Strictly’s Claudia Winkleman reveals clash with Tess Daly on show

Strictly Come Dancing stars Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have been presenting the show together for over 10 years - but there's just one thing that they disagree on

Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, the iconic Strictly Come Dancing hosts, have graced our BBC screens together for a decade, following Claudia taking over from the legendary Bruce Forsyth in 2013. Known as TV's dream team, Claudia and Tess recently opened up about their significant difference of opinion during their time on the hit show.

The much-loved presenters promised each other they would leave Strictly as a unit when the time comes, with Claudia declaring back in 2019: "We've made that pact over pizza. We'll go together, whenever they're done with us." It turns out it's actually their pizza preferences that spark the most debate. In a recent heart-to-heart, Claudia confessed: "My favourite game is trying to persuade Tess that pineapple doesn't belong on a pizza."

Yet despite their culinary clashes, Claudia affirmed she feels more at home hosting with Tess than alone despite finding success solo on programmes like The Traitors and The Piano. Speaking about her pre-show jitters, Claudia explained: "I get really, properly vomit-inducing nervous before each show it's the responsibility, the idea that I could mess it up that scares me. Tess is the person who looks after me and helps me," adding praise for her co-star, "She is warm, funny, so beautiful, but such a strong creature."

"I don't like doing things by myself, I like sharing. I love standing next to Tess. I don't want to do anything by myself, it makes me deeply uncomfortable." The bond between Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, co-hosts of Strictly Come Dancing, has only grown stronger over time, despite rumours of a feud. In the early days of their partnership, journalist Jane Graham wrote in the Belfast Telegraph: "I wasn't in the least bit surprised to read this week that Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman - co-hosts on the now-Bruceless Sunday edition of this year's Strictly Come Dancing - secretly despise each other. I'm convinced that Winkleman wouldn't have got the job if someone in the Strictly camp hadn't come up with the idea.

She added: "Because when it comes to selling anything right now - films, TV shows, pop music or newspapers - nothing guarantees exposure like a feud between two glamorous, high profile women," as reported by the Express. In other news, Claudia recently confessed on BBC Women's Hour that she almost left Strictly due to a scheduling conflict with her eldest son Jake's university move-in date. She emotionally recalled: "I phoned the boss of Strictly quite dramatically and said, through tears, 'Sarah, I love you.'

"'I don't want to leave Strictly and Tess [Daly] and I have agreed we will leave together when they're done with us, but if the first show is September 13, I'm out and you'll have to go with somebody else'". Luckily, Strictly was not scheduled to start that week.

Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday nights on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Celebrating 20 years of Strictly Come Dancing

• In this special commemorative edition of OK!, we celebrate two glorious decades of one of the nation's favourite TV shows
• As the new series kicks off, we look back at the winners who have danced their way to the top of Britain's sparkliest dance competition and remember the iconic performances that have provided moments of joy, tears and laughter
• We also pay tribute to Strictly's hosts, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, the hard-working professional dancers and, of course, legendary judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton du Beke

Click here to purchase your edition for £9.99.