Daly, Winkleman To Leave After Christmas Special

Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced via a joint Instagram video they will leave Strictly Come Dancing, with their final appearance set for the Christmas special on 25 December. Daly has been a presenter since the show's 2004 launch and she and Winkleman have co-hosted together since 2014. They said they had always planned to depart together and that now felt like the right time. The exit follows months of private "panic talks" and emotional calls amid fallout from a turbulent 2024 season that included misconduct allegations and a police- and solicitor-led probe into drug claims. Colleagues and production staff said many were blindsided by the announcement, while BBC executives described the decision as "the end of an era" and praised both presenters. Bookmakers and media have begun speculating about successors as the show prepares to replace two of its longest-serving hosts.