Strictly Come Dancing staples Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly have now left the show

Following their tear-jerking last live show earlier this month, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have now bid farewell to Strictly Come Dancing for good, following this year’s pre-recorded Christmas Day special.

Tess had been with Strictly since its inception in 2004, with Claudia joining on a permanent basis a decade later, taking over presenting duties from the late Sir Bruce Forsyth.

At the time, the duo made history as the first female presenting team to present a primetime show together, and there’s no denying that fans of the long-running BBC dance show are going to miss what each of them had to bring to the table on those wintery Saturday nights.

But, with Tess and Claudia having now left the ballroom for good, people are now looking to the future, and speculating over exactly who could be brought in to fill their shoes.

Rumours are already rife, with The Sun most recently publishing a list of names supposedly doing “chemistry tests” with the aim of landing the coveted Strictly role.

Here’s a quick round-up of everyone who’s been rumoured for the gig so far…

Bradley Walsh

Even before The Sun published its list of the supposed “golden ten” stars supposedly in consideration for the Strictly gig, Bradley Walsh was named in the press as a top pick to take over at the helm of the dance show.

Currently known for his work at the helm of The Chase, Gladiators and Blankety Blank, the tabloid reported in November that Bradley was being “lined up” by higher-ups at the BBC to take over from Tess and Claudia, as part of an apparent “revamp” for the show.

Appearing to cast doubt on the rumours, he later told Radio 2: “I think it’s a big old commitment, I really do. It’s a few Fridays and Saturdays.”

However, he conceded that it would be a “great gig” on a “great show”.

Alex Jones

At the time Bradey’s name was first mentioned as a possible Strictly host, The One Show host

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