Strictly's Tess Daly moved to tears after receiving MBE in King's Birthday Honours

Daily Record

15 hours ago

Strictly Come Dancing co-host Tess Daly has been honoured with a MBE for her contributions to broadcasting
Tess Daly has revealed she was moved to tears upon receiving the letter informing her she was to be honoured with an MBE for her contributions to broadcasting. The 56-year-old TV star and her Strictly Come Dancing co-presenter Claudia Winkleman have both been awarded in the King's Birthday Honours.
Speaking to the PA News Agency, Daly said: "This genuinely came as the greatest surprise of my life. I don't think I've come back down to earth yet, I didn't see it coming, and it almost didn't happen, because the letter went to the wrong address.
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"And thank goodness, someone very kindly found me. And so by the time I got it, I only had, I think it was two or three days left to accept it. There's a deadline of acceptance. I can't imagine not ever wanting to accept such a wonderful award. But of course I did.
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"But yes, it was cutting it fine, because it went to the wrong address first of all, but it ended well." She continued: "I cried when I opened the letter, because I just I couldn't believe it.
"I genuinely couldn't, and the first thing I wanted to do was tell my dad, because I lost my dad many years ago, and I know how proud my dad would have been, and I would love to have shared that news with him more than anything.
"He would been incredibly proud in a very Northern, humble fashion. Because you're under strict instructions, of course, not to share the news before it's made public. But I must admit, I did tell immediate members of my family and swore them to secrecy."
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Tess Daly, who has been at the helm of BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing since 2004, first graced our screens in 1999 when she sought out new modelling talent on Channel 4's The Big Breakfast.
Daly, herself a former model, has strutted down the runway for top designers including Vivienne Westwood and Red Or Dead, and even featured in music videos for the iconic English pop rock band Duran Duran.
In 2002, she was the face of ITV2's coverage for the National Television Awards (NTAs), giving viewers a glimpse of the stars as they arrived and celebrated backstage, and in 2003, she stepped into Ulrika Jonsson's shoes as the host of ITV's makeover programme Home On Their Own.
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The following year saw her team up with Richard Bacon as co-presenter of Channel 5's Back To Reality, which brought together 12 reality TV personalities under one roof in a west London mansion.
Her profile soared as she became the beloved co-host of Strictly Come Dancing, sharing presenting duties with the legendary Sir Bruce Forsyth until 2014, three years prior to his passing at 89-years-old.
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Since then, Daly has joined forces with Traitors presenter Claudia Winkleman to present the Saturday night favourite, including its milestone 20th anniversary series last year.
Their dynamic partnership was recognised in 2024 when they received the entertainment programme accolade at the Bafta TV Awards.
Speaking of her MBE, she told PA: "It feels like the most wonderful honour, because when you work as a broadcaster, you're part of people's viewing habits.
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"It feels like a genuine privilege for people to invite you into their living room. For example, being part of Strictly and part of people's Saturday nights for the past 20 years is something that you don't ever take that for granted, and it's just something that I've genuinely enjoyed being a part of all these years.
"And as a career, it's been something really special to share people's lives in that way it feels like a wonderful honour.
"Broadcasting is without a doubt a collective effort. I've been really fortunate to work with some of the very best production teams that there are in the business. And so my biggest thanks is to them, because you're only as good as your team."
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Daly has paired up with broadcasting legend Sir Terry Wogan to co-host the annual charity appeal show BBC Children In Need on multiple occasions.
Her career highlights include interviewing renowned international acts such as Alanis Morissette, No Doubt and Lenny Kravitz.
In 2011, she helmed a nostalgic BBC Two documentary called TV Greats: Our Favourites From The North that celebrated Manchester's rich broadcasting history, coinciding with BBC North's move from the city to Salford.
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Tess Daly, alongside her spouse Vernon Kay, whom she wed in 2003, have been dedicated patrons of the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity since 2007.
In March 2023, the beloved presenter launched a food and fitness guide brimming with recipes and wellness advice, aptly named '4 Steps: To A Happier, Healthier You. '.
Speaking of Strictly, she expressed her affection for the show: "I love that for the last 20 years our only agenda has been joy. It's been just feel-good entertainment, and being a part of that has felt like a gift."
Daly further reminisced: "I've got so many wonderful memories from working with Sir Bruce Forsyth back in the beginning, 2004, to working with Claudia and being the first all-female presenting duo on Primetime Telly, and that meant a lot as a mother of girls, to sort of pave the way, that felt quite important at the time, because it hadn't been done before."
She added, reflecting on her groundbreaking role: "So to be a part of that and to stand by Claude, Claudia is absolutely brilliant fun, and to do that with her at that time felt quite groundbreaking."