sexting the model.

She emailed him to say friends had told her he wanted to get in touch. He replied within five minutes. On January 4 Vernon got in touch to wish Rhian a Happy New Year — and suggests a meeting.

VK: “A very private location is required for some wine.”

When Rhian suggested an apartment, he replied: “That’s cool. You’d better get a wig.”

RS: “Will do. Any colour preference”. VK: “Lol. I’m serious.”

When Rhian said she expected to be in London for a photoshoot Vernon suggested they have dinner. RS: “In a public place?” VK: “No way in public. Who has an apartment?”

Three days later they again exchanged WhatsApp messages about possibly meeting up.

Vernon said: “It’ll have to be in a sauna” — to be safe. He then referred to their previous sexting scandal, saying: “I’m over 2010.”

The following day they talked again about a meeting, with him saying: “It’ll be good . . . almost like a huge closure.”

 Taken out of context ... Vernon originally claimed he was misunderstood
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Taken out of context ... Vernon originally claimed he was misunderstood

During another exchange in January Vernon asked Rhian what name she has saved him under in her mobile phone. She said: “Kay” — then asks: “Am I in as Alice?”

VK: “Yup” — then: “Kay. Jesus, that’s not subtle is it?”

RS: “Kay is a girls name? Nobody would ever believe I’m stupid enough to be back in touch with you haha”. VK: “I guess it is. Ha. That is very true. We are idiots” RS: “You are”

On January 15 Rhian asked: “Do you delete all convos? VK: “Of course why? Your profile pic ain’t the most subtle so yes. Why?” RS: “Just making sure. Worries me.”

VK: “Me too . . . I’ve told you. A recurrence of 2010 would kill me. You told anyone?” Rhian joked: “Yeah told a few people”

Vernon fired back: “What?” RS: “Of course I haven’t!!” VK: “Then we cool. It’s cool. We both on the same wave length.”

Later Vernon asked what she was doing that evening and she responded by saying she was going out for drinks in Manchester and suggested a “phone chat maybes?”

VK: “Yeah. Where’s the boy?” (a reference to Rhian’s fiance Oliver Mellor) RS: “He works till 11pm.” VK: “OK. Will call.” On Feb 2 Vernon sent Rhian a message at 6.57pm saying “Hi. You ok? I emailed as I hadn’t heard from you.”

On Feb 12 Vernon told Rhian he was in Manchester on March 12 and suggested a meeting.

 Betrayed ... wife Tess Daly will be furous that Vernon has been at it again
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Betrayed ... wife Tess Daly will be furous that Vernon has been at it again

He said he would stay at his usual hotel and added: “Easy to sort?” She queried “Easy to sort?” He replied: “Sneaking in . . . Lol”

On February 16 Vernon told Rhian he would be in Manchester on March 13.

When she said she might be out of town, he said: “How ironic”. RS: “It’s like the world is trying to keep us a lengthy distant (sic) apart.” Rhian then checked and found she was around on March 13 and said: “Maybe see you then.”

VK: “Yep. defo.”

On February 25 Rhian asked Vernon: “Should I stop messaging you?” VK: “I think it’s reassuring you do message. We get on . . . ” RS: “Yeah I guess so . . . ”

During another conversation in February, Vernon asked: “How you gonna sneak in?” RS: “Where are I sneaking into?” VK: “Whereever one is residing.”

RS: “To see you? I’m not highly recognisable like you are? Unless I paraded in my undies I don’t think people would even notice. Can whack a hat on if necessary.”

On March 8 Vernon warned again about secrecy. He said: “It only takes 1 person to put 2 + 2 together. We don’t need the grief.”

Three days later Vernon and Rhian spent seven minutes talking on the phone — and he invited her to visit him in a Manchester apartment hotel on March 13.

Vernon was in the city for a charity run at Manchester airport for Comic Relief.

