Tess Daly was left in tears after surprise move from Strictly judges

Tess Daly was left in tears after a surprise move from the Strictly judges.

Tess Daly’s long farewell to Strictly Come Dancing took an emotional turn during filming (Image: BBC)

Tess Daly’s long farewell to Strictly Come Dancing took an emotional turn during filming of the show’s Christmas special, after the presenter found herself unexpectedly stepping onto the dancefloor – and wiping away tears moments later. The 56-year-old, who is bowing out of the BBC hit alongside co-host Claudia Winkleman, was visibly moved as the pair recorded what will be their final festive show together. Audience members at Elstree Studios said the atmosphere shifted the moment the judges surprised Tess by inviting her to perform her favourite routine with professional dancer Aljaž Škorjanec.

It marked her first time dancing on the programme since 2008, when she appeared in a Children in Need special with Anton du Beke. One audience member said there was “a whole lot of emotion” in the room as Tess and Claudia prepared to close the show. They added: “Tess and Claudia looked pretty choked as they grabbed hold of each other’s hands and said that this was the final time they were ever going to say ‘keeeeeep dancing’.

Tess is bowing out of the BBC hit alongside co-host Claudia Winkleman (Image: BBC)

“They were fighting hard to hold it together but it was clear they were saying that iconic catchphrase with more emotion than ever before.

“Tess was wiping away tears afterwards. She managed to do it in between takes so on screen, she will look fine. But the audience knew – it all felt incredibly emotional. We were stamping and cheering and gave them a standing ovation at the end.”

Tess, who has fronted the programme since its launch in 2004, looked stunned when she realised she was about to be pulled into an Argentine Tango. But viewers will see that she was more prepared than anyone realised.

“Tess was fabulous – Aljaž must have taught her how to do it, and she followed his instructions perfectly,” the insider said. “It felt like a real treat to see something so rare. What a way to kick off their long goodbye.”

Claudia didn’t leave empty-handed either, with pro dancer Dianne Buswell presenting her with a box of mince pies as a festive parting gift.

The duo announced last month that they would be leaving Strictly, having made a pact years ago that neither would continue without the other. BBC bosses are set to begin the search for their replacements in the New Year.

This year’s Christmas line-up includes Scarlett Moffatt, Melanie Blatt, Jodie Ounsley, Nicholas Bailey, Babatunde Aleshe and Brian McFadden.

As usual, the special was pre-recorded, with studio audiences voting for the winner on the night. The Mirror is not naming the victorious couple, though insiders say the result has already caused uproar among fans after leaking online.

The festive show ends with a full-cast performance of Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You — a moment that reportedly left some audience members emotional too. “It felt like the end of an era,” one insider said.

Tess and Claudia will face an even tougher goodbye during the live final on Saturday, 20 December, where they have vowed not to cry. The champion will be one of George Clarke, Amber Davies, Karen Carney or Balvinder Sopal.