Dianne won the 2024 series with Chris McCausland in front of Tess and Claudia (Image: BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing pro Dianne Buswell has issued an emotional message to Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly after the presenting duo announced their shock departure on Thursday morning. The Australian professional dancer who won the series with comedian Chris McCausland last year, issued a heartfelt message to the departing presenters and offered them the chance to join her in a very different ‘all girl’ role next year.

This morning, both Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman issued statements announcing they will leave the hit BBC dance competition at the end of the 2025 series. In a joint statement shared on Instagram, the co-hosts, who have fronted the series together since 2014, said they would be leaving the show together.

The statement said: “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. We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show.”

Following the news, Dianne posted in an emotional tribute to Tess and Claudia on her Instagram.

As well as an outpouring of love for the pair, Dianne immediately invited one of the two to return to Strictly as contestants and join her for an ‘all girl partnership’.

She said: “Tess and Claud genuinely the coolest big sisters ever ! So lucky to have got to work with you both for all these years. You will be missed dearly. Just a question does this mean you can now compete on the show if so I bags the all girl partnership ?? Aussie love.”

Dianne’s fans were equally devastated by the news.

@ladysparklepants said: “OMG GET CLAUDIA AS A CONTESTANT IMMEDIATELY”

@buswelldaisy added: “you and claudia as a partnership would be iconic!! this news has broken my heart on this thursday morning grown up watching these two every saturday night”

@phoebealaxandrahardcastle said: “I would lpve an all girl partnership with you and one of these lovely ladies! The show genuinely won’t be the same without them! The new hosts have some big boots to fill for sure !”

Daly 56, has presented the series since its launch in 2004, alongside the late Sir Bruce Forsyth, while Claudia, 53, was the presenter of spinoff Strictly: It Takes Two before she moved to the main show alongside Tess in 2014.

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Following the announcement, the duo both shared separate posts on their Instagram pages with a string of photographs.

Winkleman said: “It’s very difficult to put into words exactly what Strictly has meant to me. It’s been the greatest relationship of my career.

“I’ve always believed it’s best to leave a party before you’re fully ready to go and I know the new hosts will be magnificent, I look forward to watching them take Strictly to new heights. As for Tess – I’m so so lucky I got to stand next to you. You’re funny, kind, whip smart and a true friend and I love you.”