Real reason for Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman's Strictly exits as pair made pact

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Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman agreed to step down from Strictly Come Dancing nearly a year ago, according to reports.

The TV duo announced the shock news with a joint video on Instagram on Thursday morning.

It is understood Tess and Claudia secretly filmed the video a number of weeks ago and decided to release it in the middle of the current season, so as not to take away from this year's winner.

Their last show at the helm will be on Christmas Day for the annual festive special.

"Claudia and Tess have known they were leaving Strictly since last year. They felt like it was their time to go," an insider told The Sun.

"They discussed this privately and agreed they would walk away together, but kept it firmly under wraps.

"Claudia and Tess then told the BBC they would be signing a one-year deal and then calling it quits.

"It’s incredible they've managed to keep it a secret for so long. Only the top brass at the BBC knew, along with their immediate family.

"Strictly has been an incredible journey for them both and they have loved every second."

In a joint statement, the BBC stars wrote: "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.

Tess & Claud."

Tess, who has been on the show for 21 years since it started with Sir Bruce Forsyth, also released a lengthy statement of her own, which read: "After 21 unforgettable years, the time has come to say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing. It's hard to put it into words what this show has meant to me, so here goes.

"Strictly has been more than just a television programme. It's felt like having a third child, a second family, and a huge part of my life since that very first show back in 2004. I knew then it was something special, but I could never have imagined the magic it would bring.

"Strictly has always been about joy, celebration, and bringing people together – and I'm so proud to have played a small part in something that continues to mean so much to so many.

"From that very first series, I had the great honour of standing alongside the incomparable Sir Bruce Forsyth. Brucie set the tone for everything that Strictly became: warmth, with, connection and pure showbiz magic.

"I have always been in awe of our superbly talented professional dancers, our magnificent judges, and all the celebrities who have taken part. I absolutely adore out brilliant crew – every single member of the Strictly team who have worked so tirelessly to make this show what it is. You are the very best in the business – the kindest, most fun, most loyal, and definitely the hardest-working team in television."