MBE ‘greatest honour’ of my career, says Tess Daly

Strictly Come Dancing presenter Tess Daly says being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) is the “greatest honour” of her career and one that she is dedicating to her late father.

The show’s co-host was recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting and received the honour at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday.

She said she would dedicate the honour to her father “because he’d be so proud of his daughter meeting the King, in a castle”.

Last month, Daly and her Strictly co-host Claudia Winkleman, who was also made an MBE, announced they would be leaving the BBC One show after its Christmas special. They have presented the programme together since 2014.

Speaking to reporters after the investiture, Daly said: “This is probably the greatest honour of my career and it still feels quite surreal to be honest with you.

“I’ve been working in television for 25 years, and it’s a job I absolutely love to do.

“It was a real privilege to be in a room of people who have made a difference in their communities, who have built incredible careers. It was a very inspiring environment.”

She attended the ceremony with her husband Vernon Kay and her two children.

She added: “His Majesty put me at ease – I was quite nervous.

“We talked about the show and I know the Queen enjoys it.

“She sent me a letter of congratulations when I received the MBE which meant the world.”

Daly and Winkleman announced in a post on Instagram last month that they would be leaving Strictly.

The BBC said the duo’s final appearance would be this year’s Christmas special show on 25 December.

Speaking about her forthcoming departure Daly said there’s “no show like it”.

“I will miss it but I’m quite looking forward to a lie-in on Saturday morning – and new ventures in the new year.”

Asked who will replace her, she said: “I have no idea, it’s not up to me.

“I’ll be watching at home with Claudia – we’ll be watching the launcher together!”

Daly first appeared on screens in 1999 when she hosted The Big Breakfast’s Find Me A Model competition on Channel 4.

She has presented Strictly since the first series 21 years ago alongside the late Sir Bruce Forsyth. Winkleman joined in 2014, having hosted sister show It Takes Two since 2004.

Winkleman and Daly were prime-time Saturday night TV’s first female presenting duo.

The pair picked up the entertainment programme gong at the Bafta TV Awards in 2024.

Daly also presented the annual charity appeal show BBC Children In Need, which she co-hosted with the late Sir Terry Wogan several times.

Also at the investiture was former EastEnders star Anita Dobson, best known for playing Queen Vic landlady Angie Watts on the BBC soap, who was made an OBE for services to charitable fundraising and philanthropy.

Shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly also received his knighthood, which he was awarded in Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list and Det Supt Katherine Goodwin, the Met Police chief who led the manhunt for the murderer of Sarah Everard in 2021, received the King’s Police Medal.

Her investigation led to the conviction of Met police officer Wayne Couzens.