From the Strictly ballroom to a Scottish castle, Claudia Winkleman has become a staple of British television
Claudia Winkleman is returning to the Scottish Highlands for another season of Celebrity Traitors(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge)
Claudia Winkleman has become one of TV’s most recognisable faces – known for her heavy eyeliner and iconic fringe. As a beloved fixture on screens across Britain, it came as a massive shock when Claudia stepped down from Strictly Come Dancing at the end of 2025, alongside co-host Tess Daly – marking an end to more than two decades of involvement with the BBC favourite.
Claudia first became part of the Strictly family when she took over as presenter of the spin-off show It Takes Two in 2004, a role she held until 2011. She then went on to co-host the Sunday results show from 2010, before joining Tess on the main Saturday night programme in 2014.
The pair announced in October 2025 that they would leave the show together at the end of the series, bringing their 11-year presenting partnership to a close. Their final appearance came in the 2025 Christmas special.
For Claudia, it marked the end of one of the longest-running chapters of her television career. But leaving the ballroom certainly did not mean she was stepping away from television.
In fact, the months since her Strictly departure have seen Claudia busier than ever, starting – and finishing – her own chatshow while continuing in the role that has arguably become her biggest television success in recent years.
So, what exactly has Claudia Winkleman been up to since leaving Strictly?
The biggest part of Claudia’s television life since Strictly has undoubtedly been The Traitors, which has been running since 2022. The cloak and dagger reality show has since cemented itself in the hearts of Brits, and won multiple awards as a result.
The highly anticpated second series of Celebrity Traitors is set to appear on screens on October, 1. The electric lineup features Amol Rajan, Bella Ramsey, James Acaster, James Blunt, Jerry Hall, Joanne McNally, Joe Lycett, Julie Hesmondhalgh, King Kenny, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Maya Jama, Michael Sheen, Miranda Hart, Myha’la, Professor Hannah Fry, Richard E. Grant, Rob Beckett, Romesh Ranganathan, Ross Kemp, Sebastian Croft and Sharon Rooney.
The celebrities will participate in the ultimate test of detection, trust and betrayal, competing to secure a cash prize of up to £100,000 for a charity of their choosing.
This follows Alan Carr’s victory in Celebrity Traitors series one last year, where he successfully remained undetected as a Traitor throughout. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter
Beyond Traitors, Claudia also tried her hand at hosting a chatshow – a seemingly fitting move for the presenter after previously filling in for Graham Norton on the Graham Norton Show.
The Claudia Winkleman Show broadcasted on the BBC back in March, and featured a range of celebrity guests from film, television and music in front of a live studio audience. Guests included Jeff Goldblum, Jennifer Saunders, Jimmy Carr and Lisa Kudrow.
However after just seven episodes, the BBC confirmed that the show would not return for a second season, with Claudia saying she was “too nervous to enjoy” the stint.
“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,” she said. “Sometimes you have to try something to see how it fits, and I realised I was just too nervous to enjoy it.”
Claudia added that this may not be the last time she ever hosted a chat show, saying: “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.”
