Before viewers began to wonder, “Can that tiny orange creature just shuffle off,” Claudia Winkleman said she was leaving. “
When they were at the top of their game, Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly hatched a Thelma and Louise-style plot over a pizza to quit Strictly together.
When the dynamic hosting duo for Strictly Come Dancing announced they would be waltzing off the dancefloor at the end of this year’s series, fans were shocked this week.
But Claudia revealed that the pals forged their plan to quit Strictly together years ago. Laughing, she refuted the idea that fans wanted her to stay forever, saying: “I don’t think anybody would want that.
“I’m sure that when someone watches, they’ll say, “Can that tiny orange creature just shuffle off?” I’m going to leave at the same time as Tess. Pizza and we made that pact. Pepperoni was what I had. ”
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The pair took over from the late TV legend Sir Bruce Forsyth, who left the show back in 2014, after 10 years as host. Now with mass hit The Traitors also under her belt, Claudia says the dynamic between her and Tess is perfect.
Doing live TV makes me frighten, she said. Tess always wears a long-sleeved shirt or upper-arm garb because I squeeze her because I’m incredibly scared. I have imposter syndrome, which is why. ”
Claudia, 53, claims she still uses the Tube incognito despite her fame. She said, “I don’t feel any fame.” I watch the Tube four times per day. One of my life’s greatest loves is the Central line, and I have never been forgotten. No one looks up at me while I’m wearing full sequins and hum the theme song on the Tube. Not one. ”
After completing her studies in Cambridge University’s History of Art, Claudia credits her parents, former newspaper editor Eve Pollard and her father Barry, who encouraged her to pursue her showbiz dreams.
She began her TV adventure in 1992 on the long running BBC travel series Holiday. Claudia said: “The confidence I have comes from my parents. When I was tiny, to them the BBC was everything and it was the place they would always go to rely on.
“I can recall working for the BBC for the first time. I called my father, and we both started crying. I responded, “I have a job at the BBC.” He said, “It has all been worthwhile. I promised to do a three-part documentary series for BBC Three. He yelled, “Stop.” What’s its name? I responded, “It’s called Toilets.” ’”
After years working on shows including Talking Telephone Numbers, This Morning, Liquid News and Fame Academy, Claudia’s big break came in 2004 when she was picked to host Strictly’s sister show It Takes Two. After six years on the BBC2 spin off, Claudia graduated to the main event – presenting the weekly Sunday night show with Tess, which she says she has loved. “It is a show predominantly run by women and they are brilliant women,” she said.
She claims that she based every outfit on a theme, becoming something of a style icon. It might be a place or a person. When I had long hair pieces and we put turf in my dressing room, Andre Agassi recalled one year.
“I have done Pam StClement, Slash from Guns n Roses, I had a Joan Rivers moment, Sharon Osbourne, Anita Dobson, Rob Kardashian, Elton John, Mr Darcey from Pride and Prejudice. My favourite though was when we dressed the whole series as Sexy Fish, based on the restaurant in London. I have to say it did not look good on me!”
Kate Moss is a true example of her style. She says, “Great boots, thank you Kate Moss, skinny jeans, thank you again, thank you.” Kate is skilled at what she is doing with an oversize coat. Claudia, however, prefers to work in primarily dark colors. She says, “I have a uniform,” and she laughs. I’m doing exactly what I’m doing. I am unable to get up and think. There isn’t much time for reflection. I lack the brain, band width, or capacity for that. It must either be a black T-shirt or skinnies. A long-sleeved black shirt or perhaps a navy shirt is possible.
“I want to look like a male teacher of French geography!” I like the way that black makes me look older. rumpled . And that’s it. I prefer black because it’s simple and coordinates well with everything. I discovered goths, Siouxsie, the Banshees, Chrisse Hynde, Wendy James, and then I saw a photo of Joan Jett on Top of the Pops, and she was wearing black and white lipstick. ”
On the day of her wedding, she made an exception. She claims that it was white on the day of my wedding. a disgusting list. A very long day was had. I enjoy coloring a lot. One of the best things I’ve ever worn was a red sequinned trouser suit for the Strictly launch. It sounded violent. “
Claudia continues to be incredibly appreciative of Strictly and for all of her other TV work, looking forward to 2026 and any new, exciting projects that might come her way. She said, “I still believe I have had the best career possible, even if they called me right now and said, “You’re done.” ”
Teess reveals that Bruce Forsyth is to be credited.
Forsyth, a TV legend, is to blame for her glittering Strictly career, according to Tess Daly. She remarked, “Bruce looked after me. He was very giving. He was a TV legend, and I was no one when I first started.
It felt like I was in the presence of greatness when I first met him. When I first knocked on his door at first, he was very kind and greeted me and gave me his digestive biscuits.
He made fun of me for stealing his Mars bars, he said. He never once complained to me. He simply had energy. When I worked with him, we had two children, and they were identical. “
Tess, 56, claims that when Bruce left, the choice of two women to lead the show was viewed as very contemporary. Sue and Mel had been doing it on Bake Off, so we weren’t the first, she said. As Claudia and I used to do the Sunday night results show, it seemed natural for us to move forward. ”
Additionally, Claudia and she have been excellent partners. I love Claudia and she said, “She is cheeky. She is a girl’s girl, and she is a lot of fun. She is a wonderful companion. We discuss our families and how we each have the same pair of TopShop jeans but cannot wear them on the same day.
