Claudia Winkleman Embraces Change After Strictly Exit

Claudia Winkleman, the instantly recognizable host of the BBCs The Traitors and longtime face of Strictly Come Dancing, has just marked her 54th birthday, and her career is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, the past few years have seen Winkleman not only take on new roles but also make some of the most significant personal and professional decisions of her life. As she steps into what many are calling her "biggest year yet," her journey offers a fascinating look at reinvention, risk-taking, and the enduring importance of family.

Winklemans transformative journey began in 2022, the year she turned 50. According to OK! and The Sun, she made a bold, personal resolution: "I turned 50 and thought I'd start saying yes to things. I mean, it's 50, and we're only here for two minutes, so I felt like I wanted to work a bit more and be less risk-averse." This new outlook led her to accept the hosting gig for The Traitors, a BBC series that has since become a massive hit. It was a pivotal moment, both for her career and her sense of self. As she candidly told The Sun, "I love it, I love being 50. Everything's falling apart physically, it is like my skin is completely made of crepe paper now, who knew? I've always just really liked playing bridge, and a heavy tog duvet. And at 50 you can do all of that and you don't have to make any excuse."

This spirit of embracing opportunity has paid off in spades. Winkleman remained a staple on Strictly Come Dancing until her departure in December 2025, and her presenting repertoire has only grown, including quiz show One Question and Channel 4's talent series The Piano. She has also maintained her radio commitments, showing an impressive ability to juggle multiple roles in the spotlight.

But as her professional life flourished, Winkleman made sure not to lose sight of what matters most: her family. Married to film producer Kris Thykier since 2000, the couple has three childrenJake, now 20, Matilda, 17, and Arthur, 12. Despite their high-profile careers, the pair have kept their relationship largely private, a conscious decision shaped by Winklemans upbringing. With both her parents, Eve Pollard and Barry Winkleman, having been prominent journalists, Claudia has always been wary of the pitfalls of celebrity. As a source told Mirror Celebs, "Claudia knows how the showbiz world works so shes been extremely clever by keeping her relationship private and not doing things that might cheapen her brand. Unlike a lot of celebs, shell only go to things she really believes in because she knows her worth."

That sense of value and self-awareness extends to her marriage. Winkleman offered a glimpse into their dynamic in her 2020 book Quite, writing, "Kris is very Scandinavian. Weve been together for 22 years and hes never once said to me, Whats for dinner? Its always been, What shall we have for dinner? We dont have rules, but we look after each other more. So, whoever comes home first normally makes the dinner. Its just about being nice to each other." She also acknowledged that they "fundamentally disagree" about some thingslike buffets and baby namesbut have always made it work.

Recently, the couple made a rare public appearance together in London to promote Thykiers new film, Is This Thing On? The event was a testament to their mutual support, with Thykier, himself a seasoned producer behind projects like MobLand and Luther: The Fallen Sun, putting his arm around Winkleman for the cameras. According to sources cited by Mirror Celebs, Thykier has played a "vital role" in supporting Claudia as she embarks on this new phase of her career. "Claudia has worked incredibly hard and Kris is very proud of her, but hes relieved shes broken free from Strictly. Hes always felt she was worth a lot more and having worked in the film industry himself, hes very involved in her career decisions. He wants her to be the best of the best and knows shes got the world at her feet."

Indeed, stepping down from Strictly Come Dancing was a major decision for Winkleman, one motivated by a desire to prioritize family. Shed previously revealed that the shows demanding schedule had caused her to worry about missing key moments in her childrens lives, particularly when her eldest son Jake left for university. As reported by Mirror Celebs, she once phoned Strictly bosses "in tears" over the potential clash. Now, with Strictly behind her, shes looking forward to more flexibility and quality time. "Strictly was such a whirlwind and took up so much of her time, so even though she has a lot on this year, shes looking forward to spending more quality time together as a family," a source close to the family shared.

Professionally, Winkleman is far from slowing down. In addition to returning to the Scottish Highlands to film the fifth series of The Traitors and its celebrity spin-off, she is set to front her own self-titled Friday-night chat show on the BBC, airing this spring. The series promises to feature "the biggest names from the worlds of film, television, music and beyond." Winkleman herself is characteristically self-deprecating about the new venture, saying, "I cant quite believe it and Im incredibly grateful to the BBC for this amazing opportunity. Im obviously going to be awful, that goes without saying, but Im over the moon theyre letting me try."

Her birthday celebrations this year offered a snapshot of her popularity and the affection she inspires among colleagues and fans. On January 15, Winkleman posted a photo to Instagram featuring herself with TV personality Jools Holland and singer Mika, both of whom she worked with on The Piano. The caption was simple and joyful: "54 today. Celebrating with these legends." Messages of congratulations poured in, including a cake emoji from TV star Stacey Dooley, a heartfelt "Happiest of bdays queen!" from Strictlys Carlos Gu, and "Happy birthday gorgeous!" from Good Morning Britains Kate Garraway. Tess Daly, her former Strictly co-host, chimed in with "Happy happy happy birthday" and a flood of red heart emojis.

As Winkleman moves forward, her story is one of evolution, courage, and the balancing act between ambition and home life. The decision she made at 50to say yes, to embrace the unknown, and to trust in her own worthcontinues to shape her path. With a supportive family, a slate of exciting projects, and an ever-growing fan base, Claudia Winklemans next chapter looks as compelling as ever.