“If someone's in tears or they're leaving the show, it's hard not being able to physically reach out. But Strictly' is such a celebratory, feel-good show, full of warmth and sparkle and joy, I felt lucky to be a part of something that people were appreciating on a whole other level because they were stuck at home.”

English television presenter and former model

Tess Daly is an English television presenter and former model. She is best known for co-presenting the BBC One dance competition Strictly Come Dancing from 2004 to 2025. She announced in October 2025 that she would leave the programme after 21 years, at the end of the current series and after the Christmas Special was recorded. Her public profile is closely tied to long-running work in television presenting, especially on entertainment and live competition formats.