Double wages im sure she would love your idea.

Hadn't even thought of that. I doubt she'd complain

I expect Claudia will do the backstage bits then that Tess normally does

This must be a joke

But doesn't it say on the BBC News page that Claudia will do it?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8358632.stm

Co-presenter Tess Daly will be taking on the 81-year-old's hosting role while her backstage duties will be handled by Claudia Winkleman.

It most certainly does.

is it really Claudia? YAY!!! I cannot wait she should be hilarious

tess and Claud - AWESOME!!!!!!

I would like to see Lionel Blair filling in for Bruce. He is a showbiz legend and he can dance.

How predictable .

The Winkeltrough?

Why not Vernon Kay or Wogan

Or even Huw Edwards or John Humphrys

tess and claud oh yes
pleasepleaseplease let them walk down the stairs together and dance together. please.

Claud should do the jokes.

:They'd have to have Len in the middle doing a double masterclass.

Whatever you think of Claudia, she can be guaranteed to know all the dancers and their progress/marks so far, so it does make sense to have her in the pit.

It's only for one show anyway. Worse things have happened at sea ......

According to the Sky Info banner, (at time of writing), it states that Tess, Paul O'Grady and Claudia are presenting.

Claudia didn't mention anything about Paul, she just said it'd be her and Tess.

They will both come on with Cyndi Lauper Song - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.

Those keen on Claudia have obviously forgotten how awful she was when Graham Norton's sidekick in the European version of Strictly. Tess will also be hopeless and out of her depth in Bruce's shoes. Bringing in Wogan and leaving Tess in the Tess-pit would have been much, much better.

This could be the episode of the season, could be worth recording!

Got to say I'm looking forward to it! Wonder how the entry to the top of the stairs, walk down, little dance and hug's going to go? Also, will they do the "Keeeeeeeeeeep dancing" bit at the end of the show

I think the combo could work very well. Blackpool last week, this week Claudia in the Tesspit and next week we have tickets for the studio. Life doesn't get any better!

What she's doing backstage is nothing like what she did on Eurovision. It's similar to ITT - she gets to giggle and hug and praise the contestants to high heavens, then smile to the camera and say that the scores are ready.

Have to laugh at the timing... in a week where everyone's talking about Simon's decision on the X Factor and people are talking about boycotting it, this happens on Strictly. Bet the ratings will go up as people tune in to see how it goes without Bruce.

If I was a suspicious person, I'd wonder if TPTB had been leaving the windows in his dressing room open

Definitely worth recording. Could turn out to be brilliant or may turn out a disaster.

I only hope for Tesses sake that they don't make her tell Brucie's awful, rehearsed jokes

Guys, Why on earth would the BBC call up someone else who has no idea of the format of the show and would be more of a headache to the producers. I think Caludi is the right person, because she's involved in the show.