On 23 October 2025, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman surprised fans by announcing they will leave Strictly Come Dancing after series 23. They will continue hosting until the Christmas Special on 25 December 2025.
They are leaving as the first all-female hosting duo in primetime TV. Daly began in 2004 with Bruce Forsyth, and Winkleman became a full-time co-host in 2014 after working on It Takes Two and the results shows. Daly leaves after 21 years, and Winkleman after 11 years as co-hosts.
The official reasons for leaving Strictly Come Dancing
In a joint Instagram video, they said: “We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time.” They described hosting as “an absolute dream” and said there would be tears during their final “keep dancing.”
Daly posted on her own: “After 21 unforgettable years, the time has come to say goodbye.” She thanked Forsyth and spoke about the happiness the show brought to so many viewers.
Winkleman added, “Strictly is a magical, glittery train. I’ve always believed it’s best to leave before you’re ready.” She thanked the crew and joked about Len Goodman’s cucaracha lessons.
They finished their announcement by saying: “We will cry… but continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”
Why family pull influenced Daly and Winkleman to leave Strictly Come Dancing
Daly, 56, has hosted Strictly Come Dancing since the first series. Her daughters grew up while she was filming, and she missed many weekends with them, which put a strain on family life.
Her husband, Vernon Kay, said he watches every show to “make sure she’s OK.” People close to Daly say she now wants to spend more time at home.
Winkleman, 53, has a packed filming schedule. She balances work on The Traitors, Celebrity Traitors, and The Piano.
Furthermore, Strictly Come Dancing takes up a third of her year. Her reason for leaving the series was to take a break for family.
Daly and Winkleman received MBEs for broadcasting in June 2025. They are leaving the show after winning both BAFTA and NTA awards.
Other reasons for leaving Strictly Come Dancing
While family reasons and their long time on the show influenced Daly and Winkleman to leave Strictly Come Dancing, other factors also played a part. These include:
- Continuous scandals
The past two years battered Strictly Come Dancing with relentless scandals. In 2024, professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima faced allegations of misconduct, triggering BBC investigations and public outrage. Early 2025 brought drug-use claims against unnamed pros, forcing stricter chaperones and welfare protocols.
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman did not comment publicly, but people close to them say the ongoing problems wore them out. A production source told The Sun: “They’re exhausted by the negativity. Another scandal and they feared the show’s reputation—and theirs—wouldn’t recover.”
Winkleman, now known worldwide for The Traitors, did not want to risk being linked to more controversy. Daly, who has been with the show the longest, felt the pressure of defending Strictly Come Dancing every week. Both agreed that the 2025 Christmas Special would be their chance to leave on a positive note before any more problems arose.
- Claudia’s busy schedule
Claudia Winkleman led the decision to leave. Her schedule was packed with hosting The Traitors, filming Celebrity Traitors, judging The Piano, and working on a new celebrity interview series for BBC One.
Strictly Come Dancing runs from September to December, which clashed with her other work. A BBC executive said: “Claudia told producers in August she couldn’t juggle everything at this level.”
She suggested leaving after series 23, and Daly agreed right away. People close to them say Claudia wanted them to leave together so Daly would not be blamed alone and to highlight their partnership in TV history.
- Claudia and Tess had a pact to exit together
The two made a private promise years ago to leave the show together: if one left, both would go. In 2016, after a live show and some wine, they promised never to let the BBC separate them.
Winkleman later told Radio Times: “Tess is my work wife. One of us goes, we both go. Simple.” When Winkleman raised her concerns in 2025, Daly honored the deal without hesitation.
Their joint Instagram announcement showed how strong their bond is. Producers asked them to stay on separately, but both refused. Their pact meant neither would have to face the show alone with new changes.