It’s not every day that the British television landscape is shaken by the departure of two of its most beloved hosts, but that’s exactly what happened just weeks ago when Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly announced they would be stepping down from their roles on Strictly Come Dancing. The news, reported by BBC News and echoed across the UK media, caught many by surprise—especially given the show’s enduring popularity and Winkleman’s own 15-year tenure at the helm. Yet, if there’s one thing the world of TV is known for, it’s change, and the speculation over who will step into those iconic ballroom shoes has already reached a fever pitch.
Winkleman’s decision to leave Strictly wasn’t a retreat from the spotlight but rather a pivot toward new opportunities, capitalizing on a career that’s arguably never been hotter. Since 2022, she’s fronted The Traitors, a BBC reality series that’s rapidly become a jewel in the broadcaster’s crown. Its most recent celebrity spin-off drew more than 13 million viewers, a staggering feat in today’s fragmented media landscape. According to Alex Segal, managing director at InterTalent, "It'd be hard to argue against her being the number one presenter in the country right now." He adds, "People watch a show for her as much as they watch it for the format."
On top of her success with The Traitors, Winkleman has been in advanced talks to host her own chat show, produced by So Television—the same company behind Graham Norton’s long-running BBC chat series. Deadline’s Jake Kanter, who first reported the negotiations, notes that this is both a personal ambition for Winkleman and an endorsement of her meteoric rise. "She will be very keen to do this," Kanter says. "I'm told it's a personal ambition of hers as well." The BBC has declined to comment on the reports, but industry insiders suggest the format would air during the months Norton’s show is off the air, avoiding direct competition and positioning Winkleman as a natural successor in the coveted Friday night slot.
Winkleman’s appeal is more than just professional polish. Her authenticity, wit, and self-deprecating humor have made her a household favorite. As Frances Taylor, TV previews editor at Radio Times, puts it, "She has that natural comic timing and ability to be entertaining. And an extra layer on top of that is how self-deprecating that sense of humour is, that's her secret weapon to me." Kanter agrees: "She's the best friend you'd love to have. She's fun, empathetic, understanding, sharp, and those qualities exude from the screen."
Her journey to the top of British television has been anything but conventional. The daughter of newspaper editor Eve Pollard and book publisher Barry Winkleman, Claudia studied art history at Cambridge before launching her TV career in her twenties. She first became a familiar face in the 1990s on BBC’s travel series Holiday, and her résumé grew to include gameshows, dating formats, and children’s programming. Winkleman herself credits her distinctive style—especially her trademark fringe—for her recognizability. In her 2020 memoir Quite, she wrote, "You may loathe my fringe, but, and I'm being perfectly serious here, it's given me a career. I'm sure I got work because all those times producers were in a room ruminating on the next TV show, handing round digestives and they couldn't remember names, they said, 'We could always get the orange one with the fringe.'"
But even for someone at the top of their game, the path hasn’t always been smooth. Not every project has been a runaway hit—Britain's Best Home Cook struggled in the ratings despite star power, and her stint on Radio 2 was met with mixed reviews. Yet, her resilience and willingness to poke fun at herself have only endeared her more to the public.
Off-screen, Winkleman’s life has been marked by both joy and hardship. She shares three children with her husband, film producer Kris Thykier. In 2014, her daughter Matilda was seriously injured when her Halloween costume caught fire, an incident that led Winkleman to campaign for tougher fire safety regulations on fancy dress costumes. Matilda, now 19, has since gone on to study at the University of Bath.
Winkleman’s aversion to controversy is another hallmark of her career. Unlike some of her peers, she rarely shares her political views or courts the press. "I do have opinions, but opinions are never a good idea, are they? Whatever you do, don't have an opinion, is my general view," she told Gabby Logan’s podcast The Mid Point. "And also, I don't think I've got anything that interesting to say. So I'm happy to talk about napping and my love of eyeliner. I have nothing to add, I really don't."
As Winkleman prepares for new ventures, the BBC is left with the task of filling one of television’s most high-profile vacancies. Rumors have been swirling ever since her and Daly’s departure was announced. According to The Sun and HuffPost UK, Bradley Walsh—already a BBC stalwart thanks to Blankety Blank and Gladiators—is reportedly being considered as a replacement. The tabloid cited a source who claimed, "The show will keep its key components like the set, the theme tune and the judging set-up – nothing to cause die-hard fans to kick off. But they want to freshen it up, maybe with a new-look logo and new faces on the dancefloor."
Alex Jones, best known for The One Show and a former Strictly contestant herself, is also in the mix, with insiders describing talks as "moving in a really positive direction." The idea would be to pair Walsh’s wisecracks with Jones’s calm presence, honed over years of live television. Meanwhile, Alan Carr has emerged as a fan-favorite contender following his popularity on The Celebrity Traitors. The Daily Mail reported that Carr is "among the contenders" to replace Daly and Winkleman, with one source teasing, "He has got to be up there with the BBC to get a huge new role. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, Strictly." Craig Revel-Horwood, a long-serving judge, has publicly backed Carr as his top pick for the job.
And then there’s Holly Willoughby, the former Dancing On Ice host. After stepping away from This Morning in 2023, she was immediately tipped by bookmakers as a favorite for the Strictly job. Reports have even suggested the BBC tried to "lure" her over from ITV, though nothing has been confirmed and Willoughby herself has kept a low profile.
Current Strictly star La Voix has also publicly expressed hope to become one of the new presenters, and with the show’s producers aiming for a "revamp," the field remains wide open. As one insider told The Sun, "Nothing is set in stone yet but the discussions are moving in a really positive direction."
As the BBC weighs its options, one thing is clear: Claudia Winkleman’s departure marks the end of an era, but her influence on British television is far from over. Whether she’s fronting a new chat show, championing reality TV, or simply enjoying more time with her family, Winkleman’s wit, warmth, and unmistakable authenticity will continue to leave their mark on screens—and in the hearts of viewers—for years to come.
