Dancers Urge Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman to Join Show After Exit Announcement

Strictly Come Dancing professionals are calling for presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman to appear on next year’s show as contestants after they announced their shock exit this week.

The longtime hosts of the BBC ballroom dance show revealed they were leaving after this series as the Traitors star, 53, has landed her own chat show, The Claudia Winkleman Show.

But Australian professional, Julian Caillon, who joined the show this year has revealed his fellow dancers are already rallying for the presenters to return to Strictly as contestants.

He told the Mail on Sunday: ‘We were saying today, they could come back next year as celebrities.’

When asked which he would like to dance with, he replied: ‘Either one, I’d be happy to get a partner,’ hinting at the discontent among several professionals this year that they did not get paired.

This year, Strictly bosses have grown ‘tired and fed up’ of its professional dancers moaning about not being paired with a celebrity.

A source close to the show told the Mail on Sunday: ‘What do they expect? They are never promised a partner, and they know that when they sign up, it’s very irritating that they think it’s okay to come out and have a go at the show, which they know will only cause more controversy.

‘Both of the women had partners last year so it’s not like there is anything sinister going on.’

It comes as Michelle Tsiakkas, who was partnered with the disgraced former EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick last year, spoke out against her employer.

The Cypriot dancer, 30, told her Instagram followers, ‘I don’t have a partner on Strictly this year.

‘To those of you asking how I am. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t gutted, but I think that’s a normal feeling to have.

‘Last year was my first year with a partner, and it made me realise just how much I enjoy the process.

‘I think it’s the most beautiful and rewarding part of the show, and I also feel like last year was the first time you all started to get to know me better as well.’

Also breaking ranks was the professional dancer, Nancy Xu, who also shared her ‘disappointment’ at being ‘left out’ after she had been partnered most years with the likes of Les Dennis, Shayne Ward, Will Mellor and Rhys Stephenson.

The 34-year-old, who has been dancing on the show for six years, said: ‘It does upset me and I do feel disappointed, coming from China and arriving in this country, all I wanted is to achieve my dream and Strictly has given me such a big platform to allow me to show my skills and to show my talents, so of course this year, I feel, left out.’

She insisted that she will remain a part of the show and will be in the studio every weekend to cheer on her fellow pros.

‘I’m good, because I’m still part of the show and this year you’ll probably hear my voice more than ever, because I’ll give all my energies to support all my strictly families.’

She signed off with the BBC show’s catchphrase: ‘Keeeep dancing.’

The candid post was flooded with comments from Nancy’s fans and her Strictly co-stars with fellow pro Vito Coppola writing: ‘You are never alone, we are always together. Thank you for supporting us and for being the rarest friend that everyone would want in their life.’

Amy Dowden added: ‘your are superstar, a beautiful dancer and so loved.’

One fan of the show voiced their frustration that bosses had paired two new  professional dancers, Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon, with partners, but left out veterans like Nancy.

One of the first stars ever to break ranks and speak out against the broadcaster was the Russian dancer, Nadiya Bychkova, two years ago, when she wrote, ‘I’m disappointed not to be partnered with a celebrity on BBC Strictly this series.’

Tess and Claudia’s surprise departure was confirmed on Thursday morning on their respective social media platforms, which both included a video of the pair announcing their decision to step down. 

Speaking to the camera, Claudia began: ‘There have been some rumblings and we want you to hear this from us.’

Tess chimed in: ‘We have news, after 21 wonderfully joyful years on Strictly, we have decided that the time is right to step aside and pass over the baton.’

‘The very sparkly baton!’ Claudia laughed, before turning to her co-star and pal to add: ‘You’ve been here since the beginning.’

Tess replied, pointing to Claudia: ‘With Bruce, lovely Bruce [Forsyth], and that was over two decades ago but a lot of the time has been with you. 

‘It’s been a huge part of our lives since our children were literally babes in arms, and now they’re adults, and I think genuinely we have cherished every second.’

Claudia continued: ‘We have, we’re so lucky to have been part of this amazing show and we just want to thank the Strictly team, because Strictly is the people who make it.’ 

The duo penned under the video: ‘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.’

‘It’s hard to put it into words what this show has meant to me, so here goes…

‘Strictly has been more than just a television programme, it’s felt like having a third child, a second family, and a huge part of my life since that first show back in 2004.

‘I knew then it was something special, but I could never have imagined the magic it would bring.’