Claudia Winkleman Reveals the Surprising Truth Behind Her Strictly Come Dancing Exit
Ever wondered what it feels like to bow out when the confetti’s still raining down, rather than sneaking off when the party’s already done? . That’s precisely the move Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly pulled—leaving Strictly Come Dancing not with a fizzle, but with a bang, jeweled heels and all . After more than a decade of prime-time glitz, Claudia—who’s basically been Strictly’s beating fringe for 20 years—finally decided it was time to hand over her sparkly mic (and, let’s be honest, pulse-raising eye makeup) for good. . Fans, as you’d expect, were gutted—there were actual tears, and not just from the audience but from Claudia herself (turns out, even TV hosts are allowed to be sentimental puddles sometimes) .
But why walk away when the dancefloor’s still spinning in your favor? What did it really feel like to step off center stage, arms linked with your TV partner-in-crime? . Dive in for a peek behind the curtain—one that involves long-kept secrets, emotional last takes, and a show exit that’s equal parts agony and relief . Claudia spills on the real reason she and Tess Daly waltzed off into the TV sunset together—and trust me, it’s not what you’d expect .
Claudia Winkleman has revealed why she and Tess Daly waltzed away from their presenting gigs on Strictly Come Dancing.
The 54-year-old spent more than a decade at the helm of the hit BBC dance show after joining as a co-host in 2014, which came ten years after she began hosting the spin-off It Takes Two.
She quickly became a fan favourite and is regarded as Strictly royalty among fans, who were left gutted when she declared she was calling it quits last year.
Winkleman and her partner in crime, Strictly veteran Tess Daly, announced in October 2025 that it ‘felt like the right time’ to step down from the show.
Describing their time in the ballroom as ‘an absolute dream’, the pair said they had always planned to ‘leave together’ in a joint statement shared during last year’s series.
Winkleman said she would be ‘eternally grateful’ for her time on Strictly, while Daly said she looked at the popular show which she had been a part of since 2004 as her ‘third child’.
Winkleman and Daly were seen fighting back tears as they said goodbye during their final Strictly episode (BBC)
It has not yet been confirmed who will be replacing the beloved hosting duo, although there has been a flurry of speculation.
Now, Winkleman has shared some further details about how and why she and Daly came to the conclusion that their Strictly Come Dancing days were done.
The TV star and mother-of-three explained that it really wasn’t easy to bid farewell to the programme.
Sharing some insight into the very hard goodbye, Winkleman revealed that she was left in floods of tears when the cameras stopped rolling after she wrapped up her final episode.
She explained she ‘sobbed’ to her husband Kris Thykier after she and Daily did their last piece to camera, telling the Daily Mail: “[I] really, really cried.
“It was 20 years of my life. I know it was the right time. I will always be friendly with the team, we’re going out for dinner in a couple of weeks. It was emotional.”
The TV star said she sobbed to husband Kris Thykier when the cameras stopped rolling (Simon Ackerman/Getty Images)
Winkleman said the weight of the ‘momentous’ moment hit her like a ton of bricks, but said both she and Daly were certain it was for the best.
According to The Traitors presenter, the pair had sat on their plans to exit Strictly for around 12 months before they shared the news with fans.
“It occurred to both of us about a year before,” Winkleman revealed.
When asked if they kept a lid on it due to several Strictly scandals hitting the headlines, she replied: “Absolutely not, it is a genuinely beautiful show to be part of.
“Almost every single person who’s taken part is happy they did. So no, it wasn’t that.
“The show deserves new. We wanted to leave when we were on an absolute high.”
Looking to the future, Winkleman said that she has complete faith that Strictly’s executive producer Sarah James will find the perfect replacements for her and Daly.
Winkelman, 54, announced on 27 February that she’s got a new project in the pipeline which is making its debut in March (BBC)
However, she stopped short of saying who she would like to see step into their shoes, as she simply said: “Sarah James, who runs this sparkly, fantastic ship, will choose correctly.”
Winkleman explained that her and Daly have already planned to ‘spend the weekend together’ to watch the next series of Strictly, adding: “I can’t wait to watch it. It’s diarised.”
On Friday (27 February), it was announced that the star is getting her own show – which is aptly titled The Claudia Winkleman Show.
It is set to show her sitting down with celebrity guests to share ‘hilarious stories’, while showcasing her ‘trademark warmth and wit’.
Ahead of its debut on 13 March, Winkleman said: “I can’t quite believe it and I’m incredibly grateful to the BBC for this amazing opportunity.
“I’m obviously going to be awful, that goes without saying, but I’m over the moon they’re letting me try.”
Ah, there’s that trademark wit they were talking about.
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