Claudia Winkleman quits BBC chat show after one series

Claudia Winkleman quits BBC chat show after one series

Claudia Winkleman has announced she is stepping down from her eponymous BBC chat show after just one series. The presenter, who is 54, stated that she was too nervous to enjoy it.

The Claudia Winkleman Show launched on 13 March 2026, filling a Friday night slot on BBC One. This vacancy was created after Graham Norton reduced the number of episodes produced for his own talk series in 2022, opting for a shorter autumn and winter run and leaving a gap between March and May.

Winkleman’s series ran for seven episodes and was produced by So Television, the production company co-founded by Norton. Despite the BBC offering a second series, Winkleman turned down the opportunity.

"Sometimes you have to try something to see how it fits, and I realised I was just too nervous to enjoy it,"

Claudia Winkleman, via the Mail

The presenter had expressed apprehension before the show began, predicting she would be awful and stating she was over the moon they're letting me try. Once the show aired, she continued to critique herself, describing the first episode as so bad and hoping she would be less painful as the series progressed.

The show's reception was divided. Some critics described the series as full of banter and entertaining, while others called it messy and a bit of a bore. Some viewers argued that Winkleman slid into the background. There was also discussion regarding the difficulties female hosts face in connecting with audiences and guests, with references to the short-lived programs of Ruby Wax, Charlotte Church, and Davina McCall.

Winkleman hosted a variety of guests on her velvet sofa, including:

• Jeff Goldblum, Jennifer Saunders, Vanessa Williams, and Tom Allen (first episode)
• Lisa Kudrow, Niall Horan, and Rachel Zegler
• Ralph Fiennes, James McAvoy, Jamie Dornan, and Guz Khan
• Dan Levy and incoming Strictly co-host Josh Widdicombe

While some critics suggested the show struggled to match the star power of Norton's award-season Hollywood guests, the viewership numbers were competitive. Most episodes attracted a combined average audience of between 1.5m and 2m viewers. The premiere episode brought in 1.5 million overnight viewers, which beat the final episode of the preceding Graham Norton series by roughly 200,000 viewers. Additionally, the launch episode received 2.5million views in the first seven days, compared to 2.3million for the most recent series of Graham Norton's show. Viewing figures increased by 50% once the program moved to iPlayer.

Ed Havard, director of entertainment at the BBC, said Winkleman's warmth and quick wit made The Claudia Winkleman Show an absolute joy. He added that the broadcaster fully respects her decision.

Winkleman’s departure from the chat show follows her exit from Strictly Come Dancing last December, a role she held for 15 years. She remains active with other projects, including The Piano on Channel 4 and the BBC's The Traitors. She also appeared in Channel 4's Crufts coverage earlier this year.

Winkleman noted that she already possesses the best jobs in the world and loves the shows she is currently doing, though she suggested she might give it another try one day.

Winkleman will return to the BBC later this year when The Celebrity Traitors returns in the autumn. A new series of the celebrity spin-off was filmed earlier this summer.