Following her Strictly Come Dancing departure, Tess Daly could make a major comeback on a rival network.

Strictly Come Dancing icon Tess Daly bid an emotional farewell to viewers on Saturday (December 20), after she and co-host Claudia Winkleman fronted their final-ever live show of the star-studded BBC competition series. Tess, who joined the series during its first episode in 2004, initially hosted alongside the late Bruce Forsyth before he stepped down and was replaced by Claudia in 2014. The pair have remained a beloved duo, as viewers were also brought to tears watching the series 23 final.

This came after Tess and Claudia shocked the nation by announcing their joint resignation in a statement in October. Although confirmation of their replacement remains unknown, bookmakers are certain Tess will remain on screens but instead present on a rival network. According to punters via Poker Scout, the 56-year-old will swap the glitzy dance-floor for ITV’s famous This Morning sofa alongside her famous husband, Vernon Kay.

Claudia and Tess hosted their final live Strictly show (Image: BBC)

A spokesperson for Poker Scout said: “Tess Daly and Vernon Kay are one of British television’s most popular couples, and it’s no surprise to see them emerge as strong contenders to present This Morning.

“They’re currently priced at 2/1 to take on hosting duties, and with Tess’s live TV pedigree and Vernon’s versatility as a presenter, they have all the ingredients to become ITV’s next iconic daytime duo.”

While Tess is most famous for presenting Strictly, she previously presented shows such as Get Your Kit Off, Singled Out, Smash Hits TV, SMTV Live, Back To Reality, Home On Their Own and the first series of Make Me a Supermodel.

Vernon has also fronted screens since 2000, when he got his start on Channel 4’s T4, until 2005. Between ITV and BBC, he also presented All-Star Family Fortunes, Just the Two of Us, Beat the Star, The Whole 19 Yards, Splash!, and 1000 Heartbeats.

Tess Daly and Vernon Kay could present ITV’s This Morning (Image: Getty)

The couple, who have been married for 22 years and share two daughters together, could be among the plethora of new presenters who joined This Morning’s line-up this year.

Following the departures of Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby in 2023, ITV named Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley as the talk show’s permanent replacements last year.

They front the show from Monday to Thursday, while Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary take over on Fridays.

If this is confirmed, Tess and Vernon won’t be the only husband and wife duo to present This Morning, as Richard Madeley and his wife Judy Finnigan were the faces of the programme for its first 13 years.

The former couple, Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, took on the Friday episodes for a staggering 14 years before bosses made a controversial move to reduce their duties in 2020.