Gazing out at the sunset with their toes in the white sand, they looked like any other well-to-do middle-aged couple enjoying precious time with their adult daughters.
But as the sun dipped below the Caribbean Sea, there was something amiss about this picture of family harmony.
Since arriving at the hotel in Jamaica, it was one of the few times I had seen both parents together – and even then there was, it seemed to me, a noticeable distance between them, with one of their daughters squarely in the middle.
It was not the united front I might have expected from TV’s golden couple, Tess Daly and Vernon Kay, whose marriage had long been considered one of the most enduring in British showbusiness.
At least that was until last week, when the outgoing Strictly presenter and the Radio 2 host announced they were separating after 23 years together.
The news came as a shock to friends of the pair, many insisting they ‘didn’t see it coming’. But after observing them on holiday last month, I can’t say I was surprised.
The Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios is no stranger to an A-list crowd. Meghan Markle held her first wedding there and it’s hosted all manner of writers and celebrities from Ian Fleming to Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller.
But when, on day two of my Easter break, I spotted Vernon, 52, sitting alone at the beachside restaurant, I’ll admit I did a double take.
The panoramic views were the perfect backdrop for Tess Daly to promote her swimwear line
Tess and Vernon’s marriage had long been considered one of the most enduring in British showbusiness – until they announced their separation last week
Later, I caught sight of Tess strolling on the beach with their two daughters, Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 18.
But what shocked me was that the couple hardly appeared together during their holiday.
On another occasion I was relaxing on the sand when Tess, 57, splashed by on a paddleboard – alone. At the time, I admired her strength and athletic poise. Now with hindsight, I realise that she cut rather a lonely figure.
And far from being relaxed during her time in this Caribbean paradise, the Strictly presenter seemed to me to be tense and irritable.
Now, given last week’s announcement, I can’t help but wonder if the upcoming news of her separation was playing on Tess’s mind.
Their week-long Caribbean getaway coincided with the release of Tess’s latest launch for her swimwear line, NAIA Beach.
It quickly became apparent that the panoramic views and Caribbean sunshine were the perfect backdrop for Tess to promote her successful range.
Taking advantage of her daughter Phoebe’s camera skills, I watched as Tess modelled her swimwear on the beach, often filming several takes to get the perfect shot.
In the evenings, the couple had their dinners in the resort’s fine-dining restaurant, rather than at the more relaxed spot on the beach.
Tess and her daughter Phoebe twin in matching outfits while on a tropical family holiday
Taking advantage of her daughter’s camera skills, Tess was seen modelling her swimwear collection NAIA Beach during their holiday
Vernon was seen for the first time since their separation was announced outside of the BBC radio studio on Monday
Later on in the holiday, perhaps finally satisfied with the copious Instagram shots she had taken, I observed Tess sharing a romantic moment with Vernon – perhaps one of the last.
Even when Tess and Vernon returned home, to their sprawling £5million mansion in Beaconsfield, there was initially little reason to suspect an impending split.
Taking to Instagram to share a series of pictures from their week in the sunshine, Vernon wrote: ‘Very grateful for a knockout week in the sunshine… And proud to be rocking @naia-beach men’s swim shorts.
‘I am biased as they’re a @tessdaly design, but they are THE comfiest shorts I’ve ever drank rum punch in! (and swam of course!!)’
Meanwhile, Tess shared her own photographs from the getaway. Notably, the pair did not share any pictures as a couple.
Shortly after she posted a joint statement to say her marriage to Vernon was over.
‘After much consideration, and with a deep sense of care and respect for one another, we have made the decision to separate amicably.
‘This has not been an easy choice, but it comes from a place of mutual understanding and a shared desire of what is best for both of us.
‘We remain great friends and, most importantly, fully committed to our roles as loving and supportive parents, which will always be our priority.
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‘There are no other parties involved in this decision. We kindly ask for privacy during this time as we navigate this transition together. We will not be making any further public comments.’
The timing of their separation announcement was said to have been in light of their daughter Phoebe’s return to New York, where she is currently living.
And while the couple have previously weathered a shaming dalliance on Vernon’s part – in which it was revealed he had been sexting Page 3 model Rhian Sugden in 2010 – their split is said to be more the result of a natural process of growing apart.
‘They are totally different people now,’ one friend told the Daily Mail’s Katie Hind. ‘They used to have so much in common but things have changed. They have changed. They have aged differently.’
After meeting at a BBC Christmas party in 2001, when Tess was 32 and Vernon 27, the pair immediately hit it off.
Less than two years later, in September 2003, they married at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Vernon’s hometown of Horwich, near Bolton. Phoebe was born the following year with Amber arriving in 2009.
Over the years, however, their lifestyles – and interests – have grown apart.
While Vernon enjoys travelling to the US to watch the Super Bowl and playing golf, Tess is not said to share his passions – and their romance is said to have come to a natural halt.
Speaking on his Radio Two show on Monday morning, Vernon broke his silence and thanked well-wishers for their support amid the news.
Reflecting on my sightings of him and Tess in Jamaica, I suspect that the announcement had been pending for a while.
And I only hope there is a sense of relief – on both parts – that they can stop the tiring charade of being a couple still in love.
