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Tess Daly to Leave Strictly After 21 Years, Passing the Baton to New Hosts

She cites the demands of her Naia Beach business, with changing family circumstances shaping her next step.

Overview

  • Daly confirmed this week that the current 2025 series will be her last, with co-host Claudia Winkleman also stepping down as the show moves to two new presenters.
  • She has fronted Strictly since its 2004 launch, first alongside Bruce Forsyth and later with Winkleman.
  • Speaking on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast, Daly said her Naia Beach swimwear brand requires hours of daily work and "consumes a lot" of her time.
  • She described entering an empty‑nest phase as her elder daughter heads to university, predicting a "really weird" next chapter with more time on her hands.
  • Bookmakers are linking her to possible reality TV appearances such as Celebrity Traitors, though no post‑Strictly projects are confirmed and she has previously played down that idea.