Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman were overcome with emotion as they rehearsed together for the very last time ahead of the Strictly Come Dancing grand final, marking the end of an era after more than two decades at the heart of the BBC show.

The presenting duo broke down in tears during rehearsals in the ballroom, just hours before Saturday night’s live final. Tess, 56, shared an emotional behind-the-scenes clip on Instagram, showing the pair hugging each other as crew members gathered around to offer flowers, gifts and applause.

In the video, Tess addressed the production team with heartfelt words, telling them she loved every single person in the room and admitting that Strictly had felt like a shared life journey. She said it had been a show where they had all shared parts of their lives, their children and everything in between, before thanking the team to loud applause as a producer comforted both hosts.

Captioning the clip, Tess admitted the emotions had already spilled over before the cameras were even live. She joked that she had cried and hugged more times than she could count, adding that it was almost final time and urging fans to support the couples as they prepared to go out with a bang — and possibly a few more tears.

The pair announced earlier this series that they would step down after the Christmas special, which was pre-recorded earlier this month. In a joint Instagram video shared back in October, they explained that the time had come to pass over the baton after 21 joyful years.

Tess reflected on her extraordinary journey with the show, which began back in 2004 alongside the late Bruce Forsyth. She noted that while her Strictly story started with Sir Bruce, much of her life on the show had been spent alongside Claudia, describing how their children had grown up from babies in arms to adults during their time on screen.

Claudia added that they felt incredibly lucky to have been part of such an amazing programme, stressing that Strictly had always been about the people who make it what it is.

Earlier this week, Tess was also awarded a Guinness World Record for becoming the longest-serving host of the same dance competition, having fronted Strictly for 21 years and 216 days.

Meanwhile, Saturday’s final saw all of this series’ contestants return to the audience — with the notable absence of Thomas Skinner, who was voted off first. The Apprentice star has since claimed he is seeking legal advice after alleging that voting figures were manipulated, an accusation firmly denied by the BBC, who stated the public vote is independently verified and robust.

As the glitterball awaits its new owner, Tess and Claudia’s emotional farewell has already left fans bracing themselves for one of the most tear-soaked finales in Strictly history.