Tess and Claudia complete their danceathon and set new record
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have managed to make it to the end of their danceathon in aid of Comic Relief, setting a new record.
It was a difficult and weary performance, which wasn’t without challenging incidents, but the two presenters raised £782,686 by dancing non-stop for 24 hours and five minutes. A few hours after they’d finished, the BBC tweeted that the total had now reached £1,012,483!
The danceathon was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 and the BBC red button so every move could be followed.
They began on Monday at 7.15pm to Beyonce’s Crazy in Love, then ending at 8.20pm on Tuesday to Destiny’s Child’s Survivor, both girls collapsed to the floor with Claudia saying, “I never want to dance again!”
A huge congratulations to these absolute LEGENDS! ?
Thank you so much @ClaudiaWinkle and @TessDaly! pic.twitter.com/mDhsxKKotb
— BBC Radio 2 (@BBCRadio2) March 12, 2019
During the 24 hour marathon colleagues and a host of celebrities including Mary Berry, Jon Snow, Beverley Knight, Richard Curtis and Ed Balls joined in with the dancing to help the girls with the challenge.
Tess Daly suffered from motion sickness for six hours of the danceathon, but Claudia helped her through it. Tess told the BBC, “She’s had my back the whole way through. We’ve looked after each other. We’ve seen each other strapped up with tape. We both had a little cry. We are a bit tired and emotional.”
Claudia was slurring her words at one point and Tess was feeling sick. Claudia admitted that they’d “peaked a bit too soon” after getting overexcited.
Even though it was a gruelling feat, they managed to make it to the end, beating the record which was set by Sara Cox in 2017.
The danceathon was carried out ahead of Red Nose Day this Friday.
Claudia said, “Before we did this, we went to see extraordinary projects that Comic Relief is supporting, so it was important to us to do this. The tiniest amount of money makes the most enormous difference.”
Tess added, “Every penny will go to some of the most vulnerable people living in the most challenging situations in this country and abroad.”
They did it! ???
24 hours and 5 minutes of dancing…
The highs, the lows, the laughs, the smiles, the delirium…it's all been to raise money for @comicrelief!We are so proud of @claudiawinkle and @tessdaly. So far they've raised £782,686!#RNDdanceathon pic.twitter.com/2i7QN5KlJQ
— BBC Radio 2 (@BBCRadio2) March 12, 2019
We have a new total for the #RNDdanceathon! @ClaudiaWinkle and @TessDaly have raised an incredible…
? £1,012,483! ?
Thank you for all of your support to @ComicRelief ? pic.twitter.com/MMIIkyM0bD
— BBC Radio 2 (@BBCRadio2) March 13, 2019