The BBC has reportedly decided to replace Sir Bruce Forsyth with Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman - its first all-female pairing to host a prime-time Saturday night show.
It is hoped the duo will see off the threat posed by Simon Cowell’s X Factor and protect the “jewel in the BBC’s ratings crown”, says the Sunday People.
A Strictly source said: “It will work like the shows that Bruce missed last series. Tess will be the main presenter, with Claudia doing the post-dance interviews.
“This very much fits in with [BBC director of TV] Danny Cohen’s desire to be seen to promote female faces during prime time.”
BBC bosses feel 45-year-old Tess’s traditional approach and 42-year-old Claudia’s offbeat style will be the perfect blend. Claudia’s appointment comes after she impressed when stepping in for Sir Bruce, 86, on the Sunday night results show.
The source added: “Claudia is very well liked in-house but it has taken a year or two for the audience to get used to her quirkier presenting style. But she has broken through thanks to her natural enthusiasm.
"Producers like the relationship between her and Tess. They gel nicely together.”
The source added: “The show under went a resurgence in the last series with more money spent on costumes and props, plus the move to a bigger studio at Elstree.
“The producers want to capitalise on the success of the last series when it trounced X Factor. They need something much fresher to go into battle with Simon Cowell.
“His Britain’s Got Talent has comprehensively seen off The Voice in recent years. They don’t want him to trump Strictly - the jewel in the ratings crown for the BBC.”
A BBC spokesman said: “We are not commenting on speculation. The new presenting line up will be announced in due course.”
Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC1 later in the year.
