BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay described his visit to the Scottish island as an ‘absolute joy’ when he visited to attempt the caber toss live on air two years ago
Matt Jackson Trendswatch Content Editor
07:00, 26 Jan 2026
Vernon Kay praised a “beautiful” Scottish island(Image: Instagram)
Vernon Kay says one thing “struck” him when he visited a Scottish island. It came as the BBC Radio 2 presenter told a listener he was “jealous” that they lived on the picturesque Isle of Bute.
Vernon, 51, travelled to Bute in 2024 where he presented his radio show live from Rothesay. For the final of the station’s Let Move It campaign, Vernon attempted the caber toss at the Bute Highland Games.
After tossing his first caber, he described the discipline as “really hard”. After his second successful attempt he said he commented that it’s “all about physics”.
During Vernon’s show on Friday, January 23, a listener wrote in to say they were planning on watching the wildlife in their backgarden on the island.
Vernon responded: “We as a team are very jealous. When we went there that was the one thing that struck us, like a big wet kipper in the face, it is beautiful, absolutely stunning, what a great place to live.”
Vernon described Bute as ‘stunning'(Image: Victoria Wilkinson Brownless/Getty Images)
He previously described his visit to the Isle of Bute as an “absolute joy”. Vernon was invited to the island by Vice Chieftain Gordon Sutherland.
Bute is home to around 6,000 people. It is located a short train ride from Glasgow, arriving at Wemyss Bay followed by a 35-minute ferry to Rothesay.
The island is said to offer Victorian charm, stunning beaches, and plenty of walks. It is also home to Rothesay Castle, often described as “one of the most remarkable in Scotland”.
The castle dates back to the early 13th century and was designed by the Stewart family to protect them from invading Norwegian fleets.
According to Wild About Argyll and The Isles, Bute is also home to a rich variety of wildlife including Scotland’s ‘big five’ – red squirrels, otters, red deer, harbour seals and golden eagles. Bute is also a popular destination for people wanting to see Habour seals.
Bute is a hotspot for wildlife(Image: Andrea Pistolesi/Getty Images)
Wild About Argyll and The Isles says: “Seals live all around Argyll’s coastline and you’ll see these curious creatures basking on the rocks, swimming in the sea and popping up in bays.
“Scalpsie Bay on the west coast of Bute is home to a large colony of seals, both Common and Grey. This beautiful stretch of sand – just a five-minute walk from the road.
“From Seal View viewpoint you can watch the seals on their rocky perches. The state of the tide will determine the number that you see, but if you hit the right time you might see up to 100 seals.”
Bute isn’t the only Scottish destination to have won Vernon over either. He has previously praised the “divine beaches” that he found while looking for holidays with wife Tess Daly.
Bute is popular with walkers(Image: Getty Images)
He said: “I mean, we get a lot of listeners who do the Scottish coastal road, the 500. What’s it called, Phil? That’s it, the North Coast 500, and people say, ‘Oh, look at the beaches here’.
“You’re like, ‘No, Photoshop’. No, last night, oh my goodness me! Some divine beaches up there in Scotland. So that’s what we did. How times change.”
The North Coast 500, often referred to as Scotland’s ultimate road trip, offers travellers over 500 miles of breathtaking coastal views, encompassing mountains, beaches, and quaint villages.
The official site proclaims the NC500 as an iconic coastal route embracing six regions: Black Isle, Caithness, Easter Ross, Inverness-shire, Sutherland, and Wester Ross, touting it as “one of the world’s most iconic coastal touring routes”.