STRICTLY fans are sobbing in their sequins, following the shocking news that Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are both stepping down as hosts after the current series.
Taking to Instagram today, they both broke the news in separate posts, with Tess telling fans: “Strictly will forever hold a special place in my heart – but it does feel like the right time to hand over the reins.”
Claudia added in an emotional message: “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.”
The pair didn’t elaborate further on the reasons behind their decision to leave the dancing show after 21 years at its helm.
Tess joined as co-host – initially with Bruce Forsyth – in 2004, while Claudia started presenting its spin-off It Takes Two that same year, before joining Tess as primetime co-host in 2014.
But, despite their emotional messages that waxed lyrical about the magic of Strictly, there’s no denying that their mutual decision to quit comes following a period of drama and devastation for the show.
Having been beset over the past few years with rumours of bullying, feuding and abuse, Strictly’s sheen has distinctly waned.
And fans can’t help but wonder if Claudia and Tess are jumping ship now – before it drags them underwater for good.
Looking back, its problems reached boiling point in 2023, following an almost 20-year run as the biggest thing on the box.
It was in that ill-fated series that things took a turn, after actress Amanda Abbington – who was paired with pro dancer Giovanni Pernice – quit after several weeks competing.
Once the series ended, she launched an official complaint, accusing Giovanni of “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying”.
Giovanni, who had long been a fan favourite, was duly axed from the cast in 2024, while a BBC investigation was launched.
Its findings upheld her complaints relating to bullying and harassment in training, but concluded that Giovanni had not been physically aggressive.
A half-win, half-loss for all – but one that inevitably tainted Strictly’s reputation as a wholesome family show.
And it only got worse when – weeks after Giovanni was let go – it was revealed that fellow pro performer Graziano di Prima was also being booted off, after it was confirmed he’d kicked his 2023 celebrity partner Zara McDermott during training.
Graziano apologised, arguing that his “intense passion and determination to win” may have clouded his judgment in the training room. But again, the damage was done.
Floodgates open
Soon enough, it looked like Amanda had opened the floodgates on a torrent of historical claims levied against the show.
Last year, former Paralympian Will Bayley slammed the way he was treated while competing in 2019.
He said that – despite his and his coach’s extreme reluctance – he’d been convinced to jump off a table, explaining that “everyone assured” him that it “would be fine”.
Subsequently, he suffered a knee injury, which Strictly bosses tried to soothe with ice, rather than taking him to the hospital.
He now says he will “never get over the injury” – nor the way he was disregarded, explaining he was “made to feel lucky to be on the show and less important than other celebrities”.
The backlash didn’t end there. Former contestant Laura Whitmore also weighed in, saying she was “gaslit” over complaints she raised about Giovanni in 2016, when she herself had him as her pro partner.
She said: “I am not looking for anything, just an acceptance that what happened to me in the rehearsal rooms during my time on BBC Strictly was wrong and that it won’t happen to anyone else again.”
Following so much bad press, Strictly bosses pulled out every stop last year to guarantee a drama-free series.
That included implementing chaperones during training, adding welfare producers to the team, and upping duty of care training for pro dancers, production and crew.
But the 2024 series was still plunged into even more controversy, after opera singer Wynne Evans found himself at the centre of two media storms.
The first involved scrutiny over a clip that went viral during a live show, that saw him slowly placing his hand across his pro partner Katya Jones‘ stomach, before she removed it.
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
Tess
They both laughed it off as nothing, but – in January – Wynne was slammed again, after a video emerged of him making an “inappropriate and unacceptable” remark during a photocall for the Strictly live tour launch.
The Go Compare star was filmed making a joke about a group sex session with It Takes Two host Janette Manrara – prompting him to be dropped from the tour.
He’s since said that the scandal left him feeling suicidal, adding: “My friends, family, and girlfriend had a rota so they could be with me 24 hours a day, sitting up with me because it was just so relentless.”
Make-or-break year
This year was clearly make-or-break for Strictly bigwigs, as they worked round the clock to avoid any more drama.
But their obsession with keeping things clean led many to slam the “boring” and “woke” casting choices, and general sense of sanitised fun that had replaced the camp extravaganza of Strictly seasons gone by.
Meanwhile, they still didn’t get away without drama, as it was revealed shortly before the 23rd season kicked off in September that a former Strictly star had been arrested in August on suspicion of rape.
The Sun also revealed that same month that the BBC was investigating two unnamed Strictly stars for alleged drug use during their time on the show. The findings have not yet been released – but both stories inevitably cast even more stress on an already stress-ridden show.
All that’s meant that longtime viewers have approached this current season with a general sense of ennui and despondence.
Yes, it’s still drawing in viewers, but the numbers are much lower than previous years.
Last month, the launch show got 5.6million viewers – down from 7.1million last year. This is down from the historic high of 12.2million recorded for the final in 2011.
Meanwhile, we revealed how it has also been overtaken by The Traitors as Britain’s most watched show.
The general view is that the show is no longer “appointment viewing” – especially as it now competes with prestige TV on streaming shows, and continually fails to sign up big names that would be guaranteed seat-fillers.
It used to be the biggest thing on telly – but those days are long gone.
It’s very difficult to put into words exactly what Strictly has meant to me. It’s been the greatest relationship of my career
Claudia
All this paints a more telling picture against the backdrop of Tess and Claudia making the game-changing decision to leave the show.
Their separate statements show no hint of abandoning a sinking ship, but there’s no denying that they’ve got their own primetime careers to protect, and can’t risk being smudged for good by the show.
Tess, who – like Claudia – reportedly earns £150,000 per series, said in a long and emotional statement: “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.”
Claudia added in her own statement: “It’s very difficult to put into words exactly what Strictly has meant to me. 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.
“Strictly is a magical, glittery, fake tanned train and it’s been a privilege to be a tiny part of it.”
Looking ahead to what both presenters will do post-Strictly, there’s no suggestion they’ll be stepping away from the limelight anytime soon.
Claudia, in particular, has her hands full presenting mega-hit series The Traitors, while Tess – as one of our most prominent TV darlings – will surely be weighing up her options before taking the mantle of another programme.
Both their statements certainly suggest there’s no ill will towards the BBC – potentially guaranteeing them more jobs for the future.
But for Strictly, it truly is the end of an era. And now that the two faces of the show are stepping away, the question is: how much longer can it last?
After all, Tess and Claudia may tell us every week to “keep dancing” – but now they too are hanging up their dancing shoes.
