In Strictly Come Dancing’s 21-year history, very few dramas or controversies have been mentioned on the show itself. But the latest story is simply too significant to avoid.
On Thursday, hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman – the first female duo to present a primetime programme on British television – announced that they have made the joint decision to step down at the end of the current run.
It was news that sent shockwaves through WhatsApp groups aplenty, with fans wondering both who could possibly replace the pair and what went on behind the scenes to lead to a mid-series announcement made on Instagram.
And while the show has a history of (for better or worse) rarely acknowledging events that take place outside of the ballroom, Winkleman and Daly opened Saturday’s programme by addressing the elephant in the room.
“We want to thank you for your beautiful messages,” Winkleman said. “We've got another eight weeks but it's not about us. It's about this incredible show and [we have] a Strictly champion to crown.”
“We cannot wait to spend the rest of the series with you, our incredible couples and these four,” Daly added as she introduced the judges.
While Winkleman is right in saying the series “isn’t about” her and Daly, their upcoming exit certainly cast a cloud over Saturday night’s show. And for the first time, the future of Strictly seems unclear.
The show has, of course, weathered storms before. But even during last year’s controversy-laden series – which saw two professionals forced to quit before the launch, and then the infamous “hand-gate” – you never got the feeling the programme wouldn’t survive.
Saturday night’s episode hammered home that it’s hard to picture what Strictly will look like without Winkleman and Daly at the helm.
Hosting the programme is, for many reasons, a job like no other.
Clocking in at more than two-and-a-half hours long, the early episodes are a mammoth job and the speedy set changes present countless chances for hiccups. As well as keeping the show running smoothly and making sure the audience - both in the studio and at home - is entertained, the presenters provide a huge amount of support for the contestants, helping them through their nerves and consoling them when the critiques and scores are a little tough to hear.
Winkleman in particular – who spends most of the programme in the ‘Clauditorium’, which I really hope keeps its name – does a stellar job of effortlessly keeping the quips coming as she consoles or congratulates each couple after their performance, all while waiting for someone on the in-ear monitors to tell her the judges’ scores are ready.
Saturday night saw former Lioness Karen Carney in need of a confidence boost after her rumba didn’t go to plan while Vicky Pattison became emotional following a video message from her Icons Week pick, Cheryl. Winkleman, as always, handled each situation excellently and with ease – but every time she did so, viewers were subtly reminded that she soon won’t be in the role.
Watching the show, it was impossible not to feel the clock ticking until the hosts leave and I often found myself thinking about this year’s final. How will bosses strike a balance between keeping the focus on the Class of 2025 while also celebrating and bidding farewell to the presenting duo? It’s a dilemma they’ll surely be poring over a lot in the weeks to come.
Strictly isn’t “about” Daly and Winkleman, but it sure is hard to imagine the programme without them.
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