Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly were left visibly emotional on Sunday night as Strictly Come Dancing stunned its long-serving hosts with a heartfelt on-air tribute, just days before they prepare to bow out for the final time.
The presenting duo, who confirmed back in October that the current series would be their last together, struggled to hold back tears as the judges ambushed them with a moving video montage celebrating their years at the heart of Britain’s biggest dance show.
What began as a routine results-show debrief in the Clauditorium quickly turned into an emotional farewell when Craig Revel Horwood summoned Tess to join the panel. With the atmosphere suddenly shifting, Craig admitted the judges couldn’t let the moment pass without paying tribute.
He told the pair they wanted to say how much they would miss them and how deeply loved they are, before lightening the mood with a trademark quip — thanking Claudia for “the dresses and shoes you’ve thrown my way” and Tess for the legendary pizza parties in her dressing room.
As a VT rolled, featuring messages from Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Craig himself, the emotion ramped up. Shirley described the hosts as “magic together”, saying they showed her the ropes when she joined Strictly and that she would miss them “deeply”.
Anton and Craig, meanwhile, teased the duo for their famously questionable dance skills, joking that after all these years neither had managed to learn a single step — and that they would “keep dancing… badly”.
The montage also dipped into Strictly history, revisiting moments with the late Sir Bruce Forsyth, including his early years presenting alongside Tess and the vow made when Claudia took over to always make him proud.
Overwhelmed, Claudia told the judges how lucky she felt, calling it an honour to be part of the show, while Tess described the Strictly team as family and said the experience had been nothing short of extraordinary.
To cap the tribute, the hosts were presented with miniature golden glitterball trophies — a symbolic thank-you for their impact on the show.
Viewers at home were just as emotional, flooding social media with messages admitting they were “sobbing”, calling the moment the “end of an era” and insisting Strictly will never feel the same without the duo.
The emotional goodbye continued earlier in the week when Sir Bruce’s widow, Lady Wilnelia Forsyth, surprised the hosts with a recorded message on It Takes Two, praising their elegance, humour and heart — and urging them to “keep dancing”.
Despite admitting the reality of leaving hasn’t fully sunk in yet, both hosts hinted emotions may finally spill over during next week’s grand final — even joking about a possible last dance, despite their self-confessed lack of rhythm.
Behind the scenes, BBC bosses are already preparing for life after Claudia and Tess, with reports claiming a “Golden Ten” shortlist of potential replacements is being put through chemistry tests — but for many viewers, the shoes they leave behind may prove impossible to fil
