Strictly hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman address their upcoming 'emotional' exit: 'It's a lot'
They end their time on the show next week!Strictly hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman addressed their upcoming exit during a special edition of It Takes Two tonight (Tuesday, December 9).
The duo, 56 and 53, will be leaving the show at the end of this year’s series.
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on It Takes Two
Tonight’s It Takes Two was a special episode dedicated to Tess and Claudia ahead of their upcoming exits.
Speaking to Fleur East, Janette Manrara, and the viewers, Tess and Claudia reflected on their times on the show.
Tess, of course, has been a co-host of the programme since its launch back in 2004. Meanwhile, Claudia has been heavily involved since the second series, also in 2004, having started as host of It Takes Two, before moving to the show proper in 2010.
At the top of the show, Fleur asked the duo about leaving.
“Has it sunk in that next weekend will be your last Strictly final?” Fleur asked.
“Short answer, no!” she said. “I genuinely haven’t had time to think about it.”
Tess and Claudia talk leaving the show
“We’ve been so in to this series, so absorbed by it, such a brilliant series, all of our focus is on that, really,” she said.
“So I think it’s going to be a bit of a shock on the 20th, I might get emotional,” she admitted.
“Yes. I think we will be emotional, but of course, it won’t be about us, it’ll be about the winners. So that’s quite good,” Claudia then added.
“So we’re not allowed to cry,” Tess added.
“But afterwards, we will hold each other,” Claudia then continued. “Very tight, and cry. Because we…yeah, it’s a lot.”
Tess also spoke about starting out on the show with Bruce Forsyth, admitting she’d been “so nervous”. She described the period hosting alongside him as a “really special time”.
Claudia also spoke about her days as host of It Takes Two, saying how much fun they had “howling” behind the scenes.
Tess and Claudia’s final It Takes Two
At the end of the show, Tess and Claudia took some questions from viewers.
One fan asked Claudia what her favourite part of being in the Claudatorium is. She said it was the “mayhem” and how supportive everyone is up there.
The duo were also asked who was the best celebrity that never won. Tess said AJ Odudu, who has to pull out of the final two days before it aired. Claudia gave an honourable mention to Ed Balls.
Tess was then asked about some of the advice she’s taken on board from Bruce. She said that the legendary TV star taught her how to “roll with it” whenever something goes wrong on live TV.
“Thank you so much for having us,” Tess and Claudia said as the show ended, before receiving a huge round of applause from the crew.
We’ll be sad to see them go!
Read more: Strictly star Karen Carney’s dance past defended by pro: ‘It can work against you’
Strictly continues on Saturday, December 13 at 6.35pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
