Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have announced they will step down as hosts of Strictly Come Dancing at the end of the current series.
The long-standing presenting duo confirmed the news in a joint statement and video shared on Instagram, marking the end of an era for one of the BBC’s biggest entertainment shows.
Daly has fronted Strictly since it launched in 2004 with Sir Bruce Forsyth, while Winkleman then became her full-time co-host in 2014 after first hosting the spin-off series the same year it began.
“There have been some rumblings, and we want you to hear this from us,” Winkleman said in a video shared to their social media accounts on Thursday.
Daly continued: “We have news after 21 wonderfully joyful years on Strictly, we have decided that the time is right to step aside and pass over the baton.
Before adding: “It’s been a huge part of our lives, hasn’t it? Since our children were literally babies in arms, and now they’re young adults, and I think genuinely, we have cherished every second.”
Winkleman said: “We’re so lucky to have been part of this amazing show, and we just want to thank the Strictly team, because Strictly is the people who make it. So thank you.”
The pair paid tribute to the production team and thanked the “wonderful audience” who have supported the show for two decades.
“They’ve been with us for this entire journey of 21 years, and we wouldn’t have a show without them, and they’ve been just so loyal and supportive,” Daly added.
The pair said the current series is the “best” one yet.
The duo promised to go out in style, teasing plans for a “show dance we have long dreamt of,” with Daly insisting they perform it together after Winkleman joked she would “just watch from the sides.”
The pair captioned the emotional post: “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.”
Before concluding: “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. Tess & Claud.”
The presenters also shared their own individual heartfelt posts about ending their Strictly Come Dancing tenure.
Daly shared a lengthy statement to her Instagram alongside photos of her time on the show throughout the years.
She began: “After 21 unforgettable years, the time has come to say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing. It's hard to put into words what this show has meant to me, so here goes...Strictly has been more than just a television programme.
“It's felt like having a third child, a second family, and a huge part of my life since that very first show back in 2004. I knew then it was something special, but I could never have imagined the magic it would bring. Strictly has always been about joy, celebration, and bringing people together — and I'm so proud to have played a small part in something that continues to mean so much to so many.
She went on to praise her late co-host Sir Bruce for setting the show’s tone “warmth, wit, connection, and pure showbiz magic”
Daly praised the judges, dancers and all the celebrities who have graced the dancefloor, before paying tribute to Strictly’s “brilliant crew”, who she branded “the very best in the business”.
Before concluding: “And to you — the viewers at home — the biggest thank you of all. Thank you for welcoming us into your homes for over two decades.”
Following Daly’s lead, Winkleman penned an equally emotional tribute to her time on the BBC series.
“It’s very difficult to put into words exactly what Strictly has meant to me,” she began. “It’s been the greatest relationship of my career. From working on It Takes Two in 2004 until now it has been my everything, the show I will be eternally grateful for.
“I will never forget Len Goodman trying to teach me what a cucaracha is (I still don’t know) and the complete thrill and honour it was to work with Tess on the results show to cohosting on Saturday nights,” she continued.
“Strictly is a magical, glittery, fake tanned train and it’s been a privilege to be a tiny part of it.”
She went on to thank everyone who brings the show to life — from the dancers and band to the production, hair, make-up and costume teams - before turning the spotlight on her co-host Daly.
“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 can’t wait to watch them take Strictly to new heights. And Tess — I’m so, so lucky I got to stand beside you. You’re funny, kind, whip-smart and a true friend. I love you,” she concluded.
Their departure marks the biggest hosting shake-up in Strictly’s history.
Daly has fronted the show since 2004, first alongside the late Sir Bruce Forsyth, whose tenure ran until 2014.
Winkleman, who first fronted the show’s companion show, It Takes Two, initially shared the Sunday results hosting duties in 2010 before joining the Saturday night show full-time four years later.
The news follows a turbulent period for the long-running dance competition, which has recently faced controversies over casting choices and allegations of misconduct behind the scenes.
Earlier this year, reports suggested BBC bosses were keen to keep Winkleman on board amid fears she might step away from Strictly.
A source told Closer that executives were “anxious” about the show’s future, especially with concerns over securing big-name celebrity contestants.
“Bosses are anxious that the lack of big-name celebrities could dampen ratings and, behind the scenes, they've been leaning on Claudia to help steady the ship,” the insider shared. “She's the face the public trusts. She's hugely popular, and they know she's the safest pair of hands they've got.
“But the truth is, she's under enormous pressure and fears are growing that it could all lead to her quitting the show.”
The source added that although the presenter “adores” working on Strictly, she has felt “stretched” and is questioning whether “something has to give” in her workload.
Daly, meanwhile, had hinted at stepping back weeks earlier during an appearance on Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast, where she spoke about parenting daughters Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 16.
She admitted that while she would miss them once they eventually move out, she was also looking forward to having more freedom.
During the chat, she shared that Strictly’s demanding weekend schedule often kept her away from friends and family:
“I'm not someone who goes for a day to the spa,” she shared. “I'm thinking, what do my kids need me to do today? Do you know what I mean?
“I'm always making up for that. If I've worked for a day or two, then I'm like, now this time I need to do more for them because I was absent here.
“I'm always trying to make up for that. So if I, you know, remove them from that picture. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, it could be quite lovely. Could be really great. I could be on weekend breaks with my girlfriends to Ibiza. How about that? I might be back dancing on podiums.”
