Claudia Winkleman has revealed she keeps in touch with the contestants on The Traitors and ‘texts them all the time.’
The presenter, 51, has to remain impartial during filming to avoid giving away the identities of the Faithful and the Traitors, yet season one star Fay Greaves recently revealed that BBC bosses had to scold Claudia for her behaviour.
She told OK! magazine: ‘Claudia is lovely. She got in trouble for being too nice to us… She was in it with us. She was devastated at the banishments and she was so down to earth.”‘
Fay added that Claudia was as invested in the challenges as the contestants and ‘got in trouble’ after collapsing into giggles during one of the tasks.
And speaking to Zoe Ball on her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show on Wednesday morning, Claudia revealed that her tight bond with the stars lasted after filming and she still keeps in touch with them all.
Claudia Winkleman has revealed she keeps in touch with the contestants on The Traitors and ‘texts them all the time’
The presenter, 51, has to remain impartial during filming to avoid giving away the identities of the Faithful and the Traitors (pictured with the season two cast)
Claudia said: ‘I message them all the time and also I message last year’s contestants.’
Zoe began listing them off and Claudia answered: ‘All of them. Maddy – I was like, “Am I coming to see the baby?” She was like, “Literally let it go. It was a TV show and I am blocking you.”‘
Maddy, a Faithful from the first series, welcomed a baby girl in October 2023.
Claudia continued: ‘I text them all the time and I follow them and I’m watching them because you’ve been through this extraordinary thing.’
Zoe, 53, introduced the presenter by saying: ‘Just to let you know, I always get a little overexcited when our dear friend Claud comes into the building, but I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited to talk about TV.’
Claudia then confessed: ‘I was terrified about this series [of the Traitors] because the first series winded us, without exaggerating.
She continued: ‘I couldn’t believe it when Russell T. Davis tweeted, and then Kathy Burke tweeted. I was like, “What’s happening?”‘
Russell, 60, was the original showrunner and head writer of the 2005 revival of the Doctor Who and resumed the role in 2023.
Claudia finished: ‘So, I’m very worried about this one but seemingly it’s fine.
Season one star Fay Greaves recently revealed that BBC bosses had to scold Claudia for her behaviour because she was ‘too nice’ to the contestants
The Traitors premiered in November 2022 and featured four ‘Traitors who worked together to ‘murder’ the other contestants in order to win the £100,000 grand prize.
The remaining contestants were Faithful and tasked to discover and banish the Traitors to win the prize instead.
Moving on to discuss her wardrobe in the show, Claudia joked that finding outfits is a struggle, saying: ‘I’ve got the body of ET: I am torso and feet.’
Zoe then asked Claudia about her new sidekick, The Owl, which delivers invitations to the contestants.
Claudia said: ‘I named him Barry. I loved the owl so much and the handler was so amazing and I’ve never really met an animal.
‘I live in London, I don’t have a garden. I find ladybirds confusing and mesmerising – I don’t know what they are.
She finished: ‘So, to meet an actual owl was extraordinary.’
The Traitors continues at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
Claudia chatted about The Traitors with Zoe Ball (right) on her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show on Wednesday morning
Claudia kept things casual for the radio interview in a striped knotted jumper and padded coat
