Claudia Winkleman And Tess Daly Complete Comic Relief Danceton, Raising Over £750k

The Strictly hosts admitted fronting the next series might now be a bit triggering.

Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly have vowed never to dance again after completing a 24-hour (and five minute) danceathon for Comic Relief.

The Strictly Come Dancing hosts raised £782,686 for the charity, having danced non-stop in the longest danceathon in Red Nose Day history.

Open Image Modal
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman undertook the Comic Relief danceathon
BBC

Tess and Claud completed the challenge just after 7pm on Tuesday night, with Claudia even joking she didn’t want to host the next series of Strictly as it would be too triggering. 

Speaking to Alex Jones as the danceathon came to an end live on The One Show and Radio 2, she said: “The listeners have been amazing and all the presenters have looked after us amazingly.

“We never want to dance again. Oh, I’m not doing Strictly, that’s a ridiculous idea. I don’t like movement.”

Tess could only utter the words, “ah, my feet” as she sat down on the studio floor.

She did, however, post a celebratory selfie on Instagram, writing: “Can’t walk upstairs to the hot bath my legs are so stiff; but SO proud that you helped us to raise over £780,000 for @rednoseday charities.”

 

Claudia added on her own page: “Thank you so every single person who donated. We’re blown away.”

 

The Strictly presenters hit the dancefloor at 7.15pm on Monday to Beyonce’s Crazy In Love and finished at 7.20pm on Tuesday to the sound of Survivor by Destiny’s Child.

During the challenge, they were joined by a host of famous faces who popped in to the Radio 2 studios to support them.

News presenter Jon Snow stopped by for an impromptu dance to Madonna, former Strictly star Ed Balls and his partner Katya Jones recreated their famous dance routine to Psy’s Gangnam Style, while Rylan Clark-Neal challenged presenter Jeremy Vine to an impressive dance-off. 

Tess and Claud now take the title of completing the longest Comic Relief danceathon from Sara Cox, who undertook the challenge in 2017. 

You can listen again to all interviews and highlights via BBC Sounds, while a short film of the pair’s challenge will air as part of the Red Nose Day telethon on Friday night.