Bolton’s own Vernon Kay narrowly avoided a major on-air blunder, nearly revealing a key plot point from the new series of Celebrity Traitors to his millions of listeners. The incident occurred during his BBC Radio 2 show, where he also responded humorously to widespread graffiti about his music preferences.

On-Air Spoilers and Vernon Kay’s Defence

The new series of Celebrity Traitors, which began last Thursday, features well-known personalities such as actor Michael Sheen, comedian Romesh Ranganathan, and former model Jerry Hall. Despite only two episodes airing, one celebrity had already been eliminated from the castle, a fact that nearly led to a spoiler on Kay’s show on Tuesday, October 6.

During a discussion with his team, Vernon enquired, “Has anyone left The Traitors castle yet?” His colleague, Ellie Brennan, responded cautiously, “Not yet, but we mustn’t do spoilers.” However, producer Phil McGarvey interjected to confirm, “Someone has left The Traitors castle. Catch up on iPlayer,” as The Mirror reports.

A relieved Kay, 52, quickly stated, “Good job the mic was down then. Good job I was quick on the fade, we would have loads and loads of complaints on the texts. Well done pal.” He later defended his query, adding, “Right, chill. It’s not my fault people don’t get it within 24 hours. When was it last on?” After being informed it was last Friday, he concluded, “Well, you’ve had lots of time. I won’t spoil it. I won’t spoil it. What a show.”

Graffiti Claims and Steps Revelation

Beyond the near-spoiler, Vernon Kay was also quizzed live on air about unusual graffiti that has appeared across the UK. Ellie Brennan, known for delivering travel news on Radio 2, asked him about rumours that he is a fan of 90s pop group Steps.

The graffiti explicitly states: ‘Vernon Kay listens to Steps in the bath’. When confronted with the claim by Brennan, Kay responded, “Oh, it’s not the scrolling under the bridge, is it?” before murmuring “Yeah…” and attempting to prove his Steps knowledge by singing lines from their hit song ‘Tragedy’. He then jokingly declared, “Yeah, I’ve been outed!” The Manchester Evening News noted that similar bizarre messages, such as ‘Lorraine Kelly is barred from Wetherspoons for stealing cutlery’, have been spotted in West Denton, near Newcastle.

Bolton Broadcaster Vernon Kay’s Popularity

Vernon Kay, originally from Bolton, took over the mid-morning show on BBC Radio 2 in May 2023, succeeding Ken Bruce, who had hosted the programme for 31 years. His tenure has proven highly successful, with figures from research organisation RAJAR indicating that the 52-year-old now attracts a weekly audience of 6.8 million listeners to his show. His candid on-air moments contribute to the programme’s organic and unscripted feel.

FAQ

• Q: What show did Vernon Kay nearly spoil on air?
  A: Vernon Kay nearly revealed a spoiler for the new series of Celebrity Traitors.
• Q: What did the graffiti say about Vernon Kay?
  A: The graffiti claimed ‘Vernon Kay listens to Steps in the bath’.
• Q: How many weekly listeners does Vernon Kay’s BBC Radio 2 show attract?
  A: Vernon Kay’s show on BBC Radio 2 draws a weekly audience of 6.8 million listeners.