Claudia Winkleman of Strictly Come Dancing recently shared her candid thoughts on her journey with the popular BBC show before revealing her departure. She initially joined Strictly’s spin-off series It Takes Two in 2004 and later co-hosted the Sunday results show with Tess Daly.

Transitioning to Saturday evenings in 2014, she took on a more prominent role alongside Tess Daly following Sir Bruce Forsyth’s exit from the series. In a podcast appearance last year with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett, Claudia praised the show, highlighting its predominantly female-run production team and the strong bond among the staff.

Aside from Strictly, Claudia is a familiar face on British television, having appeared on programs such as Channel 4’s The Piano and BBC’s The Great British Sewing Bee. Her latest project includes hosting the successful BBC game show The Traitors, with the celebrity edition recently premiering.

Today, both Claudia and Tess shocked Strictly fans by announcing their departure from the show after a successful 15-year partnership. In an Instagram video, they expressed gratitude to the BBC and the show’s team, emphasizing their cherished experience. They mentioned missing the team and the emotional final moments on set, while hinting at continuing their inside jokes at home in a relaxed setting.

Strictly Come Dancing is scheduled to return on Saturday evening, October 25th, at 6:25 p.m. on BBC One.