Strictly Come Dancing’s Tess Daly will return to the ballroom this year for another series of the hit BBC dancing show. Although it feels like we have only just said goodbye to the 2024 contestants, a fresh batch of celebrities will set foot in the ballroom in just a few months time.
Claudia Winkleman will return as host alongside Tess, with Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, Anton DuBeke and Motsi Mabuse on the judging panel. Tess first appeared on Strictly in 2004 with the late Sir Bruce Forsyth.
The TV star has opened up about losing her dad the year before she landed the role. The 56-year-old is heartbroken that she is unable to celebrate her successful career with her late dad.
Last month, Tess was awarded an MBE for her services to broadcasting. At the time, she said it had been the “greatest surprise of my life”.
Speaking to Fearne Cotton, 43, on the latest episode of the Happy Place podcast, she said: “I wish my dad could know about this because I sadly lost him many years ago, about 22 years ago, before I even had kids.
“So he never saw me on Strictly. He loved Bruce. He loved ballroom dancing. He’d have loved that moment. And there are certain things that you wish could have happened, and I would have loved him to have sort of known that this had happened because that would have meant the world.”
Tess is married to Vernon Kay and has daughters Phoebe, 20, and Amber, 16, with the 51-year-old radio presenter. The couple met in 2001 and tied the knot in 2003.
They met at a time when they were both starting their TV careers and grew closer when they were tasked with recreating a Britney Spears video together.
Tess has shared that she has not fully taken in being given an MBE. She said: “I haven’t sort of looked back and thought, ‘Oh, it’s for this.’ It’s an incredible honour.
“And I haven’t really taken it in yet. I suppose when I actually get to hold the medal, wear it and have it pinned to me, that’s going to be when it really sinks in.”
Tess’ co-presenter Claudia Winkleman, who replaced Sir Bruce when he died in 2017 aged 89, has also been appointed an MBE for services to broadcasting.
Tess said being named in King Charles’ Birthday Honours List in June trumps everything she had achieved in her life. She shared: “It’s a wonderful honour to receive, and it’s like the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Tess, who lives in Buckinghamshire, recently admitted she almost lost out on accepting her MBE after her letter got sent to the wrong address. According to BBC News, she said: “This genuinely came as the greatest surprise of my life.
“I don’t think I’ve come back down to earth yet. I didn’t see it coming, and it almost didn’t happen, because the letter went to the wrong address.
“And thank goodness, someone very kind found me. And so by the time I got it, I only had, I think it was two or three days left to accept it. There’s a deadline of acceptance. I can’t imagine not ever wanting to accept such a wonderful award, but of course I did.”