The BBC's chief content officer has publicly addressed the upcoming departure of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman from their roles as hosts of the hit show Strictly Come Dancing.
Kate Philips confirmed the presenters made a joint decision to leave and were concerned that news of their exit would leak before they could announce it themselves.
The Decision to Depart
Last month, the beloved hosting duo announced they would be stepping down at the end of the current series. Their final appearance on the show will be the Christmas special, broadcast on December 25.
Speaking on the podcast The Rest is Entertainment, Philips revealed that Daly and Winkleman personally called her to inform her of their plans. She stated the pair were worried about rumours and wanted to control the narrative.
"That was very much Tess and Claudia’s decision," Philips said. "They did ring me to tell me what they were thinking but I think they were worried it was going to leak, which it very often has, and they wanted to announce it on their own terms."
The Search for New Hosts
The BBC has not yet confirmed who will replace the iconic pair. Philips indicated that the formal search for new presenters is not expected to begin until 2026.
She explained that the production team is currently focused on delivering the demanding weekly schedule of the ongoing series. This means there is no immediate time for screen tests or chemistry reads between potential new hosts.
Philips emphasised the importance of the relationship between the future hosts, noting the "strong relationship" between Daly and Winkleman would be "hard" to replicate. She did, however, tease that the next host might not necessarily be a "really big name".
Despite the process not yet being underway, Philips confirmed her inbox has been "inundated" with expressions of interest from people keen to take on the role, which she described as "one of the best gigs in television".
A Lasting Legacy
In their original announcement made on Instagram, Daly and Winkleman 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."
Philips paid tribute to their long tenure, calling them "brilliant, brilliant hosts" whose "sparkly high heels will be hard to fill."
She also expressed confidence in the future of the show, drawing parallels to previous high-profile departures. "When Brucey went, when Len went, we’ve had amazing people come through it but it survives because it’s such a good format," Philips remarked, referencing the exits of former host Sir Bruce Forsyth and head judge Len Goodman.
The Christmas Day special will mark the end of an era for Strictly Come Dancing, closing a significant chapter for one of the BBC's most cherished entertainment programmes.
