Strictly’s Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s true feelings exposed on air (Image: BBC)

Strictly’s Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman became emotional during Sunday night’s results show. The judging panel surprised the BBC hosts with a moving video compilation. Judges Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke joined the presenters in the Clauditorium ahead of the results of the public vote.

Sharing their best bits and memorable moments from their time on Strictly over the years, Tess, 56, and Claudia, 53, got choked up as they were presented with a special VT showcasing their time on the show.

Judi James has suggested both hosts true colours had been exposed following their “dry” leaving party, according to the body language expert.

Speaking to Paddy Power Games, she explained: “At one point during Sunday’s show, the organisers created a ‘surprise’ farewell to Tess and Claudia that might have had viewers at home ‘in floods’ but it was a very dry and unsuitably modest do for the show’s own body language version of Ariana and Cynthia.

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Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are due to step down from the show at the end of the series (Image: BBC)

“Shirley manfully managed to do a crumpled chin and to mime wiping away a squeezed tear, gaining a consoling pat from Claudia, whose career looks set to go stellar now if she gets the right bookings.

And there was a brief ‘best bits’ VT show before the duo were handed two plastic glitterball trophies.”

Judi continued: “Claudia looked keen to go the full nine yards with her body language acting, widening her eyes to appear shocked and wary when the ‘surprise’ kicked off and even dabbing one eye and adjusting her fringe to register deeper emotion at the videotape.

Tess bounced her body to get closer and placed one hand over her friends, in an intriguing switch of dynamic. During their announcement, it had been Claudia looking almost maternal with a protective air toward Tess but now it was Tess’s hand over Claudia’s and Tess creating their pose as though taking the lead as the more dominant one of the duo.”

The expert suggested the pair sported “misery smiles” and said they deserved a better send off.

“Both Tess and Claudia performed ‘misery smiles’ where the smile is warm, but the corners of the mouth pulled down,” she explained, “But they both surely deserved a better send off.”

Judi added: “I hope they’re keeping their powder dry for the Xmas special because these two women are mega and deserved more than one on-screen tear from Shirley before Claudia snapped back into pro mode by suddenly going back on script and announcing the next bit of the show.”

Tess and Claudia announced they were stepping down from their roles in October.