Daly was born on 27 March 1969, in Stockport, Cheshire, to textile-factory workers Vivian Daly, who died of emphysema, and Sylvia, and grew up in Birch Vale near New Mills, Derbyshire. She attended Hayfield Primary School and New Mills Secondary School, where she gained 9 O-levels. She has a younger sister, Karen. Daly is of Irish descent.
Career
Modelling
Daly was scouted outside a McDonald's restaurant while waiting for her sister in Manchester. Six weeks after she turned 18 she undertook her first professional modelling job in Tokyo. After a series of work assignments across Asia and Europe while based in London, she was based in Paris for five years. She then returned to London for six months, before moving to New York for work for five years. In 1990, Daly appeared in two Duran Duran videos for the songs "Serious" and "Violence of Summer ", both from the albumLiberty. She also appeared nude in the video for The Beloved's 1993 song "Sweet Harmony". She was later the face of Danone Shape yogurt and also of lingerie company La Senza in the UK and appeared in their Steal the Show Christmas 2009 campaign.
Television
While Daly was living on the Lower East Side in New York City, a friend who arranged red carpet events suggested that she interview the celebrity attendees. After buying a video camera, Daly's first interview was with New York-based Quentin Crisp, author of The Naked Civil Servant, who became a friend until his death. After a few red carpet interviews, in 2000, she sent a showreel to the producers of Channel 4's The Big Breakfast, who immediately contracted her to host the Find Me a Model competition. Since then, she has presented shows including Get Your Kit Off, Singled Out, Smash Hits TV, SMTV Live, Back To Reality and the first series of Make Me a Supermodel with Dave Berry. In 2003, Daly replaced Ulrika Jonsson as presenter of ITV makeover show Home On Their Own, a show where children made their choice of alterations to their house during the course of a weekend, while their parents went on holiday. Some of the home improvements included an Austin Powers room, individual doorbells for the children and a cinema living room. Daly has co-presented BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing since 2004. She initially co-hosted the programme with Bruce Forsyth until he left the show in 2013; since 2014 she co-hosts with Claudia Winkleman. Daly missed the first half of the second series because she had recently given birth to her first daughter. Natasha Kaplinsky, the winner of the previous series, took her place for these episodes. In January 2007, Daly and her husband Vernon Kay co-presented the second series of Just the Two of Us on BBC One. Daly has also hosted This Time Tomorrow and the National Lottery show broadcast on BBC One. Since 2008, Daly has presented the BBC telethon Children in Need with Terry Wogan and Fearne Cotton. She also won the special Children in Need version of Strictly Come Dancing against Terry Wogan, where she was partnered with Anton du Beke. On 17 December 2008, Daly co-hosted the Royal Variety Performance. In November 2013, Daly guest-presented an episode of The One Show alongside Matt Baker. In early 2015, she co-hosted Strictly Come Dancing charity spin-off The People's Strictly for Comic Relief for BBC One. In 2015, Daly co-hosted Being Mum, a new show for AOL alongside Rochelle Humes. In 2019, she played an unnamed character who hosts fictional TV show The Spotlight, in the CBBC drama: Almost Never.
Writing
In 2011, Daly's first novel, The Camera Never Lies, a tale of love behind the scenes, was published by Coronet, an imprint of Hodder & Stoughton. It's Up to You New York, Daly's second book, was published in 2013.
Other work
In 2013, she became the new face of L'Oréal. On 7 December 2017, Daly became the new face of Vitabiotics' Wellwoman supplement brand.
Personal life
Daly married DJ and TV presenter Vernon Kay on 12 September 2003, at St Mary's Catholic Church in Horwich, near Bolton. Together, they have two daughters; Phoebe, born on 17 October 2004, and Amber, born on 30 May 2009. Daly and Kay live in Fulmer, Buckinghamshire.
