Claudia Winkleman has waltzed away from her high-profile BBC chat show, saying that she was ‘just too nervous to enjoy it’.
Claudia, 54, took on the job after leaving Strictly Come Dancing, the jewel in the BBC’s crown that had made her the most successful female presenter on television. The Claudia Winkleman Show was launched to massive hype in March.
The ratings were healthy and it had a mostly positive reception from critics, so she was offered a second series of the chat show by the Beeb.
But after taking some time to reflect – and after filming a new series of Celebrity Traitors earlier this summer – it can be revealed that she has decided that she doesn’t want to carry on.
Claudia herself told me yesterday: ‘Sometimes you have to try something to see how it fits, and I realised I was just too nervous to enjoy it.
‘Maybe one day I will give it another try, but for now I already have the best jobs in the world and absolutely love the shows I’m doing.’
She added: ‘I’m incredibly grateful to the BBC for giving me the opportunity, to the guests who agreed to come and chat to me, and the production team who were simply excellent.’
Ed Havard, Director of Entertainment at the BBC said: ‘Claudia’s warmth and quick wit made The Claudia Winkleman Show an absolute joy. Whilst we loved the show, we fully respect her decision and would like to thank Claudia and the brilliant team at So Television for bringing the series to screen on the BBC.
Claudia has decided she doesn’t want to carry on with The Claudia Winkleman Show, as she realised she was ‘just too nervous to enjoy it’
‘As the host of the country’s most-watched show, Claudia will be back on the BBC very soon when The Celebrity Traitors returns later this year, and we can’t wait to see what she has in store for the new band of celebs.’
Claudia’s seven-part chat show series ran on Friday nights from March 13 and was made by So Television, who are also behind Graham Norton’s supremely popular version.
Some felt that Claudia’s show didn’t quite land because she was ‘too nice and too modest’ to spar with the giant egos of Hollywood.
Others argued that female chat show hosts simply seldom managed to connect with their guests and the audience – citing the brief previous runs of shows fronted by Davina McCall, Charlotte Church and Ruby Wax.
In an interview before the first show, she told the Daily Mail’s Weekend magazine: ‘I’m just not sure I’ll be very good at this, that’s the truth.’ Explaining that she lacked ‘curiosity and vim’, she added: ‘I like napping. I’m low on vim. So, yeah, it’s problematic. I’ll tell you what it’s going to be. This is your headline: “A Disaster”.’
She went on to explain that she had, however, initially thought that Traitors was a disaster as well, saying: ‘I phoned my husband from the Scottish castle, holding ceremonial pouches and red leather fingerless gloves I’d got off Amazon, and said, “I’ve had a good run, this is where it comes to an end.” This is also how I feel about this show.’ Of course, Traitors was and is a massive hit.
While Claudia’s chat show occupied the same Friday night slot as Graham Norton’s, his runs during the autumn and winter months when movie stars are campaigning for awards. It means that he regularly attracts Hollywood A-listers (he even scored an invitation to Taylor Swift’s recent wedding after having her on his sofa).
Claudia’s guests were slightly less stellar. Joining her on the green velvet sofa was Jeff Goldblum, US actress Vanessa Williams, Jennifer Saunders, Schitt’s Creek creator Dan Levy and comedians Tom Allen and Josh Widdicombe.
Claudia is known for hosting The Traitors, a popular social deduction game show. She filmed a new series of Celebrity Traitors earlier this summer at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands
On one of the chat show’s episodes, Claudia Winkleman talked to (L-R) Dan Levy, Cush Jumbo, Phil Dunster and Josh Widdicombe
Another episode saw Claudia talk to (L-R) Lisa Kudrow, Jamie Dornan, Chase Infiniti and Jimmy Carr
The Guardian’s Lucy Mangan described the first episode as ‘a mess’ in a two-star review, but The Telegraph’s Anita Singh said that it had arrived ‘on a wave of goodwill’ with the host approaching ‘national treasure status’ despite appearing to suffer from first night nerves.
Claudia made a joke about breast-feeding her dog, chatted to members of the audience and thanked her guests ‘for coming on the first and possibly last show’. Goldblum shot back with characteristic charm that it would be ‘the longest-running show ever’.
Some observed that Claudia had seemingly found her groove by the time the series ended.
She still presents Traitors and its spin off Celebrity Traitors, plus The Piano on Channel 4 and this year was also a part of Channel 4’s Crufts coverage for the first time – she dotes on her King Charles Spaniel, Skip.
She and Tess Daly were the long-standing hosts of the BBC’s top entertainment show Strictly Come Dancing, before announcing last year that, after two decades at the helm, they were stepping down.
Strictly had been hit by a string of scandals including claims of drug taking and abusive behaviour towards contestants by pro dancers.
Among them, Giovanni Pernice and Graziano di Prima both left the show – in the latter’s wake were allegations that he had stamped on his partner Zara McDermott. Pernice was investigated by the BBC over complaints of bullying made by his partner actress Amanda Abbington, some of which were upheld.
Claudia and Tess said that none of that was a factor in their leaving, but explained instead that they simply felt it was time to step aside.
Claudia and Tess Daly were the long-standing hosts of the BBC’s top entertainment show Strictly Come Dancing, before announcing last year that, after two decades at the helm, they were stepping down
In a video accompanying their written statement on Tess Daly’s Instagram in November the pair said they had decided the time was right.
Claudia said: ‘Hi, it’s Claud and Tess. There have been some rumblings and we want you to hear this from us.’
Tess added: ‘We have news. After 21 wonderfully joyful years on Strictly, we have decided that the time is right to step aside and pass over the baton.’
‘The very sparkly baton,’ Claudia added.
Tess went on to explain: ‘It’s been a huge part of our lives, hasn’t it? Since our children were literally babes in arms and now they’re young adults and I think genuinely we have cherished every second.’
Claudia then said: ‘We have. We’re so lucky to have been part of this amazing show and just want to thank the Strictly team because Strictly is the people who make it.’
Despite rumours suggesting that it was Claudia who decided to go, with Tess opting to join her to avoid humiliation, friends of the pair say they began discussing the idea of leaving a year ago and were ‘in cahoots’ every step of the way.
Tess launched Strictly back in 2004 alongside the late Sir Bruce Forsyth while Claudia fronted the BBC Two spin-off show, It Takes Two. In 2014 she took over from Sir Bruce, with the pair making history as the BBC’s first all-female presenting duo. They formed a close bond away from the cameras, too.
Claudia’s chat show was already in the offing at that point, with her having filmed a pilot episode not for transmission over a year previously. Sources said that the plan was for a ‘super high end’ series, which would be ‘trailblazing’.
Yet, while the series didn’t meet initial hopes, Claudia remains one of the most bankable hosts in TV.
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