Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s Strictly Come Dancing exit sent shockwaves through the showbiz world – but the writing has been on the wall for some time
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are waltzing away from Strictly Come Dancing in a bid to “go out at the top” and before anymore scandals around the show surface.
In a decision that stunned fans the pair put out a video confirming they would quit when the current run comes to an end, with the final episode on screen together going out on Christmas Day.
Sources close to the pair, who always had a pact to leave together at the same time, suggested they had told the top show execs of their plan some weeks ago, but their video on social media caught many of the Strictly cast and crew off guard. Insiders said privately Tess and Claudia have been discussing the idea of leaving for around a year.
READ MORE: Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman leave Strictly LIVE: Holly Willoughby now frontrunner
A TV source said: “The feeling is Tess and Claudia wanted to go out at the top and whilst the show is still huge and shortly after they received MBEs. Announcing it mid series also gives them a bit of a swansong and doesn’t take the spotlight away from the winner.
“Claudia is right at her career peak with The Traitors and other TV offers flooding in. Tess has been hosting the show for more than two decades and like that idea of more weekends with her family and her friends.
“The recent scandals around the show have also impacted the ratings a little bit and there might be more around the corner, so they weighed it up and feel it is the right time to quit.”
Another source close to the duo said: “They always said they would go together when they felt right and it just feels right this year.”
The pair announced their were leaving on social media with a video.
In a statement the pair said: “We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream.
“We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time.
“We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show. They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day.
“We will cry when we say the last ‘keep dancing’ but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”
Later in another statement Winkleman said: “It’s very difficult to put into words exactly what Strictly has meant to me. It’s been the greatest relationship of my career.
“I’ve always believed it’s best to leave a party before you’re fully ready to go and I know the new hosts will be magnificent, I look forward to watching them take Strictly to new heights. As for Tess – I’m so so lucky I got to stand next to you. You’re funny, kind, whip smart and a true friend and I love you.”
Tess joined the show in the beginning, 2004, working alongside the late Bruce Forsyth, who was a presenter until he stepped down in 2014.
Claudia also joined the Strictly team in 2004, when she began presenting its spin-off show It Takes Two.
She went on to co-present the Sunday night results show alongside Daly in 2010 before the pair began presenting the main programme 10 years ago.
Judge Motsi Mabuse said: “Going to miss you so much!”, in response to Claudia’s post. “You’re an icon and inspiration. Still in shock, but wishing you love and best wishes.”
In a BBC statement they confirm new judges will be announced “in due course”.
Early names in the frame included Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark, Alan Carr, Alison Hammond, Holly Willoughby and Anton Du Beke.
Reacting to the news, former It Takes Two host and 2005 contestant Zoe Ball said: “Absolute class act. Bravo ladies. Huge love.”
Broadcaster Rylan Clark – another an ex It Takes Two host – said he had the “biggest pleasure” working with the “pair of icons”.
The BBC also confirmed Tess and Claudia will leave Strictly Come Dancing at the end of the current series and their last appearance together on screen will be on the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special which will air on Christmas Day on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Kate Phillips, Chief Content Officer for the BBC said: “I can’t quite believe I’m saying this, but it’s the end of an era with Tess and Claudia’s decision to bid farewell to the Strictly ballroom. They’ve both been such incredible hosts at the very heart of the show, their passion and dedication has gone above and beyond. They’ve been integral to Strictly’s success over the last 20 years, but I understand why they’ve decided it’s time to hang up the glitter ball and get their weekends back. As Craig would say they are fab-u-lous presenters, and they are fab-u-lous friends to me and so many others at the BBC. Thank you Tess and Claud for everything, we will miss you hugely.”
Other backstage cast and crew were said to have been blindsided by the news.
Suzy Lamb, Managing Director, Entertainment, BBC Studios said: “On behalf of the entire production team at Strictly, we are so going to miss Tess and Claudia. Tess brought elegance, poise, and a genuine love for the show that never waned from the very start. And with Claudia’s charm and razor-sharp wit joining us from It Takes Two in 2014 – it cemented a partnership that has kept our audience captivated ever since. Tess and Claudia are much more than presenters to us – they are part of the Strictly production family – and whilst we’ll miss them dearly, we wish them nothing but the best.”
Sarah James, Executive Producer, Strictly Come Dancing said: “Tess and Claudia are quite simply the best duo of presenters in the business and we are so lucky to have had them as our Strictly anchors for so many years. They have championed countless celebrities on the dancefloor, led us all through two series during the pandemic but more importantly they have a deep and genuine bond with the show and every single member of the team. The Strictly Family is often referred to and these women are the matriarchs of that family. We have been together and supported each other for a long time – through pregnancies, births and deaths and to say we will all miss them terribly is an understatement. Tess, Claudia, THANK YOU for everything, it’s not over yet – let’s enjoy the rest of this fabulous series together. I would say Keep Dancing, but you never actually started!”
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