Tess Daly appeared to foreshadow her exit from Strictly Come Dancing weeks ago, in remarks that now read as a subtle hint she was preparing to move on from the BBC One series.
The presenter, 56, and her co-host Claudia Winkleman, 54, announced on Thursday that they will step down at the end of the current series.
Speaking earlier this month on Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast, Daly reflected on the impact of balancing motherhood with weekend commitments on Strictly.
“I'm not someone who goes for a day to the spa. I'm thinking, ‘what do my kids need me to do today’? Do you know what I mean?” she said, admitting she often felt she had to compensate for missing family time while working.
“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.”
Looking ahead to the prospect of her daughters, Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 16, growing up and leaving home, she added: “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.”
Daly has fronted Strictly Come Dancing since its launch in 2004, originally alongside Sir Bruce Forsyth, with Winkleman joining as her full-time co-host in 2014.
Their partnership became one of the most recognisable on British television, anchoring the programme through more than a decade of ratings success.
The pair confirmed their departure in a joint Instagram video, telling fans “the time is right” to pass on what Winkleman described as the “sparkly baton”.
“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 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.
