Strictly Come Dancing plays funny prank on Claudia Winkleman as she exits show
Strictly Come Dancing plays funny prank on Claudia Winkleman as she exits show
The Strictly Come Dancing dancers and judges played a funny prank on Claudia Winkleman during her final live show by dressing up as her doppelgangers, clad in black-fringed wigs and thick eyeliner.
As Winkleman declared voting open during Saturday night’s finale (20 December), she was shocked to see the professional dancers appear in black wigs, while a camera panned to the judges’ table, where Craig Revel Horwood wore a messy matching wig.
Winkleman has become known for her signature hairstyle and gothic makeup, which has taken centre stage as she’s dominated the BBC’s primetime shows Strictly and The Traitors.
Emotions were high during the 2025 grand final, in which Winkleman and her presenting partner Tess Daly delivered their last final after working on the programme for over two decades.
The presenters jointly announced in autumn that they were leaving the programme because it “feels like the right time”. Their last episode will be the pre-recorded Christmas special on 25 December.
Daly has presented since the first series 21 years ago. Winkleman joined in 2014, having hosted Strictly’s sister show It Takes Two since 2004.
Since the announcement was made, speculation has been rife as to who could step into the hosts’ shoes, and who could possibly live up to the brilliant combination of Daly’s poised elegance and Winkleman’s joyful sense of chaos.
Judge Craig Revel Horwood channelling his inner Claudia Winkleman (BBC)
‘Strictly’ pros surprise Claudia with funny tribute (BBC)
Rumoured names to replace them include Zoe Ball, Alison Hammond, Paddy McGuinness, Rylan Clark, Stacey Dooley, Janette Manrara and Fleur East.
On Friday, Daly’s husband Vernon Kay paid tribute to his wife on his BBC Radio 2 show, saying: “It’s Tess’s last Strictly on Saturday and I can’t say too much because I’m going to get really emotional, but it’s been an amazing 21 years.
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“She has been at the helm of that show with Bruce [Forsyth, who died in 2017 after co-hosting between 2004 to 2013] and with Claudia and it’s been nothing but raucous fun. It’s been the favourite show of the nation for so long since it started and it’s seen our two kids arrive through the show as well.
“Phoebe was in the belly during the first series and now she’s 21. She’s gonna be in the audience for the last show.”
Of watching the final, he said: “I’ll try and hide my tears but I think that’s gonna be virtually impossible from start to finish. Twenty one years it’s been in our family it’s bonkers, it really is.”