Claudia Winkleman reveals she almost betrayed Strictly Come Dancing by quitting after the phenomenal success of the first series of The Traitors
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Claudia Winkleman has revealed she almost quit Strictly Come Dancing after the success of the first season of BBC show Traitors.
After being “floored” by the series' popularity, she said she confided to her husband, film producer Kris Thykier, that she felt like she was at the top of her game and needed to leave on a high.
She also tried to convince the producers of The Traitors that they should only make one series, as she felt that the success of the first would not be matched.
Mrs Winkleman, 51, who hosted the dance competition alongside Tess Daly, 54, said: 'I was on the train and I was talking to my husband and I just said, 'It's over, but I've had a good run and that's why I have to resign from Strictly and just hide.”
Double act: Claudia Winkleman with Strictly Come Dancing co-host Tess Daly
Claudia Winkleman has revealed she almost quit Strictly Come Dancing after the success of the first season of BBC show Traitors
She has hosted Strictly since 2010, when the late Sir Bruce Forsyth stepped down from hosting the Sunday evening 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 at the age of 89.
The first episode of The Traitors attracted four million viewers in 2022 and built an average audience of 5.4 million on television and iPlayer.
When 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 leaned over to take my temperature. Anyway, we went again, but I'm 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 kind of magic 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 program 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 stopped hosting the Sunday evening 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, building an average audience of 5.4 million across television and iPlayer