She caused shockwaves and left fans devastated after announcing her departure from Strictly Come Dancing last month, after co-hosting TV’s biggest show since its first series in 2004.

And now, sources close to Tess Daly reveal that the presenter has been having second thoughts about her momentous decision, after deciding to step down along with co-host and close pal Claudia Winkleman.

A source says, ‘Tess wanted a change – she was worried she’d overstayed her run. Despite sticking to her guns and going public with the decision, she has confided to friends that she can’t shake the feeling she has “made a huge mistake”.

‘She’s looking forward to a change but admitted that this is the scariest thing she has ever done and that she’s had sleepless nights over it. She’s just praying that it was the right decision.’

Tess, 56, and her Strictly co- host Claudia, 53, took fans by Claudia’s queen of the Traitors’ castle Tess with husband Vernon Kay surprise with their decision to step away from the BBC show, saying it felt like the right time to ‘pass on the sparkly baton’.

They wrote on Instagram in a shared post, ‘We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time. We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show.’

Tess – who shares daughters Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 16 with husband Vernon Kay – previously fronted Strictly with the late Bruce Forsyth, before Claudia joined the main show in 2014, following roles on It Takes Two and the results show.

Claudia – who is mum to Jake, 22, Matilda, 19, and Arthur, 14, with film producer husband Kris Thykier – also hosts The Traitors and The Piano, while Tess doesn’t currently have any additional presenting commitments.

And an insider adds that those close to Tess also have some doubts over her quitting her role.

‘Not everyone in Tess’ camp thinks that her move to exit with Claudia was for the best, despite their long-standing pact to go together if one stepped down,’ they say.

‘They worry Tess might have drawn a short straw while Claudia is sitting pretty. And the doubts that Tess has been having has even made Vernon worry that jumping before checking for a safe landing might have been a hasty move. Time will tell.’