For 20 years, they have been the king and queen of daytime television. But as an emotional Richard and Judy hosted their final show on terrestrial TV yesterday, they were facing a more uncertain future.

Husband and wife presenters Richard Madeley, 52, and Judy Finnigan, 60, said goodbye to viewers during an hour-long retrospective of their popular Richard & Judy chat show before they head to digital channel UKTV in the autumn.

Last night's programme featured a number of gushing farewell messages from celebrity fans including Lenny Henry and Bruce Forsyth.

Take it off: A delighted Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan enjoy a Full Monty striptease

Down they go: The trousers come off

And there was one last surprise for viewers, with a Full Monty-style striptease performed by five male guests.

As the pair signed-off, a misty-eyed and emotional Judy thanked viewers saying: 'That is it for this week, this series and seven wonderful years. We've had a brilliant time.' 

Richard added: 'We cannot thank you enough or indeed Channel 4 for giving us a very happy home here. That's it, we're finished, it's gone.'

The move to digital means audiences will be significantly smaller than the 2million who tuned in to their Channel 4 show at its peak two years ago.

And although the couple's new deal will see them paid £1million each, their contracts will run only until autumn 2009 with an option to extend if they pull in big enough ratings. 

Richard and Judy or Judy and Richard?: The couple gamely trade places to raise money for a breast cancer centre in 1992

Their new 8pm show  -  as yet untitled  -  will run for an hour, beginning on October 7, retaining the hugely successful book and wine clubs.

The couple's decision to split from Channel 4 follows a dip in ratings and the phone-in scandal over the programme's You Say We Pay quiz last year.

Actress Amanda Holden, who appeared on the first show in 2001, said: 'They're just fantastic. You just couldn't have one without the other, they wouldn't work.' 

Wardrobe malfunction: Judy's dress came adrift at the National Television Awards in 2000

The husband and wife couple were poached by Channel 4 from ITV's This Morning in
2001 - 13 years after they launched the programme in Manchester.

The pair had met 13 years previous while working on Granada Reports.

Their daily two hours of celebrity chit-chat, phone-ins and cooking demonstrations saw them become a national phenomenon.

Finnigan, 60, said public opinion convinced her and Madeley, 52, to carry on their TV career together.

Who-oo does he think he is?: Richard as Ginger Spice and Ali G

She told UKTV: 'When we announced our decision to leave our current television series after seven years, we were very touched by the number of people - friends, family, guests, viewers and broadcasters - who told us how much they wanted to see us continuing making programmes together.'

The couple, however, may be remembered more for their embarrassing moments than for their presenting skills.

Few viewers will forget Madeley's Ali G impression on This Morning, complete with tracksuit and bling, or when he asked openly gay Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant how his wife was. 

Judy hit the headlines after showing she was all woman when snapped on holiday in Antibes in 1993

Finnigan also had a few memorable moments, such as her dress coming adrift at the 2000 National Television Awards awards ceremony and the emotional moment when George Michael rang in on the last day of their final This Morning show in 2001 to thank them for 'cheering him up in the morning'.

However, the couple's fine track record was marred when their daily cash quiz, You Say, We Pay was revealed to be a scam.

While the presenters were encouraging viewers to ring in and enter the competition, the winners had already been picked.

The company which ran the game, Eckoh Ltd, were fined £150,000 and the couple were forced to apologise live on air.

On their wedding day in 1986