Strictly Come Dancing: favourites to replace Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly after duo's shock exits - odds
Strictly Come Dancing will look very different in 2026 💃🕺📺
- Strictly Come Dancing is set for big changes in 2026.
- Presenting duo Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are leaving.
- But who are the early favourites to replace them?
It is a sad day for Strictly Come Dancing fans as the iconic duo of Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly have announced their departures. The duo are set to step away from presenting duties after this series.
In a shock announcement on Thursday (October 23), the pair confirmed their exit from the iconic show. Viewers will still get to enjoy their familiar presence over the coming week, but 2026 will look very different.
But who are the very early runners-and-riders to replace them? Here’s all you need to know:
When are Claudia and Tess leaving Strictly Come Dancing?
Fans tuning in throughout series 23 will not have to worry about the duo suddenly disappearing. They will remain on hosting duties throughout the coming weeks, but this year will be their last as presenters.
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will be stepping down as presenters after the end of series 23 - although they will still be presenting the Christmas special this year! The new hosts will take over for series 24 in 2026.
In a joint statement, the duo said: “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.”
Tess Daly had been a presenter on the show since the very beginning, so her departure after 21 years will be a massive change. Claudia was first on Strictly: It Takes Two before joining the main show.
Who are the early favourites to replace them?
You might not have even properly processed the news of the presenters departures yet, but already attention has turned to potential replacements. Betfair Slots recently surveyed Brits, asking which celebrities they would most like to see hosting Strictly.
The ten names that emerged includes:
- Bradley Walsh - 16%
- Rylan Clark - 14%
- Allison Hammond - 12%
- Alesha Dixon - 9%
- Zoe Ball - 8%
- Janette Manrara - 8%
- Dermot Oleary - 8%
- Roman Kemp - 7%
- Cat Deely - 7%
- Gethin Jones - 6%
- AJ Odudu - 3%
Expect more names and frontrunners to emerge in the near future. The BBC has said that Plans for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be confirmed in due course.
What has been said about the shock exits?
The BBC has waxed lyrical about the duo following the news of their departure. Tess and Claudia were the first all-female duo to host a primetime entertainment programme on British TV.
Kate Phillips, Chief Content Officer for the BBC said: “I can’t quite believe I’m saying this, but it’s the end of an era with Tess and Claudia’s decision to bid farewell to the Strictly ballroom. They’ve both been such incredible hosts at the very heart of the show, their passion and dedication has gone above and beyond.”
Suzy Lamb, Managing Director, Entertainment, BBC Studios added: “On behalf of the entire production team at Strictly, we are so going to miss Tess and Claudia. Tess brought elegance, poise, and a genuine love for the show that never waned from the very start.
“And with Claudia’s charm and razor-sharp wit joining us from It Takes Two in 2014 – it cemented a partnership that has kept our audience captivated ever since. Tess and Claudia are much more than presenters to us - they are part of the Strictly production family - and whilst we’ll miss them dearly, we wish them nothing but the best.”
Sarah James, Executive Producer, Strictly Come Dancing continued: "Tess and Claudia are quite simply the best duo of presenters in the business and we are so lucky to have had them as our Strictly anchors for so many years. They have championed countless celebrities on the dancefloor, led us all through two series during the pandemic but more importantly they have a deep and genuine bond with the show and every single member of the team.
“The Strictly Family is often referred to and these women are the matriarchs of that family. We have been together and supported each other for a long time - through pregnancies, births and deaths and to say we will all miss them terribly is an understatement. Tess, Claudia, THANK YOU for everything, it’s not over yet – let’s enjoy the rest of this fabulous series together. I would say Keep Dancing, but you never actually started!"
Tess and Claudia will leave Strictly Come Dancing at the end of the current series and their last appearance together on screen will be on the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special which will air on Christmas Day on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Earlier this week, a Strictly Come Dancing star spoke of his ‘disappointment’ after having to quit the show. It is the third withdrawal since the original cast was announced.