Like everybody else on Thursday, I used to be fully blindsided when it was introduced that Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have been going to go away Strictly Come Dancing on the finish of the present collection. As somebody who began watching the present in 2014, the primary yr that Claudia grew to become the official co-presenter alongside Tess, they’re synonymous with the present for me. They have been much more of a part of the furnishings for long-time followers of the present, with Tess being with the present because it first aired in 2004, with Claudia becoming a member of the household a yr later in It Takes Two.
Over the previous 11 years, we have grown to like their chemistry, with Claudia’s antics appearing as the proper foil for straight-laced Tess. The help the pair have proven to contestants is a part of the center of the present. When La Voix solely acquired a rating of 14 for her cha-cha-cha, together with only a ‘2’ from Shirley Ballas, it was Claudia who rallied the remainder of the solid to embrace the drag queen and present their love for her. Equally, Tess is all the time readily available to help a star after they’ve accomplished an emotional dance, typically after a Couple’s Selection, which all the time sparks loads of tears. Nevertheless, as HELLO! was informed, the altering of the hosts is a “high-risk” second for the present.
What do the consultants suppose?
Dr. Kathryn Stamp, an assistant professor at Coventry College’s Centre for Dance Analysis, can also be looking forward to the present’s future, saying: “By way of the way forward for the present, whereas there have been experiences of declining viewing figures over current years, the viewers for Strictly continues to be robust. It transcends generations and is without doubt one of the few tv reveals that households nonetheless watch reside. Strictly can also be not averse to vary – we’ve got seen modifications to judging lineups, the present’s format and even a change in when the present is aired (the primary collection was in Spring!).
“Whereas this considerably stunning information appears to have shaken the world of UK tv and media, this can be a fab-u-lous alternative for the long run presenting workforce and, as Tess and Claudia talked about of their assertion, they really feel it’s time to ‘go over the baton. The very sparkly baton’. Would possibly we see new presenters from Strictly alumni, who is aware of? However it’s a chance!”
Nevertheless, PR skilled Sophie Rhone, who based Cupid PR after spending ten years within the business, sounded warning on Tess and Claudia’s replacements, saying: “Strictly has weathered many format adjustments through the years, judges, execs, even shifts in tone, however dropping each Tess and Claudia without delay is completely different. They don’t seem to be simply presenters; they’re the emotional anchors of the model. Their chemistry gave the present heat and credibility past the sequins.
“From a model perspective, this can be a second of excessive danger and excessive alternative. The BBC can both use this to reinvent Strictly for a youthful, extra digital viewers, or danger alienating its loyal weekend core. The success of the following hosts will not rely on fame, it’s going to rely on belief. If viewers don’t purchase into the chemistry, the magic goes with it.”
Latest Strictly scandals
The present has been going through extra points over the previous few years. After managing air in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, allegations about bullying behaviour from skilled dancers have began to be raised. Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima have been summarily dropped from the present on account of the scandal, with actress Amanda Abbington even showing on reveals like Newsnight and Channel 4 Information to talk out about her alleged experiences within the coaching room.
These scandals massively overshadowed final yr’s collection, which was meant to be a celebration of the present’s twentieth anniversary, with the line-up for the primary time not attaining a near-perfect gender steadiness; one thing that has carried over into this yr.
Issues received worse when followers observed an uncommon gesture from Wynne Evans in direction of his accomplice, and though this was dismissed as a “joke” by each events, the opera singer later give up the Strictly Stay Tour after allegedly making a lewd remark. This was adopted up by revelations that his co-star, Jamie Borthwick, used an ableist slur backstage, and the actor was subsequently sacked from EastEnders. On prime of that, there’s the continuing query about two stars of the present who had allegedly been utilizing medicine, resulting in a police investigation simply weeks earlier than the most recent collection kicked off.
Nevertheless, the present has weathered loads of scandals earlier than; who remembers the notorious ‘Strictly Curse’, which appears to have light away in recent times. The present appears to return larger and higher most years, it doesn’t matter what is thrown its approach and it nonetheless continues to be one of many BBC’s greatest reveals, with final yr’s collection pulling in a median of 8.21 million viewers, in accordance with knowledge from Barb Audiences Ltd.
Who might change Tess and Claudia?
And having been on-air for 20 years, there have been a number of departures from the present, together with unique presenter Sir Bruce Forsyth and judges like Sir Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, Arlene Phillips, Darcey Bussell and Alesha Dixon. And it is all the time exhausting when a few of our favorite execs, like Pasha Kovalev, Vincent Simone and Janette Manrara, go away the present. Strictly followers are used to an ever-changing pro-dancer swap.
What may be troublesome to swallow this time is that Tess and Claudia are leaving on the similar time. I all the time knew in some unspecified time in the future the pair would wish to go away the present, however I all the time thought it will be staggered as an alternative of each on the similar time, and I feel the present’s survival will totally rely on who they convey in to interchange the pair. With this being a mid-show announcement, BBC bosses have loads of time to screen-test and discover their replacements and it implies that the pair’s departure will not be overshadowing the ultimate, whereas additionally permitting for his or her legacies to be honoured on the present.
© Man Levy / BBCAs for who might match into their sneakers, that’s the query. Early favourites are Janette Manrara and Fleur East, who presently host Strictly’s sister present, It Takes Two. The duo would be capable to defend Tess and Claudia’s legacy of being two girls fronting the most important present on tv and have bounds of expertise with the present, with Janette competing between 2013 and 2020, and Fleur making the finals in 2022.
Different names mooted are Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton, who not solely lifted the Glitterball trophy again in 2018, but additionally discovered love on the dancefloor. Different names within the combine embrace Roman Kemp and Hannah Waddingham, although I personally would like the hosts to be somebody concerned with the Strictly household. Somebody who I feel would do wonderful is Anton Du Beke. Followers liked it when the ballroom dancer lastly grew to become a choose, and it appears the logical subsequent step for him to change into one of many present’s beloved presenters.
© Ken McKay/ITV/ShutterstockAnd that is the place belief will are available in. For viewers like me, all the things about Strictly is magical, and whoever is presenting the present might want to replicate that. Whereas Romesh Ranganathan’s deadpan supply is ideal for The Weakest Hyperlink, it will flop when it got here to Strictly. Changing Tess and Claudia will not be as straightforward as merely choosing a star who might deal with the pressures of one of many greatest present’s on tv, however somebody who will join with a fanbase who’ve been round for many years.
