Speech of the Month, December 2025 - Tess Daly

So, after 23 years gracing our TV screens on Saturday and Sunday nights, Tess Daly foxtrotted off.

Given that she’s been 50% of the presenting talent on the top rating show on British TV, it’s odd that she hasn’t already featured as the subject of Speech of the Month, but I’d say her desire not to be the star of the show – despite looking stunning – is probably the reason why. And yet, her desire not to be the star is another reason why she should’ve featured as the subject of SoTM much sooner. Soz Tess.

Here's why the BBC kept renewing her Strictly contract:

Her focus is incredible

Tess makes what she does on Strictly look effortless. It’s not. Working within a time-frame (which I appreciate is longer than the running time of the televised show) she has to sweep couples off the dance floor, make them feel good about a dance that might not have gone too well – the public doesn’t want to see tears! – get them to talk about their performance, but not too much; get through the judges’ comments and get the couple away so that the set can be changed for the next pair and their Kill Bill influenced rumba, and all the while she’s responding to audience reaction and listening to the producer who’s telling her to do X, Y and Z through her earpiece. It takes an awful lot to stay present and be natural when you’ve got that much to do.

Now some critics have accused her of being wooden. My comment to them: you try and do it and let’s see how flexible and spontaneous you are!

She looks fab-u-lous, darling

Strictly is all about glamour. And when she started presenting the show when she was 33, it no doubt took little effort to look glamourous and gorgeous. Maintaining that some 23 years later, however, means effort has been put in. She knows the person who presents Strictly has to look fab-u-lous, so she works hard to meet that expectation. I doubt she enjoys chucking herself round the gym – or whatever it is she does – in July, but she does it because it’s necessary.

I think this is a good lesson to us all. How do our ‘audiences’ expect us to turn up? Will they be reassured by a suit or put off by it? Are we blending in too much? Do we need to don some colour? Only you will know.

She’s kept true to her style

From keeping her northern accent to resisting emulating Claudia’s quirky, goofy style, Tess – even in the face of criticism – has stayed true to her style. And so she should. Yet it can be hard to ‘be you’ when what we are doesn’t appear to be the flavour of the month, or even the year. But, like Tess, hold your nerve for two reasons: 1 – if you try to be like someone else or change your accent, you’re going to be found out and look ridiculous and 2 – the point of fashion is that it changes, so at some point in the future, you will be flavour of the month.

But I suppose the bigger thing to do is just not care about who's more popular. Instead, like Tess, just care about doing a good, consistent job. I’m frequently amazed by clients who come to be saying they want to be inspiring. My first thought is: ‘Shouldn’t you just try to be good first?’