 Facing the music ... the DJ in car
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Facing the music ... the DJ in car

He suggested she make her way to his room any time after 4pm. Rhian said that she would arrive around 6pm and asked if she needed a key-card. Vernon said she did not.

Their plans fell through on the day because Vernon told Rhian he had an “emergency” to deal with.

The detailed messages blow a hole in Vernon’s carefully-worded statement following The Sun’s revelation they were texting again.

He said there was “never any inappropriate intent” in his messages. And he insisted he was “merely trying to find answers to questions that I’ve had since 2010.” Vernon added: “Tess is aware of everything that has been discussed with Rhian.”

But a source said yesterday: “If Tess knew everything that was being discussed, why did Vernon put Rhian in his phone as “Alice”?

“If everything was above board, you have to ask yourself why he was desperate for her to delete all their texts.”

Vernon’s spokesman said yesterday: “He is very insistent he didn’t ask to meet Rhian in a hotel three weeks ago. He’s not denying he has made phone calls to her.”

 Cheque in ... Vernon Kay at a fun run
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Cheque in ... Vernon Kay at a fun run

 

Taken out of context? Vernon's texts

WHEN The Sun revealed Vernon was sending flirty texts to Rhian, he released a statement playing down any wrong-doing.

He said: “I recognise how it may look when messages are pulled out of context but there was never any inappropriate intent to our communication.
“I was merely trying to find answers to questions I’ve had since 2010.”
But his messages, revealed below, show Vernon discussing “sneaking” into hotel rooms with Rhian. He also barely mentions their 2010 texting scandal and does not ask her any questions about it.

 

JANUARY 4

 

V: A very private location is required for some wine...

V: You thought about a wine tasting venue?

V: I’ve stayed at apartment hotel. That’s cool. You’d better get a wig.

R: Will do. Any colour preference.

V: Lol. I’m serious. I’m sure you have a casting in London soon?

R: So you should make the effort this time.

V: Definitely. OK.

 

JANUARY 15

 

R: Do you delete all convos?

V: Of course why? Your profile pic ain’t the most subtle so yes. Why?

R: Just making sure. Worries me. Haha. I will change it

V: Me too. I’ve told you. A recurrence of 2010 would kill me. You told anyone?

R: Yeah told a few people

V: What?

R: Of course I haven’t!!

V: Then we cool It’s cool. We both on the same wave length.

 

FEBRUARY 12

 

V: I would never ever wish that situation from 2010 on anyone

V: Yes wine is overdue...Let’s sort... OK...if you think you can secret squirrel a meet then (red wine glass emoji) it is.

R: Easy to sort?

V: Sneaking in... Lol

R: People are coming and going all the time in hotels.

V: Wig... Stilts?

R: Stop being paranoid haha.

V: OK...X. Delete. Lol. Have a great weekend..

R: Enjoy Valentines. That reminds me... Isn’t it our 6 year breaking news anniversary today.

V: 9th and 10th. Feb2010.

R: As if. Weird that. Feels like last year.

V: That’s how bad it was. But moving forwards...

R: Moving forwards... to another meeting. We are funny.

V: And stupid.

 

FEBRUARY 26

 

V: Be strange being in the same room.

R: Naaaah won’t be. You can have a wine before I arrive. Settle yourself haha.

V: Hahaha¿ several.

R: Dont be wasted I don’t want you dribbling on me.

V: Hahaha...is that not the natural male reaction you get.

V: How you gonna sneak in..

R: Where are I sneaking into??

V: Haha.. whereever one is residing.

R: To see you? Can whack a hat on if necessary.

R: Day or night time gathering?

V: Lowery (sic) is too busy.

V: Evening.

R: Oh god yeah don’t go there.

R: Paps are always hid in the carpark at the Lowry.

R: Spying on footballers with hookers.

V: Whaaaaat?

V: Hate the paps.

 

MARCH 8

 

V: All kinds of thoughts and possibilities and consequences going through my mind. It only takes 1 person... to put 2 + 2 together. We don’t need the grief.