Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman 'blindsided' BBC bosses with Strictly exit

The pair, who have co-hosted the show for 12 years, announced there departure from the programme in a joint video on Wednesday.

Their announcement has shocked many at the Corporation, with reports suggesting that only a handful of people knew of their intentions to leave.

The exit video, released in the midst of series 23, was reportedly filmed in secret and published this week to avoid overshadowing the eventual winner.

Winkleman and Daly agreed to quit the flagship BBC programme after a "series of heart-to-heart chats" over the course of the last year, it is claimed.

A source told the Sun: "Claudia and Tess have known they were leaving Strictly since last year. They felt like it was their time to go.

"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."

Daly, 56, and Claudia, 53, are believed to have broken the news to the Beeb during a meeting in November between bosses and talent.

These talks are held at the same time every year so the relevant parties can discuss the following year’s show.

The presenters' last show will now be on Christmas Day.

Daly has presented Strictly since the first series 21 years ago, while Winkleman joined in 2014 having presented sister show It Takes Two.

In a statement shared on Instagram Tess Daly said after 21 "unforgettable" years, the time has come to say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing.

She said: "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."

Winkleman also took to social media to share her appreciation for the show and her co-host.

She wrote: "It’s very difficult to put into words exactly what Strictly has meant to me. It’s been the greatest relationship of my career.

"Strictly is a magical, glittery, fake tanned train and it’s been a privilege to be a tiny part of it. The extraordinary talent of the dancers, the band, the hair and makeup and costume teams, the unbelievable production crew and creatives - all utterly amazing."