Strictly Come Dancing hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly presented their last ever live BBC show on Saturday, in what was a hugely emotional affair that saw Queen Camilla congratulate them on their run.
They were greeted with a standing ovation from the audience, which included Daly’s husband Vernon Kay, while later in the show the entire cast and judging panel donned a string of Winkleman-style black fringed wigs.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house during a tribute to the Strictly hosts, which was wrapped up with a letter from the Queen, read out by Craig Revel Horwood.
The hosting duo shocked the TV-watching nation when they announced that this 2025 series of the show would be their last at the helm.
Although this isn’t technically their last appearance, as the pair will be officially ending their run with the festive special airing on Christmas Day, but that is a pre-recorded show.
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This year’s Strictly final at the Elstree Studios ballroom saw winner Karen Carney crowned, after a hotly-contested three-legged race between Amber Davies and George Clarke.
Daly, 56, presented the series alongside the late Sir Bruce Forsyth when it launched in 2004 while Winkleman, 53, fronted its weekday spin-off show It Takes Two, before eventually moving to host the results show and then the main event in 2014.
After the double act shared a short clip with the news on their social media accounts, the BBC released their own statement heaping praise on their Strictly tenure.
The co-hosts referenced how much the show had an impact on their lives in their video statement, saying they both joined when their children were still small.
The caption to their video clip read: ‘We have loved working as a duo, and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream.
‘We were always going to leave together, and now feels like the right time.’
‘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,’ said Kate Phillips, Chief Content Officer for the BBC, in response.
‘They’ve both been such incredible hosts at the very heart of the show, their passion and dedication has gone above and beyond.’
The pair picked up the entertainment programme gong at the Bafta TV Awards in 2024 and were made Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the King’s Birthday Honours for their services to broadcasting.
The Strictly Come Dancing final is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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