Tess Daly's real name revealed as star quits Strictly - and fans are stunned

Outgoing Strictly host Tess Daly has landed her second big shock of the day after her 'real name' of Helen emerged as she quit the top-rated dancing show. Tess, who today announced her shock decision to quit alongside Traitors presenter Claudia Winkleman has graced our screens since she was just 17.

The 56-year-old personality launched her career as a model after being discovered outside a McDonald's in Manchester whilst waiting for her sister. Yet Tess wasn't always recognised by that moniker. Indeed, 'Tess' isn't her genuine name but rather a professional alias, a revelation that has stunned viewers. Born in 1969 as Helen Elizabeth Daly, she embraced the name Tess upon beginning her modelling journey, though never officially altered it out of deference to her parents, Vivian and Sylvia.

She disclosed the motivation behind her name transformation, clarifying that when she commenced modelling at 17, there was already a Helen Davies at her agency.

Consequently, she was recommended to abandon 'Helen Daly' owing to its resemblance.

The name Tess was proposed by her agent who was "obsessed" with actress Nastassja Kinski, star of the 1979 film Tess.

Tess recalled: "So Tess it was. I was gullible and impressionable. Mind you, two weeks later, I was in Japan, then I travelled the world Paris, Milan, New York," reports OK! The television darling has admitted that only one person persistently adheres to her actual name, disclosing: "My mum's really the only person who still calls me Helen, and that's not often. She tends to call me 'love', so when she does say 'Helen' it can take me a while to respond."

The star added: "I've never changed it by deed poll or anything because I think it would be disrespectful to my parents."

Fans were floored by the revelation, with one huge fan Geoff from Essex exclaiming: "Helen? No way? "How did I not know this after all this years. I feel a bit cheated."

Another said: "Been watching her since I was tiny and never knew." A third added: "I have so many questions."

Tess and her husband BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay wed using her original surname back in 2003. The pair exchanged vows in a heartfelt ceremony in Vernon's hometown of Bolton on September 12, 2003, and are doting parents to two girls, Phoebe and Amber.