Tess and Claudia leaving strictly!

[TheKeeperofBooks]

What!!! Is this true? Who will take over? I'm shocked!

The personalities of presenters are extremely important. They can draw people in/turn people off really quickly. There are shows I would never watch due to the host, or where someone I like has been replaced and that is it for me.

Exactly. I stopped watching another programme when Stacey Dooley was presenting, so if she took over Strictly it'd be the end for me.

Someone like Tess is so bland that I doubt anybody watches or doesn't watch because of her, but if you want someone with personality then you need to choose carefully.

I think that Tess has done well. The late Bruce Forsyth made it all about him sometimes ( as the older more experienced presenter etc) but Tess seems happy to share with Claudia and seems to get on with people and doesn’t overshadow them.

There might be an element of relief as Claudia is clearly much better at presenting than Tess. IMO.

To be honest i think the show's reached end of life anyway. I watched and loved it for years but not felt compelled to watch it the past couple of years. I just find it too glittery and the same format every year has just worn a bit thin. I prefer to watch a movie, or something on Netflix now. My 96 year old mother will be devastated though

I would like Ryland (and his Mum)! 🤣

I voted for Rylan as well!

Please NOT Rylan

Zoe Ball yes, Rylan no. I like Rylan but he has a tendency to be smutty (so definitely no to him and Rob Rinder together), even on his Saturday afternoon R2 show and that's not the vibe for a family audience. Stacey Dooley would be good with Zoe I think.

In my opinion a big NO to names I've seen thrown about - Amanda Holden, Rylan Clark, Holly Willoughby, Alison Hammond.

Stacey Dooley would be terrible.

His mum perhaps but not him. Dear God not him.

I could care less (as the Americans say)
in Scotland... I don't give a feck.

I think it is just too big a gig for anyone without significant experience- it’s a live show, huge amount of production and myriad opportunities for things to go wrong. Tess gets slated a lot but I am sure there is an element of being a ‘ringmaster’ to her role, keeping calm amongst the chaos.

Please no Amanda Holden, Holly Willoughby, Hannah Waddingham, Janette, Fleur, Clare Balding, AJ Odudu or Oti.

@TheKeeperofBooks It has run It's course. I think they are making a smart decision. I've stopped watching it.

I don't think it's "run its course" at all. It's really popular. But some things need to change, the over the topness of the judges (the wooooh stuff with 10s) and low rent contestants for starters.

Yet you care enough to read this thread and comment? Bored because you can't sleep?

Please also add Alison Hammond to the NO list!

Yes, I see Tess more as the ‘Chair’, chairing the meeting rather than providing entertainment.

It is a real skill.

Can't bear either of them, it's tired now and too camp and stupid for words. I feel sorry for the professional dancers who work so hard with the (majority) z-list unknowns and has-beens they get these days.

Please no Maya Jama

Neal Sean is often more accurate and based in reality rather than, let's say, the happy-clappy official nonsense:

If true, then like most things in life, follow the money for the truth.

I once got tickets for a Strictly live show. Tess's job is a lot more difficult than it looks on screen.If they replace her and Claudia with screechers like Alison Hammond or A J Odudo that will be the end for me. I'm hoping it won't be Alan Carr or another comedian who wants to make it all about them either.

And yet nobody has mentioned Cynthia Erivo?! She would be perfect, she has the perfect balance of everything a presenter needs. So my choice would be her in the Tess role and Zoe Ball in the Claudia role!
I did wonder if something was afoot when Cynthia appeared on the show the other week. It was all a bit out of the blue. And after I'd seen her and heard her comments I wanted her to be on every week! I don't know why anyone is suggesting the likes of Alison Hammond, Rylan Clarke, Graham Norton, Alan Carr, Alexander Armstrong (blood sport enthusiast he is) Dreary O'Leary or the myriad other vacuous and not particularly entertaining "celebrities"! I use the word celebrities loosely.
They all have their slots - Mel and Sue, fabulous on GBBO, would not fit into hosting Strictly! (Let's face it, Mel is one step away from being a childrens TV presenter! She has a weird delivery for anything but GBBO!)
Strictly needs someone classy if it is going to keep running.