Strictly legend ‘almost missed deadline’ to accept honour in King’s birthday list
This would've been very awkward.
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have been named in the King’s Birthday Honours list, but one of the Strictly Come Dancing legends almost missed out.
The TV presenting duo have both been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to broadcasting, having hosted the BBC ballroom show together for the last decade.
But Tess, 56, admitted it ‘almost didn’t happen’ after a mix-up with her letter.
‘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,’ she told the PA news agency.
‘And thank goodness, someone very kind 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.
Get personalised updates on StrictlyWake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro’s TV Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we’ll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you.
‘There’s a deadline of acceptance. I can’t imagine not ever wanting to accept such a wonderful award. But of course I did. But yes, it was cutting it fine, because it went to the wrong address first of all, but it ended well.’
Tess Daly almost missed out because of a mistake with her address (Picture: Dave Hogan/Hogan Media/Shutterstock) Tess and her Strictly co-star Claudia Winkleman are delighted with the honour (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)Tess made her TV debut on Channel 4 back in 1999 when she hosted The Big Breakfast’s Find Me A Model competition, and five years later she joined Strictly alongside Sir Bruce Forsyth.
As well as BBC documentaries, she’s appeared on the likes of Children In Need over the years, and she’s happy to accept the recognition.
‘It feels like the most wonderful honour, because when you work as a broadcaster, you’re part of people’s viewing habits,’ she said. ‘It feels like a genuine privilege for people to invite you into their living room.’
She added that she’d never ‘take that for granted’, while heaping praise on the people behind the scenes.
Tess has been on Strictly for over 20 years (Picture: BBC)
