Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman to present Strictly for last time

Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will make their last live appearance on Strictly Come Dancing on Christmas Day, more than a decade since they first appeared together. The pair will be in charge of the Strictly Christmas Special, which airs on BBC One at 17:30 and will see six couples clashing it out under the glittering. Fans in October were shocked to learn that Daly and Winkleman would resign at the end of the current series. With Zoe Ball, Rylan, Janette Manrara, Alan Carr, and Holly Willoughby among the names being speculated on, a lot of attention has been turned to who will replace them.

Following a turbulent few years with the show, some have also been wondering what is next for the sport. However, entertainment journalist Emma Bullimore says that many people will still want the job.

Make no mistake, this is still a huge business on British television,

she told BBC News. "Not many shows bring families together in the way that Strictly Come Dancing does.

'The end of an era'

Strictly Come Daly and Winkleman are two main characters. Daly has been performing since the first series 21 years ago, and has appeared alongside Sir Bruce Forsyth. Winkleman appeared on Strictly Come Dancing's sister show It Takes Two since 2004. The pair became the first female presenting pair on Saturday night television's prime time. Their announcement that they were stepping down sparked a lot of online and also shocked contestants, with actors on the new series saying,

no one saw it coming. The pair said hosting the show had been

an absolute dreamin a joint statement on Instagram in October.We will weep when we say the last 'keep dancing,' but we'll keep saying it to each other. Although eating some pizza, the pair said they might be back to tracksuit bottoms at home. They did not give any reason for their decision to leave, but simply said they were

always going to leave together and now seems to be the right time. It was

the end of an era,

according to BBC chief content officer Kate Phillips.

They've both been such fantastic hosts at the very heart of the show, and their passion and dedication have gone above and beyond," she said at the time.

Sparkle, style and plenty of highlights

Throughout the years that Daly and Winkleman have been helmed, there have been sparkle, style, and a slew of memorable events. A special collection of their best bits from the show was on display in the semi-finals of this year's Strictly Come Dancing. The montage included clips from the beginnings to more recent memories, as well as interviews with the judges. Daly and Winkleman told Sir Bruce they wished they did not let him down, Daly sawing through Winklemen in a magic trick, and Winkelman dressed as a ghost, but only to be told by Daly that

Halloween is next week. After the video was played, the two players were each awarded their own unique golden glitterball trophy. They also completed a 24-hour dance marathon in 2019 for Comic Relief, raising more than £1 million by dancing non-stop for 24 hours and five minutes. The pair picked up the entertainment program at the Bafta TV Awards in 2024, Strictly's 20th anniversary year. Earlier this year, Winkleman, who also appears on The Traitors, and Dalywere made MeMBErs of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by King Charles III at investiture ceremonies at Windsor Castle for services to broadcasting. Last Saturday, it was a turbulent night in the ballroom as Winkleman and Daly hosted the Strictly final for the final fort the last time, with the Queen among those thanking the long-running hosts. Queen Camilla's

warmth, compassion, and sheer joy" had been at the center of the show's success, according to judge Craig Revel Horwood, who wrote this message.

Departures come after a string of controversies

In media circles, the new Strictly series, which began in September, was seen as something of a revival for the long-running hit BBC show. It came following last year's controversies surrounding some professional dancers' behavior, and the launch of a BBC probe into suspected opioid use by two of the show's actors in August, as well as an unidentified actor being arrested on suspicion of rape (it is understood the growth was not related to the new series). Fans and journalists alike were keen to return to talking about the show itself. But the scandals have not stopped. On suspicion of rape, a second unidentified celebrity from the show was arrested in October. That growth, which was announced in November, is also said not to be related to the new series. Bullimore says it's difficult to know if the various scandals contributed to Daly and Winkleman's decision to leave. Despite the scandals, she also stated that hosting it would remain very attractive to any presenter. Following the scandals, there has been rumors that the program will be postponed for a year to reset. Bullimore, on the other hand, said she did not think that was likely. Strictly is still really important for the BBC, she said.

You'll have to find something to fill the void in the schedules. And that's a hard thing to do. Natalie Jamieson, a culture journalist, said she would miss the show if it were a break.

Strictly's a cross-generational watch in my household - my daughter calls her grandma every week as the dances begin, and it would be sad if the year's cycle were interrupted for a year," she said. But she continued that if it was resurgent, even for a year, it would also open up opportunities to display other creative and aspirational aspects of culture and the arts through a new TV show format, which would be exciting. Plans for what the show will look like in 2026 have been published in due course, according to the BBC.

What to expect from Strictly Christmas Special

On Thursday, six celebrities are waltzing into the ballroom wonderland for the Strictly Christmas Special. They are: There will be group dances, live music, and a slew of other items on the program, including Andy Williams' It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and The Pussycat Dolls' version of Santa Baby. Daly and Winkleman, judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke will all be on hand, along with hosts Daly & Winklemen, before the studio audience decides