Claudia Winkleman's former colleagues from Strictly Come Dancing have opened up about the presenter's behind-the-scenes behaviour, revealing aspects of her personality and professional approach that television audiences never witnessed during broadcast.
The End of an Era on Strictly Come Dancing
The 54-year-old television personality assumed presenting duties on the beloved BBC dance competition alongside Tess Daly back in 2014, creating one of British television's most recognisable hosting partnerships. However, the duo made the significant announcement that the most recent series would mark their final appearance together on the programme, bringing to a close Winkleman's memorable tenure hosting the popular Clauditorium segments that became a signature element of the show.
Unscripted Hilarity and Professional Dedication
Strictly judge Shirley Ballas provided particularly vivid insights into Winkleman's working methods, describing how the presenter would regularly have the entire cast and crew in fits of laughter with her spontaneous antics. In the documentary Claudia Winkleman: Behind the Fringe, Ballas revealed remarkable details about the host's unscripted approach to entertainment.
"Some of the antics she gets up to in the Clauditorium make me wet my pants," Ballas confessed. "She picks up on everything, she's not scripted. She's as mad as a box of frogs."
The head judge further described Winkleman's unconventional preparation routine, noting that she would arrive at rehearsals wearing "a pair of slippers, baggy pants, and a jumper" before transforming into her glamorous on-screen persona.
The Hidden Mechanics of Live Television
Professional dancer Karen Hauer offered additional perspective on Winkleman's multifaceted role, explaining that while audiences saw the polished final product, they missed the presenter's meticulous attention to detail and supportive nature behind the scenes.
"This woman is hilarious. She makes people giggle," Hauer stated. "What people don't see is that when the couples are downstairs talking to Tess, she's watching everything that they're saying and she's taking notes. As they're coming up the stairs she's telling all the dancers to clap for them. She's also a cheerleader."
Fellow professional Kai Widdrington emphasised the technical complexity of Winkleman's position, highlighting the numerous simultaneous demands she managed during live broadcasts.
"There are so many working parts to Claudia's role on the show that people at home may not even see," Widdrington explained. "You've got people in her ear, she's got a teleprompter, she's got a couple, she's got a celeb that might be emotional. She's got the judges' scores in."
A Fond Farewell and Future Prospects
When Winkleman and Daly announced their joint departure from Strictly Come Dancing in October, they released a heartfelt statement expressing their gratitude for the experience.
"We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream," they declared. "We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time. We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show."
Since concluding her Strictly commitments, Winkleman has returned to television screens as the host of the psychological reality competition The Traitors, which continues to attract substantial audiences. Meanwhile, speculation continues regarding potential replacements for the coveted Strictly presenting role, with numerous television personalities reportedly undergoing screen tests for the position.
