Tess Daly breaks down in tears and hugs emotional co-host Claudia Winkleman during their last ever Strictly rehearsals ahead of the pair exiting the show after 21 years
Tess Daly and co-host Claudia Winkleman were reduced to tears during their final rehearsals ahead of Saturday’s grand finale.
Tess, 56, and Claudia, 53, previously announced they would be leaving the series following the Christmas special recorded earlier this month.
Before the live finale, Tess shared an emotional clip on her Instagram account while rehearsing with Claudia.
During the video, the couple was seen hugging and receiving gifts from the crew while rehearsing their lines in the ballroom.
In one scene, Tess tells the assembled crew: ‘And I’m sharing this with all of you. I swear I love you all because it feels like we’re sharing parts of our lives, our kids, everything.’
“Thank you for that,” he concluded as he was given a round of applause while a producer was seen consoling him and Claudia.
Tess Daly and co-host Claudia Winkleman broke down in tears during their final rehearsal ahead of Saturday’s grand finale
Before the live finale, Tess shared an emotional clip on her Instagram account while rehearsing with Claudia.
During the video, the couple was seen hugging and receiving gifts from the crew while rehearsing their lines in the ballroom.
Tess wrote under the clip: ‘I haven’t been able to live, cry and hug more times than I can count. Almost for the last time, good luck to our couples tonight, we support you! Let’s go out with a bang (and maybe another tear or two).’
In a joint video shared on Instagram announcing their debut in October, the duo said it was time to “pass the baton” while sharing their gratitude for being able to take part in the “magnificent show”.
Tess performed for a whopping 21 years and 216 days on the show, and was awarded the Guinness World Record earlier this week as the longest-serving host of the same dance competition.
The host has been a part of the series since its first episode in 2004, when he co-hosted with the late Bruce Forsyth.
She starred alongside Sir Bruce, who died in 2017, until his retirement in 2013 and Claudia took over.
When announcing their decision to resign in an Instagram post, Claudia began: ‘There have been some rumors and we want you to hear it from us.’
Tess continued: ‘We’ve got the news, after 21 wonderfully joyful years we’ve decided it’s definitely time to step aside and pass the baton.’
Tess performed for a whopping 21 years and 216 days on the show, and was awarded the Guinness World Record earlier this week as the longest-serving host of the same dance competition.
In a joint video shared on Instagram announcing their debut in October, the duo said it was time to ‘pass the baton’
‘Very sparkly baton!’ Claudia laughed and turned to her co-star and friend, adding: ‘You’ve been here from the beginning.’
Tess replied: ‘With Bruce, lovely Bruce [Forsyth]and that was over twenty years ago but most of that time was spent with you.
‘Our kids have been a huge part of our lives since they were literally babies in our arms, now they’re adults, and I think we’ve really cherished every second.’
Claudia concluded: ‘We are so lucky to be a part of this amazing show and we just want to thank the Strictly team because Strictly are the people who make it.’
On the other hand, while all the contestants of this series took their places in the audience, the person missing from Saturday’s program was Thomas Skinner, who was the first celebrity to be eliminated in October.
Earlier in the day, the Apprentice star, 34, broke her silence about her early exit and said she was ‘seeking legal advice’ after claiming ‘BBC bosses rigged official voting figures’.
Tess wrote under the clip: ‘I haven’t been able to live, cry and hug more times than I can count. Almost for the last time, good luck to our couples tonight, we support you! ‘Let’s go out with a bang (and maybe another tear or two)’
Tom was already considered a controversial signing due to his outspoken Right-wing views.
He is said to have been convinced that he could now prove that he had won a larger share of the popular vote, which should have saved him from the dance.
Sources revealed on Thursday that Thomas had taken legal action against the BBC after he claimed bosses ‘rigged’ the public vote to remove him from the programme.
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘The public rating for Strictly Come Dancing is robust and is independently audited and verified to ensure complete accuracy.’
2025 CHRISTMAS SPECIAL SQUAD THAT WILL DEFINITELY COME UP AND DANCE
SCARLETT MOFFATT
AGE: 35
PROFESSION: Television presenter
PARTNER: Vito Coppola
JODIE OUNSLEY
AGE: 24
PROFESSION: Gladiator
PARTNER: Neil Jones
BABATUNDE ALESHE
AGE: 39
PROFESSION: Comedian
PARTNER: Nancy Xu
MELANIE BLATT
AGE: 50
PROFESSION: All Saints singer
PARTNER: Kai Widdrington
NICHOLAS BAILEY
AGE: 54
OCCUPATION: EastEnders actor
PARTNER: Luba Mushtuk
BRIAN MCFADDEN
AGE: 45
PROFESSION: Westlife singer
PARTNER: Michelle Tsiakkas
