Claudia Winkleman has revealed that she nearly quit Strictly Come Dancing after the success of the first season of the BBC’s show Traitors.
After being left ‘floored’ by how popular the series was she says she confided in her husband, film producer Kris Thykier, that she felt she was at the top of her game so she should leave on a high.
She also tried to persuade the producers of The Traitors that they should make only one series because she felt the success of the first would not be matched.
Ms Winkleman, 51, who hosts the dancing contest alongside Tess Daly, 54, said: ‘I was on a train and I spoke to my husband and I was just saying, “It’s over, but I had a good run and that’s why I should resign from Strictly and just hide.” ‘
Double act: Claudia Winkleman with Strictly Come Dancing co-host Tess Daly
Claudia Winkleman has revealed that she nearly quit Strictly Come Dancing after the success of the first season of the BBC ‘s show Traitors
She has hosted Strictly since 2010 when the late Sir Bruce Forsyth stood down from hosting the Sunday night episode, having presented BBC Two spin-off show It Takes Two since its inception in 2004. She then stepped into Sir Bruce’s shoes full-time when he retired from the show in 2014. He died three years later aged 89.
The first episode of The Traitors attracted four million viewers in 2022 and built up an average audience of 5.4million on television and iPlayer.
Discussing a second series, Ms Winkleman said she told production bosses: ‘Let’s just leave it. This thing happened, this magical thing happened. Enough.
‘The head of the BBC just leant forward to take my temperature. Anyway, we went again, but I am nervous and weird about it. What happened never happens, it was alarming for all of us. We just couldn’t believe it, so it felt like some sort of magical dust.’
When it was agreed that a second season would be made, Ms Winkleman said she ‘didn’t want people’s expectations to be too high’. The presenter, who has three children, quit her Radio 2 show last month to spend more time with her family.
Comedian Romesh Ranganathan has been named as her successor when she leaves in March.
Claudia has hosted Strictly since 2010 when the late Sir Bruce Forsyth stood down from hosting the Sunday night episode, having presented BBC Two spin-off show It Takes Two since its inception in 2004
The first episode of The Traitors attracted four million viewers in 2022 and built up an average audience of 5.4million on television and iPlayer
