BBC issues devastated statement after Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman's bombshell exits

The BBC has released its official statement following Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman's Strictly announcement video online.The presenting duo announced on Thursday (October 23) that they will be leaving the beloved BBC dance competition after 21 years on the show. Now, BBC bosses have addressed their departure and revealed their final leaving date.

Kate Phillips, Chief Content Officer for the BBC, said: "I can't quite believe I'm saying this, but it's the end of an era with Tess and Claudia's decision to bid farewell to the Strictly ballroom. They've both been such incredible hosts at the very heart of the show; their passion and dedication have gone above and beyond.

"They've been integral to Strictly's success over the last 20 years, but I understand why they've decided it's time to hang up the glitter ball and get their weekends back. As Craig would say, they are fab-u-lous presenters, and they are fab-u-lous friends to me and so many others at the BBC. Thank you, Tess and Claud, for everything. We will miss you hugely."

Suzy Lamb, Managing Director, Entertainment, BBC Studios, added: "On behalf of the entire production team at Strictly, we are so going to miss Tess and Claudia. Tess brought elegance, poise, and a genuine love for the show that never waned from the very start.

"And with Claudia's charm and razor-sharp wit joining us from It Takes Two in 2014, it cemented a partnership that has kept our audience captivated ever since. Tess and Claudia are much more than presenters to us - they are part of the Strictly production family - and whilst we'll miss them dearly, we wish them nothing but the best."

Sarah James, Executive Producer, Strictly Come Dancing, also said: "Tess and Claudia are quite simply the best duo of presenters in the business and we are so lucky to have had them as our Strictly anchors for so many years.

"They have championed countless celebrities on the dancefloor, led us all through two series during the pandemic, but more importantly, they have a deep and genuine bond with the show and every single member of the team.

"The Strictly Family is often referred to, and these women are the matriarchs of that family. We have been together and supported each other for a long time - through pregnancies, births, and deaths, and to say we will all miss them terribly is an understatement.

"Tess, Claudia, THANK YOU for everything, it's not over yet - let's enjoy the rest of this fabulous series together. I would say Keep Dancing, but you never actually started!" she gushed.

Tess and Claudia will leave Strictly Come Dancing at the end of the current series, and their last appearance together on screen will be on the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special, which will air on Christmas Day on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

But the pair have made sure they will be going out with a bang, declaring that they have one final dance on the infamous BBC ballroom floor. The pair said the current series is the "best" one yet and revealed plans of their own for their last dance on the infamous dancefloor.

Daly quipped: "We can't wait to do that show dance that we have long dreamt of" while Winkleman joked she would just "watch from the sides".