Strictly’s Tess Daly fights tears after message from Vernon Kay days before exit

Tess will be stopping presenting the BBC dancing competition for the final time with Claudia Winkleman at the live final

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Tess Daly appeared on The One Show ahead of her Strictly exit(Image: BBC )

Strictly Come Dancing star Tess Daly had to fight tears after receiving a surprise message from her husband Vernon Kay just days before her exit from the BBC dancing competition.

On Saturday night (December 20) Tess and Claudia Winkleman will mark their final time presenting the main Strictly show together after they announced their departures in October. No replacement for the duo have been revealed as the likes of Holly Willoughby, Bradley Walsh and Alison Hammond have been linked to the roles.

Announcing their exit news, Tess and Claudia said in a joint statement at the time: “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.”

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However, Tess and Claudia’s final Strictly outing will arrive on Christmas Day for the annual pre-recorded Christmas special. Taking part on it this year is Gogglebox’s Scarlett Moffatt, All Saints singer Melanie Blatt, Gladiator Jodie Ounsley, EastEnders actor Nicholas Bailey, comedian Babatunde Aléshé and Westlife’s Brian McFadden.

On Wednesday evening (December 17), Tess appeared on The One Show to speak to Alex Jones and Clara Amfo about how she feels to be leaving the programme she’s been a part of since its debut year all the way back in 2004, when she was joined by the late Bruce Forsyth

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Vernon Kay paid tribute to his wife Tess Daly on The One Show(Image: BBC)

“It was so special, I was pinching myself to even be in the same room with him, I could barely make eye contact, I was so intimidated by this legend that I grew up watching on telly. To work with him was so special because he was generous.

“He’d share his stories and teach me about live television, he’d say ‘don’t worry darling, they’ll forgive you, it’s live telly, just embrace it’. He was just so kind, wise and wonderful to work with,” she noted.

Having her say on Claudia, Tess stated: “We’re on the Christmas Day show, but we pre-recorded it. We’ll both be thinking about that moment [the final link]. It can be mayhem when you’re finding out who’s the winner…

“It’s about them, but if I catch Claudia’s eye I might go because it’s the last time. I love to bits and we had the best time. It’s just been wonderful.”

Alex then revealed that Claudia sent in a special message for Tess, in it she said: “What do I love most about working with you, everything. We laugh, you just have my back and I’m so lucky I got to work on the best Saturday night show with you. You’re my friend for life. I will be less orange, but we will still be together.”

Already feeling emotional by Claudia’s video, Alex went on to reveal that Tess’ husband Vernon had also sent in a message. Prior to playing it, Alex teased that he was ‘very hard to track down’.

“21 years as the host of Strictly Come Dancing. It’s been quite the ride. We started off with Sir Bruce Forsyth and we finished with Claudia Winkleman MBE. It’s given us so much joy and two kids, let’s not forget that.

“Congratulations on everything you’ve done on the show. You really have embedded yourself in the hearts of the nation. There have been some spectacular moments, you have been an absolute joy. It does genuinely feel like we’re losing a very, very close friend. I have no doubt that you and I will keep dancing,” Vernon said.

Becoming teary-eyed, Tess proceeded to explain how her and Vernon’s relationship has changed in the two decades she’s hosted Strictly. Their first child Phoebe was born in 2004, the year Strictly started, while Amber was welcomed into the world in 2009.

“It’s all they’ve known their whole life. It has been like another family, over a third of the year they’ve lost me to Strictly for the weekend. They haven’t minded because they’ve loved the show and they feel like they’re a part of it…

“It will be different for them too, it’s all they’ve ever known. They’re excited to come along and see it, it will be special having them there. It will be a full circle moment for me because I was pregnant in series one and here we are in the final together. If I catch Phoebe’s eye, I’m going to go. It will be quite emotional because they’ve been part of it,” she said.