'Absolutely not!' Claudia Winkleman addresses reason for Strictly exit and insists she didn't leave over show scandals
Claudia and co-host Tess Daly quit the BBC ballroom at the end of last year
Claudia Winkleman has revealed she “sobbed” after filming her final scenes on Strictly Come Dancing.
Claudia and co-host Tess Daly announced their departure from the BBC ballroom show midway through the 2025 series. The Christmas special was the last time the pair were seen presenting the show together.
Now, Claudia has revealed how she really felt when signing off from the show after two decades. And why she left.
Claudia Winkleman addresses Strictly scandals and her exit
In a new interview with the Daily Mail, Claudia has revealed that husband Kris Thykier and their three children – Jake, 22, Matilda, 19, and Arthur, 14 – were all in the audience for her final show.
“We did our last piece to camera, then I went to my husband and sobbed. Really, really cried. It was 20 years of my life. I know it was the right time. I will always be friendly with the team. We’re going out for dinner in a couple of weeks. It was emotional. It felt momentous. Just the end,” she said.
Claudia also explained that, while she didn’t wonder if leaving was a mistake, it “was a process” coming to terms with her time on the show being over.
‘The show deserves new’
So why did she leave? She told how it was something that “occured to both of us about a year before”. At that time, the show was engulfed in scandal. So was it a case of those scandals forcing the pair to quit?
Wynne Evans was involved in his ‘wandering hands’ scandal. Giovanni Pernice left after Amanda Abbington made a series of complaints about him. And Graziano Di Prima was axed after Zara McDermott spoke of his alleged training room treatment of her.
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“Absolutely not, it is a genuinely beautiful show to be part of. Almost every single person who’s taken part is happy they did. So no, it wasn’t that. The show deserves new,” she explained, before adding: “We wanted to leave when we were on an absolute high.”
Who’ll be the new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing?
Claudia – whose new chat show launches next month – was also asked on who she thinks will take over. She said that Sarah James, “who runs this sparkly, fantastic ship, will choose correctly”. Claudia added that she “can’t wait to watch it”.
And she said that she and Tess will spend the weekend of the launch show together, watching the first one as a pair.
Read more: Claudia Winkleman joins huge Channel 4 show alongside Clare Balding
Emma Willis or Zoe Ball 'to host Strictly'
The pair – both seasoned presenters – are apparently down to the final two to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
They quit the BBC dance show midway through the 2025 series.
New Strictly hosts – Emma Willis and Zoe Ball in two-horse race
It was recently shared that the BBC's supposed shortlist of 10 presenters has now been whittled down to just two.
As a result, it's been widely rumoured that either Emma Willis or Zoe Ball will replace Tess Daly as the main host of the show.
Speaking to The Sun, a source claimed: "It’s a straight shoot-out between Zoe, who is the front-runner, and Emma. Only one will get it. Not both."
Zoe quit her BBC Radio 2 role in December. The move sparked speculation that she could land the role. The star, 55, also has a long history with the show, having appeared on it as a contestant and presented its spin-off, It Takes Two, between 2011 and 2021.
Meanwhile, Emma has a long, successful presenting career. She's fronted shows such as Big Brother, Love is Blind and The Voice UK.
Strictly fans pick sides
"I’m in Team Emma for the hosting role! I always like how she hosted The Voice. She engaged so supportively with the contestants," said one.
Another added: "Zoe is my choice." A third also commented: "Zoe Ball is the way to go…. She’s a familiar face and brings a sense of familiarity and some of the classic feel of Strictly… Not picking her would just be rotten."
The BBC has said that it doesn't comment on speculation. A statement added that any news on who'll be the new host of Strictly Come Dancing will be announced in due course.
