Claudia Winkleman has openly admitted she is "really in trouble" while discussing a surprising "ban" she faced during her long tenure as a presenter on Strictly Come Dancing. The 54-year-old television personality, who spent eleven years as the main host of the hit BBC series alongside Tess Daly, revealed these details as she promotes the return of her own chat show on BBC One.
Strictly Come Dancing Exit and New Ventures
Winkleman and Daly announced their departure from Strictly Come Dancing at the end of the last series, with the BBC yet to confirm their replacements. In a joint statement, they expressed that it felt like the "right time" to step away from the beloved dance competition. Since leaving the show, Claudia has launched The Claudia Winkleman Show, a move that followed her praised stint covering for Graham Norton on his chat show while he was touring in Australia last year.
Revelations on Heart Breakfast
During an appearance on Heart Breakfast with Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston to promote her new series, Winkleman found herself in hot water. When asked by a young listener about her "dream" interview guests, Claudia responded candidly, saying, "This is the nub of the issue because I'm easy, that's the problem. If somebody has something to sell, come sell it, sell it hard, then we will both bow and they can leave."
This remark prompted Jamie Theakston to later reveal, "We've had a message from your PR, 'Can we get more positive chat on the show please? Someone needs to get Claudia that message, can we get into how good the guests are.'" Claudia reacted with, "Wow I'm really in trouble, it's real. This is why I'm not allowed to do press. Strictly said, 'Get Tess to talk,' because I'm just no good at it. I was like, 'What's happening.'"
Chat Show Return and Critical Reception
The Claudia Winkleman Show returns tonight at 10.40pm on BBC One, featuring guests such as Last One Laughing host Jimmy Carr, The Testaments' Chase Infiniti, and Friends star Lisa Kudrow. Upon the show's announcement, Winkleman humorously predicted she would "be awful" at the role, telling the BBC, "I can't quite believe it and I'm incredibly grateful to the BBC for this amazing opportunity. I'm obviously going to be awful, that goes without saying, but I'm over the moon they're letting me try."
Mixed Reviews from Critics
The first episode of the chat show, which aired last week and included guests like Jeff Goldblum, Vanessa Williams, Jennifer Saunders, and Tom Allen, received divided reviews from critics. The Sun's Felicity Cross awarded it five stars, praising the "endearing" feel and describing it as "full of banter" albeit "awkward". In contrast, The Telegraph's Anita Singh gave it three stars, noting that Claudia "arrives on a wave of goodwill" and is "approaching national treasure status".
Claudia Winkleman's Career Journey
Claudia Winkleman first appeared on television screens in 1992 on the BBC show Holiday. She went on to feature in a host of programmes before becoming the narrator of Glamour Girls on BBC Three. In 2004, she joined as the presenter of Strictly It Takes Two, later stepping in for the late Sir Bruce Forsyth to present the results show. She became the main presenter of Strictly Come Dancing alongside Tess Daly in 2014, solidifying her place in British television history.
