Reason Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly announced their Strictly exit midway through series revealed by BBC boss
Their replacements are yet to be announcedStrictly Come Dancing hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced they would be leaving the show halfway through this series. However, in a new update, a BBC boss has revealed the real reason for the timing of their decision.
Last month, Tess and Claudia shocked fans when they announced that they would be walking away from their hosting duties. The pair said it “feels the right time” for them. They also admitted they have “loved working as a duo”.
BBC boss reveals why Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced their departure so suddenly
With many viewers wondering why the news came about so suddenly, BBC’s Chief Content Officer Kate Phillips has explained why.
During an appearance on Richard Osman and Marina Hyde’s The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, she said: “That was very much Tess and Claudia’s decision. They did ring me to sort of tell me what they were thinking, but I think they were worried it was going to leak. So, which we often have.
“So they wanted to very much announce it on their own terms. But you know, they are brilliant, brilliant hosts of that show and they have sparkly high heels that are going to be hard to fill, definitely.”
Tess and Claudia’s replacement doesn’t need to be a ‘really big name’
When asked about how the BBC are going about finding their replacements, Kate said the production team are “concentrating on getting two shows out a week”, stating: “We haven’t got time at the moment to start doing any screen tests or chemistry testing.
“We’ve got time. I don’t think we’ll really be looking at it until the New Year because we want to make sure that we deliver a great Strictly series. Having said that, yes, my inbox has been inundated. So I mean, I can’t say names obviously, yes, but it is one of the best gigs in television,” she continued.
Kate admitted the show has “so many people are keen to be considered”. However, with Tess and Claudia having “such a strong relationship”, Kate noted it will be “hard just to sort of hire someone cold without seeing how they are with the other person”.
Despite the show’s high-profile status, she doesn’t think their replacement has to be “a really big name”.
