Claudia Winkleman quits YMU talent agency

Claudia Winkleman has quit under fire talent agency YMU after more than a decade amid chaos at the firm.

The Strictly Come Dancing presenter will now be represented by a company founded by her husband Kris Thykier.

And it can also be revealed that Gabby Logan has also left YMU – the company which looked after Phillip Schofield for 35 years before they ditched in him 2023 following his affair with a much younger colleague.

Woman’s Hour’s Emma Barnett and British designer Anya Hindmarch have also joined Little Arrow which was founded by Thykier and long-time celebrity agent, Holly Bott.

As one of Britain’s highest paid presenters, 52-year-old Claudia’s departure is a fresh blow to talent agency YMU. 

Claudia Winkleman has quit under fire talent agency YMU after more than a decade amid chaos at the firm

The Strictly Come Dancing presenter will now be represented by a company founded by her husband Kris Thykier

The showbiz company, which represents stars including Ant & Dec and Davina McCall, has been in turmoil since a legal battle with former client Holly Willoughby after she set up her own all-female firm, Roxy Management.

She went to war with the organisation over future commissions but after winning her battle with them went on get her own Netflix deal.

A television industry source told the Mail: ‘Like Holly, Claudia knows she is bigger than YMU after the success of Traitors and The Piano made her the most in-demand presenter in the country. 

‘She has already shot a pilot for a BBC chat show with Graham Norton’s production company and has mega brand deals rolling in every week.

‘By setting up on her own, via her husband, she gets to keep the 20% commission that a management company would take and forge her own path.’

The move will see Claudia head in a different direction to Strictly Come Dancing co-host Tess Daly, 55, who remains a client at YMU, as they prepare to front the Strictly Come Dancing 20th anniversary series which launches in September.

BBC sports presenter Gabby, 51, is also a long serving client of YMU but has decided to quit too.

Amanda Holden, 53, who quit YMU last year, alongside her agent husband Chris Hughes, took to Instagram to congratulate the new agency Little Arrow’s roster of stars. ‘This is incredible,’ the Britain’s Got Talent judge posted.

As one of Britain’s highest paid presenters, 52-year-old Claudia’s departure is a fresh blow to talent agency YMU

And it can also be revealed that Gabby Logan has also left YMU – the company which looked after Phillip Schofield for 35 years before they ditched in him 2023

Meanwhile, Schofield’s daughter Molly left the London-based firm earlier this year and now represents her father alone.

The two directors of the new agency listed on Companies House documents are Thykier and Bott, who was the presenter’s agent at YMU for a decade before leaving last year.

Bott had also worked with top TV talent Rylan Clark and Olympic diving athlete Tom Daley while at YMU.

Thykier, who is also chief exec of Archery Pictures, said of his business partner: “Holly is enormously impressive and her vision for a management business that looks beyond traditional representation towards business development is tremendously exciting.”

YMU was previously known as James Grant Management and was founded in 1984 by television executives Peter Powell and Russ Lindsay.

It changed its name to YMU in 2018 – much to the surprise of many of its clients including Schofield.