'Our laughs are limitless': Tess Daly gushes over 'firecracker' Claudia Winkleman as she shares a slew of throwback snaps to celebrate her 50th birthday

Tess Daly marked Claudia Winkleman's 50th birthday with a fun collection of throwback snaps and a sweet message which she posted to Instagram on Saturday.

The TV presenter, 52, who has hosted Strictly Come Dancing alongside her friend since 2014, appeared to be having a blast in behind-the-scenes shots from the show.

One hilarious photo saw the former model stick out her tongue alongside a gasping Claudia, while another showed the pair sharing a warm embrace during a night out. 

In her caption, Tess wrote: 'Happy big birthday to this little firecracker. Your laughs are limitless, our memories are countless and our friendship endless! Love you to bits @claudiawinkle ❤️.'

Replying to the warm paragraph, the former film critic penned: 'I LOVE YOU ❤️❤️❤️.'  

Proving she doesn't even take a day off work on her own birthday, Claudia took to her own Instagram profile to upload a chucklesome selfie during her Radio 2 show.

Showing only her glossy brown locks in the snap, she quipped in her caption: 'My other attempt at a photo. I'm SO fifty.'

She had earlier shared a similar shot showing her face, before receiving well-wishes from the likes of Motsi Mabuse, Sara Davies, Ugo Monye, Clara Amfo, Johannes Radebe, John Whaite and Nigella Lawson in the comments section. 

The double-act are so close, they even have a secret pact that they will leave Strictly Come Dancing together.

Claudia began fronting its spin-off show, It Takes Two, in 2004 before taking over both the Saturday and Sunday night episodes from the late Sir Bruce Forsyth in 2014. 

She told the The Sun's TV Mag of Tess: 'When one of us is done, we go together. So she's not allowed to leave.'

Confessing the after-party was sure to be a wild night of fun, she said: 'We'll also have our end-of-series party this weekend, which is always great fun.

All the contestants come back and everyone is so happy to see them, and the winners are over the moon.

'We dance, eat nuts, laugh and then bundle home to get ready for Christmas. Though I usually wake up the next morning covered in glitter and holding a scoring paddle.'