Claudia Winkleman explains why she actually left Strictly Come Dancing in first assertion
Claudia Winkleman has revealed why she and Tess Daly waltzed away from their presenting gigs on Strictly Come Dancing.
The 54-year-old spent greater than a decade on the helm of the hit BBC dance present after becoming a member of as a co-host in 2014, which got here ten years after she started internet hosting the spin-off It Takes Two.
She rapidly grew to become a fan favorite and is considered Strictly royalty amongst followers, who had been left gutted when she declared she was calling it quits final yr.
Winkleman and her accomplice in crime, Strictly veteran Tess Daly, introduced in October 2025 that it ‘felt like the fitting time’ to step down from the present.
Describing their time within the ballroom as ‘an absolute dream’, the pair stated that they had all the time deliberate to ‘go away collectively’ in a joint assertion shared throughout final yr’s sequence.
Winkleman stated she could be ‘eternally grateful’ for her time on Strictly, whereas Daly stated she appeared on the standard present which she had been part of since 2004 as her ‘third baby’.
It has not but been confirmed who can be changing the beloved internet hosting duo, though there was a flurry of hypothesis.
Now, Winkleman has shared some additional particulars about how and why she and Daly got here to the conclusion that their Strictly Come Dancing days had been accomplished.
The TV star and mother-of-three defined that it actually wasn’t simple to bid farewell to the programme.
Sharing some perception into the very arduous goodbye, Winkleman revealed that she was left in floods of tears when the cameras stopped rolling after she wrapped up her ultimate episode.
She defined she ‘sobbed’ to her husband Kris Thykier after she and Every day did their final piece to digicam, telling the Daily Mail: “[I] actually, actually cried.
“It was 20 years of my life. I do know it was the fitting time. I’ll all the time be pleasant with the workforce, we’re going out for dinner in a few weeks. It was emotional.”
Winkleman stated the load of the ‘momentous’ second hit her like a ton of bricks, however stated each she and Daly had been sure it was for the perfect.
In response to The Traitors presenter, the pair had sat on their plans to exit Strictly for round 12 months earlier than they shared the information with followers.
“It occurred to each of us a few yr earlier than,” Winkleman revealed.
When requested in the event that they saved a lid on it because of a number of Strictly scandals hitting the headlines, she replied: “Completely not, it’s a genuinely lovely present to be a part of.
“Nearly each single one that’s taken half is glad they did. So no, it wasn’t that.
“The present deserves new. We wished to go away after we had been on an absolute excessive.”
Trying to the long run, Winkleman stated that she has full religion that Strictly’s government producer Sarah James will discover the proper replacements for her and Daly.
Nevertheless, she stopped in need of saying who she wish to see step into their sneakers, as she merely stated: “Sarah James, who runs this sparkly, implausible ship, will select appropriately.”
Winkleman defined that her and Daly have already deliberate to ‘spend the weekend collectively’ to observe the subsequent sequence of Strictly, including: “I can’t wait to observe it. It’s diarised.”
On Friday (27 February), it was introduced that the star is getting her personal present – which is aptly titled The Claudia Winkleman Present.
It’s set to indicate her sitting down with superstar company to share ‘hilarious tales’, whereas showcasing her ‘trademark heat and wit’.
Forward of its debut on 13 March, Winkleman stated: “I can’t fairly consider it and I’m extremely grateful to the BBC for this superb alternative.
“I am clearly going to be terrible, that goes with out saying, however I’m over the moon they’re letting me attempt.”
Ah, there’s that trademark wit they had been speaking about.
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