Claudia Winkleman appears to hint that Strictly replacements have already been decided

Strictly Come Dancing host Claudia Winkleman appeared to hint that she knows the identity of her and Tess Daly’s replacement, as she promised that the show’s new presenters will take the programme “to new heights”.

Daly, 56, has hosted the show for 21 years while Winkleman, 53, joined as co-presenter on the main programme in 2014, having previously hosted the Sunday night results show. They announced today (23 October) that they are stepping down after the end of the current series.

“I’ve always believed it’s best to leave a party before you’re fully ready to go and I know the new hosts will be magnificent,” Winkleman wrote in a statement announcing her departure.

She added: “I look forward to watching them take Strictly to new heights.”

The BBC are yet to confirm who will take over Winkleman and Daly’s roles as hosts of the long-running show. However, the bookies have already shared their predictions on likely replacements.

According to Coral bookmakers, Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball is the 2/1 favourite. The broadcaster previously hosted the show’s companion programme It Takes Two from 2011 to 2021.

Current It Takes Two presenter Jannette Manrara, who was a Strictly pro dancer from 2013 to 2021 is backed 3/1. Meanwhile, her co-host Fleur East, who has been on the show since 2022, is 4/1.

Additionally, former X Factor contestant and broadcaster Rylan Clark, who also hosted It Takes Two from 2019 to 2022, is 5/1.

Elsewhere, Ladbrokes put journalist Stacey Dooley, who won Strictly alongside her now-husband Kevin Clifton in 2018, as 4/1.

However, the bookmakers named Capital FM breakfast host and The One Show presenter Roman Kemp, 32, as the early favourite to take over fronting Strictly, with 6/4 odds.

Winkleman and Daly will continue to front Strictly until the end of this year’s series, which is the 23rd season of the programme. It will conclude on Saturday, 20 December.

“We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream,” the pair said in a statement. “We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time.”

You can follow The Independent’s Strictly Come Dancing live blog for all the latest updates here.