Claudia Winkleman sobs over impending departure from Strictly as followers worry for present’s future

Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly are struggling to maintain it collectively of their closing days as hosts of Strictly Come Dancing.

Within the closing outcomes present of the sequence, and the final wherein the duo carry out collectively, Claudia and Tess have been honored by this system with a celebration of their 20-year tenure.

And what adopted have been many tears.

Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse shocked the pair with a montage of the perfect bits, taking viewers on a visit down reminiscence lane earlier than the broadcasters left the ballroom for good.

The highlights reel began with some severe throwback photos (and hairstyles) of Tess presenting Strictly with the late, nice Sir Bruce Forsyth, earlier than Claudia turned her right-hand man in 2014.

Claudia, 53, and Tess, 56, have been then handled to non-public messages from the panel, with Shirley calling them collectively ‘magical’ and Motsi praising how ‘welcoming’ they have been when she turned a decide.

“I am positively going to overlook them loads,” mentioned head decide Shirley.

“Actually particular individuals,” Motsi added, earlier than Craig branded them together with his well-known catchphrase: “Tess and Claudia are superb!”

Because the much-loved double act regarded on, smiling as they held palms, the studio erupted in cheers and applause, with Shirley, Craig, Anton and Motsi giving a standing ovation.

“We love you,” Claudia mentioned, wiping tears from her face.

Skilled dancer Kai Widdrington was additionally readily available to current Claudia and Tess with a gold Glitter Ball trophy every as a tangible reminder of their Strictly success.

“And might I simply say, that is not for dancing,” Craig joked, to which Claudia quipped, “I feel that is apparent.”

As Tess thanked the foursome for his or her ‘lovely phrases’, Claudia added: ‘We’re so fortunate. The 4 of you and everybody who’s a part of the staff… it was an honor.”

“You might be like household to us, and we at all times will probably be to you,” Tess mentioned, sobbing. “The entire staff is simply the perfect staff and we had a good time.”

Reacting to the candy second, viewers took to X to specific their unhappiness, the fact now sinking in that Strictly 2026 will look very completely different.

Some even worry for the way forward for the BBC present as soon as Claudia and Tess depart.

“I actually cannot think about myself with out Tess and Claudia,” wrote @notjanpeteh on X.

“This joke about Tess and Claudia’s departure has gone on too lengthy now…,” mentioned @alexanderls3. “When are they going to inform us it was all a lie?”

“I am not emotionally ready to lose Claudia and Tess subsequent week,” wrote @alexr_241.

@leons_lifespan mentioned that ‘no different hosts will probably be like Tess and Claudia’, whereas @ka_morian0121 wrote: ‘I’M SNOVING SO HARD!!!!!’

Others known as them the ‘coronary heart’ of Strictly and mentioned their departure marks the ‘finish of an period’.

“Bro, how is that this present going to outlive with out Tess and Claudia,” @sugwellsmarkle added.

Semi-final eradicated contestant Balvinder Sopal additionally took a second to reward Claudia and Tess in her speech after dropping to Amber Davies within the closing dance competitors.

She instructed Tess: ‘I am grateful that I acquired to be right here on your final second on the present too, since you, to me, are what Strictly is about.

“You are the period of Len Goodman and Bruce Forsyth, after which I began watching it, and that is actually particular to me.”

It stays to be seen who will take over Claudia and Tess’s subsequent sequence, however there are many large names floating round.

Based on TV sources, the BBC will maintain a chemistry day to check attainable combos for the position.

At the moment, The Chase host Bradley Walsh and The One Present’s Alex Jones are the favorites.

Nevertheless, an allegedly leaked record of ten presenters reveals that another British broadcasters are additionally being taken under consideration.

Along with Bradley and Alex, the subsequent candidates are Alan Carr, Rylan Clark, Rob Rinder, Zoe Ball, Holly Willoughby, Amanda Holden, Alison Hammond and Angela Scanlon.

Strictly detectives are actually working additional time to see who can present clues about presumably reserving the glitzy gig, with Zoe’s current departure from BBC Radio 2’s weekend present inflicting a stir.

As one of many frontrunners, when the previous It Takes Two host introduced yesterday that she is quitting afternoons on air, it led many to suppose it is as a result of she has one thing large booked for subsequent yr.

She will surely show to be a well-liked alternative, though insiders declare bosses need to strive one thing new relating to forming a double act.

“Strictly bosses need to combine issues up and see if there’s a partnership throughout the 10 that hasn’t been tried earlier than and is ideal,” they instructed The Solar.

‘In the end, nobody is greater than the present, so whichever fortunate couple lands the roles would be the ones who would be the good addition to the sequence, in line with the BBC.’

Tess joined Strictly within the first sequence in 2004. She hosted legendary entertainer Sir Bruce till 2013, when he retired earlier than passing away in 2017 aged 89.

Claudia fronted the spin-off present It Takes Two on BBC Two till 2010, when Zoe took over.

Because the Traitors presenter and her co-star put together to say goodbye to Strictly (however not earlier than the pre-recorded Christmas particular broadcast on Christmas Day), the general public is predicting additional motion among the many Strictly household.

Whereas subsequent yr’s skilled dancer lineup has but to be introduced, the likes of Johannes Radebe and Nadiya Bychkova are already on the heart of placing the rumors to relaxation.

The Strictly Come Dancing 2025 closing will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Saturday.

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