Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have been hailed as Strictly Come Dancing’s “matriarchs” by BBC bosses after they quit the show.
The Strictly duo announced earlier today that they are leaving the flagship BBC programme together at the end of this series.
Tess has hosted Strictly since the show’s launch 21 years ago. Claudia joined her in 2014. She previously hosted spin-off show, Strictly: It Takes Two.
The BBC has since reacted to the shock news in a series of emotional statements. Tess and Claudia have been thanked for all their hard work over the years.
The pair have also been described as the “matriarchs” of the Strictly Come Dancing family.
Strictly’s Tess and Claudia quit: BBC responds
Kate Phillips, Chief Content Officer for the BBC, said: “I can’t quite believe I’m saying this, but it’s the end of an era with Tess and Claudia’s decision to bid farewell to the Strictly ballroom.
“They’ve both been such incredible hosts at the very heart of the show. Their passion and dedication has gone above and beyond. They’ve been integral to Strictly’s success over the last 20 years, but I understand why they’ve decided it’s time to hang up the glitter ball and get their weekends back.
“As Craig would say they are fab-u-lous presenters, and they are fab-u-lous friends to me and so many others at the BBC. Thank you Tess and Claud for everything. We will miss you hugely.”
Suzy Lamb, Managing Director, Entertainment, BBC Studios, has also reacted to the sad news.
She said: “On behalf of the entire production team at Strictly, we are so going to miss Tess and Claudia. Tess brought elegance, poise, and a genuine love for the show that never waned from the very start.
“And with Claudia’s charm and razor-sharp wit joining us from It Takes Two in 2014 – it cemented a partnership that has kept our audience captivated ever since. Tess and Claudia are much more than presenters to us. They are part of the Strictly production family. And whilst we’ll miss them dearly, we wish them nothing but the best.”
“Matriarchs of the family”
Finally, Sarah James, Executive Producer for Strictly Come Dancing, has described Tess and Claudia as “the best duo of presenters in the business”.
She said: “Tess and Claudia are quite simply the best duo of presenters in the business. We are so lucky to have had them as our Strictly anchors for so many years.
“They have championed countless celebrities on the dancefloor, led us all through two series during the pandemic but more importantly they have a deep and genuine bond with the show and every single member of the team.
“The Strictly Family is often referred to and these women are the matriarchs of that family. We have been together and supported each other for a long time. Through pregnancies, births and deaths. And to say we will all miss them terribly is an understatement.”
Sarah added: “Tess, Claudia, THANK YOU for everything, it’s not over yet. Let’s enjoy the rest of this fabulous series together. I would say Keep Dancing, but you never actually started!”
Read more: Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman quit Strictly: All the names in the frame to replace them
