Like everyone else on Thursday, I was entirely blindsided when it was announced that Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman were going to leave Strictly Come Dancing at the end of the current series. As someone who started watching the show in 2014, the first year that Claudia became the official co-presenter alongside Tess, they are synonymous with the show for me. They were even more of part of the furniture for long-time fans of the show, with Tess being with the show since it first aired in 2004, with Claudia joining the family a year later in It Takes Two.
Over the past 11 years, we've grown to love their chemistry, with Claudia's antics acting as the perfect foil for straight-laced Tess. The support the pair have shown to contestants is part of the heart of the show. When La Voix only received a score of 14 for her cha-cha-cha, including just a '2' from Shirley Ballas, it was Claudia who rallied the rest of the cast to embrace the drag queen and show their love for her. Similarly, Tess is always on hand to support a star after they've completed an emotional dance, often after a Couple's Choice, which always sparks plenty of tears. However, as HELLO! was told, the changing of the hosts is a "high-risk" moment for the show.
What do the experts think?
Dr. Kathryn Stamp, an assistant professor at Coventry University's Centre for Dance Research, is also hopeful for the show's future, saying: "In terms of the future of the show, while there have been reports of declining viewing figures over recent years, the audience for Strictly is still strong. It transcends generations and is one of the few television shows that families still watch live. Strictly is also not averse to change – we have seen modifications to judging lineups, the show's format and even a change in when the show is aired (the first series was in Spring!).
"While this somewhat surprising news seems to have shaken the world of UK television and media, this is a fab-u-lous opportunity for the future presenting team and, as Tess and Claudia mentioned in their statement, they feel it is time to 'pass over the baton. The very sparkly baton'. Might we see new presenters from Strictly alumni, who knows? But it is a possibility!"
However, PR expert Sophie Rhone, who founded Cupid PR after spending ten years in the industry, sounded caution on Tess and Claudia's replacements, saying: "Strictly has weathered many format changes over the years, judges, pros, even shifts in tone, but losing both Tess and Claudia at once is different. They're not just presenters; they're the emotional anchors of the brand. Their chemistry gave the show warmth and credibility beyond the sequins.
"From a brand perspective, this is a moment of high risk and high opportunity. The BBC can either use this to reinvent Strictly for a younger, more digital audience, or risk alienating its loyal weekend core. The success of the next hosts won't depend on fame, it'll depend on trust. If viewers don’t buy into the chemistry, the magic goes with it."
Recent Strictly scandals
The show has been facing additional issues over the past few years. After managing air during the COVID-19 pandemic, allegations about bullying behaviour from professional dancers have started to be raised. Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima were summarily dropped from the show as a result of the scandal, with actress Amanda Abbington even appearing on shows like Newsnight and Channel 4 News to speak out about her alleged experiences in the training room.
These scandals massively overshadowed last year's series, which was meant to be a celebration of the show's 20th anniversary, with the line-up for the first time not achieving a near-perfect gender balance; something that has carried over into this year.
Things got worse when fans noticed an unusual gesture from Wynne Evans towards his partner, and although this was dismissed as a "joke" by both parties, the opera singer later quit the Strictly Live Tour after allegedly making a lewd comment. This was followed up by revelations that his co-star, Jamie Borthwick, used an ableist slur backstage, and the actor was subsequently sacked from EastEnders. On top of that, there's the ongoing question about two stars of the show who had allegedly been using drugs, leading to a police investigation just weeks before the latest series kicked off.
However, the show has weathered plenty of scandals before; who remembers the infamous 'Strictly Curse', which seems to have faded away in recent years. The show seems to return bigger and better most years, no matter what is thrown its way and it still continues to be one of the BBC's biggest shows, with last year's series pulling in an average of 8.21 million viewers, according to data from Barb Audiences Ltd.
Who could replace Tess and Claudia?
And having been on-air for 20 years, there have been several departures from the show, including original presenter Sir Bruce Forsyth and judges like Sir Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, Arlene Phillips, Darcey Bussell and Alesha Dixon. And it's always hard when some of our favourite pros, like Pasha Kovalev, Vincent Simone and Janette Manrara, leave the show. Strictly fans are used to an ever-changing pro-dancer swap.
What might be difficult to swallow this time is that Tess and Claudia are leaving at the same time. I always knew at some point the pair would need to leave the show, but I always thought it would be staggered instead of both at the same time, and I think the show's survival will fully depend on who they bring in to replace the pair. With this being a mid-show announcement, BBC bosses have plenty of time to screen-test and find their replacements and it means that the pair's departure won't be overshadowing the final, while also allowing for their legacies to be honoured on the show.
As for who could fit into their shoes, that is the question. Early favourites are Janette Manrara and Fleur East, who currently host Strictly's sister show, It Takes Two. The duo would be able to protect Tess and Claudia's legacy of being two women fronting the biggest show on television and have bounds of experience with the show, with Janette competing between 2013 and 2020, and Fleur making the finals in 2022.
Other names mooted are Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton, who not only lifted the Glitterball trophy back in 2018, but also found love on the dancefloor. Other names in the mix include Roman Kemp and Hannah Waddingham, though I personally would prefer the hosts to be someone involved with the Strictly family. Someone who I think would do amazing is Anton Du Beke. Fans loved it when the ballroom dancer finally became a judge, and it seems the logical next step for him to become one of the show's beloved presenters.
And this is where trust will come in. For viewers like me, everything about Strictly is magical, and whoever is presenting the show will need to replicate that. While Romesh Ranganathan's deadpan delivery is perfect for The Weakest Link, it would flop when it came to Strictly. Replacing Tess and Claudia won't be as easy as simply picking a star who could handle the pressures of one of the biggest show's on television, but someone who will connect with a fanbase who have been around for decades.