BBC ‘wants female duo’ to takeover from Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly after exit

After 21 years on the BBC show, Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly have announced they are leaving Strictly Come Dancing.

BBC audiences discovered that following 21 years presenting Strictly Come Dancing, Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly have chosen to quit the programme – with reports suggesting the corporation will replace them with another female duo.

The pair issued a joint announcement on social media revealing their departure, explaining that it now feels like ‘the right time’ to move on.

This comes amid reports that the presenting partnership are already in discussions to helm another programme for the broadcaster.

Since news of their departure broke, speculation has been rife about who will replace them on the BBC show, with names including Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark, Roman Kemp and Janette Manrara being floated.

Nevertheless, according to The Standard, the BBC is determined for Strictly to maintain its two-woman presenting format, with sources suggesting the corporation “values the symbolism of an all-female presenting team”

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A source revealed to The Sun: “What is more certain is the fact that execs are expected to opt for two more women, because the Beeb value the symbolism of an all-female presenting team on their biggest Saturday night show.

“But one element likely to play a big part is diversity because, as terrific as it is having two women hosting Strictly, they are also two middle-aged white people.”

The BBC declined to provide comment when contacted.

Strictly Come Dancing fans were devastated to discover on Thursday morning that the beloved duo would be departing the show, reports Wales Online.

Tess has been fronting the BBC programme since its launch in 2004 alongside Bruce Forsyth, who departed the show in 2014, with Claudia – who originally hosted spin-off programme It Takes Two – taking his place.

In their announcement video, they wrote: “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.

“We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show. They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day.

“We will cry when we say the last “keep dancing” but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”

The BBC has yet to reveal who will replace the presenting pair when they depart their roles.

Strictly Come Dancing is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.