Vernon Kay has addressed who he thinks should replace his wife Tess Daly and her co-host Claudia Winkleman on Strictly Come Dancing.

Beloved duo Tess and Claudia announced their joint exit from the BBC show in October 2025, leaving fans devastated.

Having made their final appearance in the Christmas special, a search has been underway at the BBC to find new ballroom hosts.

Former Celebrity Family Fortunes host Vernon, 51, who has been married to Tess, 56, since 2003, weighed in on who thought the new presenters should be.

He told Metro: 'Alex Jones should be on the floor. She is probably the funniest presenter I've worked with.

'With the formalities of The One Show, I don't think she gives the audience the opportunity to see her funny and irreverent side. 

'She'd be perfect because she is one of the best in a live TV scenario. Absolutely brilliant.

'If they pick anyone but Alex, that person has to, literally, be made of liquid gold. Alex, for me, is the right choice.'

Continuing, Vernon added: 'She’s done so many years on The One Show [and] deserves a shot at a big prime-time entertainment show. 

'I don’t mean anything derogatory about The One Show - it’s great - but it is Alex’s time.'

As for who could succeed The Traitors host Claudia, 54, on Strictly, Vernon answered: 'Then upstairs, someone who knows the show better than most... Rylan.'

Upon announcing their exit last year, Tess and Claudia took to Instagram to break the news to fans.

Speaking to the camera, Claudia began: 'There have been some rumblings and we want you to hear this from us.'

Tess chimed in: 'We have news, after 21 wonderfully joyful years on Strictly, we have decided that the time is right to step aside and pass over the baton.'

'The very sparkly baton!' Claudia laughed, before turning to her co-star and pal to add: 'You've been here since the beginning.'

Tess replied, pointing to Claudia: 'With Bruce, lovely Bruce [Forsyth], and that was over two decades ago but a lot of the time has been with you. 

'It's been a huge part of our lives since our children were literally babes in arms, and now they're adults, and I think genuinely we have cherished every second.'

Claudia continued: 'We have, we're so lucky to have been part of this amazing show and we just want to thank the Strictly team, because Strictly is the people who make it.' 

The duo penned under the video: 'We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. 

'We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time. We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show. 

'They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day. We will cry when we say the last “keep dancing” but we will continue to say it to each other.

'Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.'

Speculation has been rife about who will take over, but a couple of rumoured contenders have ruled themselves out.

One such example is comedian Alan Carr - who enjoyed big success with the BBC by winning Celebrity Traitors.

Speaking at a Q&A for his Channel 4 show Secret Genius, the 49-year-old acknowledged the job would be an 'honour', but added: 'I just think I like watching the show, I don’t love it. 

'I think it would be better for someone who really, really loves it, you know. 

'And they asked me all the time to be on it and stuff.

‘I just think, wouldn’t it be great to get someone fresh, someone new. 

'That show is so adored and so loved. You want someone in there who’s like, “Yeah, this Paso Doble was…". I don’t give a s**t. 

'Give it to someone else, yeah.’

The Chase host Bradley Walsh also batted away speculation that he could become one of the new Strictly presenters. 

Speaking to the Radio Times, Bradley, 65, revealed of his schedule from Fridays to Sundays: 'I come home from the studio on a Friday, have dinner and watch I’m a Celebrity.

'On Saturday, I’ll watch the football results, have dinner and a pint, watch Strictly, then I’m a Celebrity, and flip back to the BBC for Match of the Day.'

His Sundays also heavily feature telly, with the presenter adding he often treats himself to a lie-in before tuning into 1960s drama series Columbo, followed by the football and some reality TV. 

He added: 'If I was to host Strictly, it would absolutely ruin my weekend.'