Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman plan special routine for their final Strictly live show as they prepare to say goodbye as hosts after more than 20 years

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Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are planning a memorable farewell to Strictly Come Dancing, and there’s a chance they might even do a little dancing themselves!

I can’t believe it! After over 20 years, they’re really leaving! It feels like a piece of my life is ending. Their last live show will be in December, and I’m already dreading it. I just… I can’t imagine the show without them. It’s going to be so weird!

Despite constantly joking about being clumsy and having no sense of rhythm, it seems like fans might finally get to see them perform.

I’m hearing from sources that they’re still trying to make a really big group dance happen with all the pros! It sounds like it’s still being discussed, but fingers crossed it comes together – it would be amazing!

The judges are going to face a challenge working with Claudia, age 53, as she previously made a mistake during their performance in Blackpool two years ago.

She previously joked: ‘I’m not very good at standing, let alone dancing.’ 

Oh my gosh, you won’t believe it, but Tess actually has danced on TV before! It was with Anton Du Beke, and it was for a Children In Need special – seriously, she was amazing! I wish I’d been there, or at least recorded it, but I’m just finding out now and I’m completely obsessed!

According to a source who spoke with The Sun, both hosts readily acknowledge they aren’t skilled dancers, especially when compared to the professional dancers they work with each week.

Everyone involved understands this is a significant moment, and this final performance is a chance for the whole cast and crew to bid farewell to Tess and Claudia, just as much as it is for the audience watching at home.

There’s no better way to end Britain’s most popular dance show than with a final dance! While organizers aren’t revealing many details, they promise the ‘last dance’ will be a fun and celebratory send-off.

Daily Mail has contacted Strictly for comment. 

The hosts spoke about their imminent exit as they appeared on It Takes Two on Tuesday. 

When Fleur East asked Tess if leaving the show had truly hit her, Tess simply said, ‘Not yet.’

I honestly haven’t had a chance to consider it, we’ve been completely caught up in the show. It’s just so good that it’s been our main focus.

‘So I think it’d be a bit of a shock on the 20th. I might get emotional.’

Claudia said she expects everyone will be moved by the event, but the focus will be on celebrating the winners, not on those presenting the awards.

‘So we’re not allowed to cry,’ Tess said.

Tess has hosted the show since it began in 2004 with the late Sir Bruce Forsyth. Claudia previously presented its weekday spin-off, ‘It Takes Two’.

After Sir Bruce Forsyth left, Claudia began co-hosting the Sunday night results show with Tess Daly and became a regular on the main Saturday night show in 2014.

The duo won the Entertainment Programme award at the 2024 BAFTA TV Awards and were appointed Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the King’s Birthday Honours, recognizing their contributions to television.

On Tuesday morning, Claudia received an MBE from the King at an official ceremony held at Windsor Castle.

On Sunday night’s show, the judges chose to keep West End performer Amber Davies and her partner Nikita Kuzmin over former Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope and professional dancer Katya Jones, who were at risk of elimination.

Amber is now a semi-finalist, joining EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal, online personality George Clarke, and former soccer player and commentator Karen Carney.

Next weekend, the remaining couples will dance in the semi-final, which you can watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer starting at 6:35pm on Saturday. The results will be revealed in a show on Sunday at 7:45pm.

The couples will each dance two new routines, and the show will also feature performances by Kylie Minogue and the band Five.

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2025-12-10 03:57