Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have confirmed their joint exit from Strictly Come Dancing, according to major media reports. Three professional dancers—Gorka Marquez, Michelle Tsiakkas, and Luba Mushtuk—have also been axed ahead of the new series, multiple reports indicate. Graziano di Prima left the show earlier over abuse allegations.
Among the departing professionals, Gorka Marquez has been a judge on the Spanish version of Strictly, Bailando con las Estrellas. Nadiya Bychkova, who never made the final in her eight years on the show, is reportedly 'distraught' by her exit, according to major media. Gorka Marquez was reportedly benched in 2019 because he 'wasn't tall enough' for the female celebrities, some argue.
Historically, Tess Daly and Sir Bruce Forsyth were a presenting duo on Strictly Come Dancing for 10 years until his retirement in 2014. Claudia Winkleman was drafted in as a presenter after Sir Bruce Forsyth's retirement. Daly and Winkleman were the first female presenting duo on prime-time TV.
In broader context, Strictly Come Dancing got two new professional dancers last year, and more than 60 professional dancers have appeared on the show since 2004. The mass exodus of professional dancers from Strictly Come Dancing feels particularly unjustified and cruel, according to some opinions in major media. The BBC has not yet announced who will replace Daly and Winkleman as hosts, and it remains unclear how many professional dancers will remain on the show after these exits or what impact the changes will have on the upcoming series.