made the most unfortunate blunder after accidentally telling Marc Almond that he duetted with late paedophile Jimmy Savile.
The presenter is currently filling in for on her Radio 2 breakfast show, and spoke to Almond on Tuesday morning.
At one point, Vernon read out a heartfelt message from a fan who shared how Almond’s music has impacted his life.
He told the musician during the virtual interview: ‘Awesome voice and so unique. His music has helped me through some dark days, I saw him at Pride and I think I was the first one at Hyde Park to run down and wait for him at the front. Amazing.’
However, Vernon then added: ‘His duet with Jimmy Savile – Jimmy Somerville, apologies – just blew me away, absolutely awesome.’
Almond immediately burst into laughter after realising the mistake, and Vernon was clearly mortified, as he told listeners: ‘Well, that’s a clip we don’t want to ever hear again, apologies. Jimmy Somerville, rewind.’
He later quipped: ‘Crikey, I’m never going to live that one down am I? There’s a meme right there.
‘Anyway, let’s move swiftly on.’
Listeners laughed off the blunder on social media while others felt sorry for Vernon, with one tweeting: ‘Poor Vernon mixing up Jimmy Somerville and Jimmy Savile on Radio 2 this morning. Oft.’
Another listener admitted: ‘I think Vernon Kay suggesting Marc Almond duet with Jimmy Savile has been the highlight of the morning.’
One highly amused commentator said: ‘Vernon Kay, you had one job. Don’t get your Jimmy’s in a twist. Please can he be a regular on Radio 2. I never realised I need Jimmy Saville level bloopers to get me up in the morning.’
Savile was a well-known children’s TV presenter in the 60s and 70s presenting popular BBC programmes Top of the Pops and Jim’ll Fix It. However, in 2012, it was revealed that Savile was a sex offender but he had died the previous year aged 84 without ever facing consequences.
Vernon, 47, has stepped in to replace Zoe on her daily breakfast programme after she tested positive for Covid last week, and was also forced to miss Red Nose Day on BBC One last Friday.
