Strictly legend reveals Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman's 'replacement' hours before show
EXCLUSIVE: Strictly Come Dancing hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will bid farewell at the end of the Christmas special as the pair step down from the BBC show.
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman's replacements have been a hot topic after it was announced that they will be leaving the hit show at the conclusion of its current series. Bookmakers have thrown several famous faces into the mix, from The Chase host Bradley Walsh to The One Show presenter Alex Jones. A former Strictly Come Dancing legend has since weighed in on the speculation as he shared who could potentially take over Tess and Claudia's roles in a surprise admission.
Vincent Simone took part in Strictly from 2006 until his departure in 2012. Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk on behalf of Paddy Power, he addressed the stars who could fill the shoes of both legendary BBC presenters. The 46-year-old admitted he would prefer to see someone from the "old-school era", much like original Strictly presenter Bruce Forsyth.
“There are many options on the next host but I’m old school. I like the Bruce‑era balance - a slightly more mature male host with a female personality," he explained.
Vincent admitted he would not mind seeing Tess being replaced by her husband Vernon Kay in a shock admission.
He commented: "Claudia is brilliant and so friendly, so she’ll be very hard to replace.
"Tess Daly being replaced by her husband, Vernon Kay, alongside a strong personality such as Zoe Ball, could work well."
While there's no word Vernon could be taking the reins, former It Takes Two presenter, Zoe, has hinted at taking over the role.
The presenter, 54, made the admission on her Dig It podcast with fellow broadcaster Jo Whiley, reacting to the shock news that Tess, 56, and Claudia, 53, will step down after more than a decade hosting together.
But when Jo asked her directly: “Would you like to do it?”
Zoe admitted: “I think everyone would like to do that job. It's an amazing job. It's the best Saturday night show.
She added: “Everyone's going to want that job. There will be queues going around the block.”
Zoe's comments make her the first high-profile contender to express interest in fronting the BBC’s flagship entertainment show following Tess and Claudia's exit announcement.
