TESS’S NEXT STEPS

Tess Daly opens up about life after Strictly – passion projects, quality time with friends and a surprising new goal

For Tess Daly, kicking off 2026 is all about embracing pastures new. The star found her TV home in Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC show she presented for 21 years, but despite signing off from her hosting duties alongside Claudia Winkleman in December, she has never felt more sure of herself than right now.

“I have so much life experience under my belt and I enjoy the wisdom that comes with that,” says Tess, 56, opening up about life in her fifties in this exclusive interview. “There’s a calmness that comes that is very welcome.”

In her first interview since leaving Strictly, Tess tells us about her latest projects, including the launch of her sportswear brand, NAIA Active – a branch of the swimwear label NAIA Beach, which she co-founded with her close friend Gayle Lawton in 2021.