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One Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer says she and her colleagues were "shocked" after it was announced Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman were quitting the show. Tess and Claudia will bow out of the BBC programme at the end of the current series. Tess has presented the reality show since it began in 2004. Claudia has been on the show since 2010 while she has fronted the main edition since the legendary Sir Bruce Forsyth stepped down in 2014. According to professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova, who was paired with former rugby star Chris Robshaw before they were eliminated last weekend, said the pros were "all shocked" by the Strictly bombshell. She told the Daily Mail's Richard Eden: "We all were shocked. There are always rumours swirling around Strictly, but this is big news. "They've become such an iconic duo, and I have so much respect for both of them. I'll really miss their energy and kindness. "Referring to the area of the studio where contestants are interviewed, Nadiya adds: 'I've had so many laughs with Claudia up in the Clauditorium, too." Tess, 56, and Claudia, 53, released a joint statement on Thursday (October 23) as they announced they would be leaving Strictly. It was always assumed when one left the show, the other would go with her. The statement read: "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." Tributes flooded in for the pair, including from former contestants Helen Skelton, Zoe Ball and Ann Widdecombe, and judge Motsi Mabuse. It comes as Claudia revealed she and Tess hatched a plot to quit Strictly while they were still at the top. She said they made the plan years ago. She refuted the idea that fans wanted her to stay forever, saying: "I don't think anybody would want that. "I am sure people watching would go ‘Can that small orange creature just shuffle off?’ Tess and I will leave at the same time. We made that pact over pizza. I had pepperoni.” Since joining Strictly, Claudia's star has risen higher as presenter of hit show The Traitors, which earned her a first BAFTA in 2023. Catch Tess and Claudia in their first show since their announcement tonight (Saturday, October 26) at 6.25pm on BBC One.
