Claudia Winkleman has revealed that she almost turned down the chance to host BBC primetime sensation The Traitors when it was first pitched to her.
The presenter, who has been named Harper’s Bazaar Television Icon of the Year, says she changed her mind after watching the original Dutch version of the hit show.
Winkleman revealed that she initially turned down the opportunity because she did not want to spend weeks away from her family, before becoming so hooked on the programme that she signed up to host it in the early hours of the morning.
“I’m always in bed at 9pm with my book, but I started watching, and at midnight, I sent [the showrunner] a text saying, ‘I’ll buy my own ticket’,” she told Harper’s Bazaar.
Winkleman has since become one of the most recognisable faces on British television, presenting four series of The Traitors as well as two celebrity editions.
The programme, which sees contestants divided into secret Traitors and Faithfuls as they attempt to deceive or expose one another, has become a major television success since its British debut in 2022.
Yet Winkleman admitted that she had little idea how popular it would become. Recalling an early conversation with her husband, television and film producer Kris Thykier, she told him: “I’m standing in the Highlands wearing red fingerless gloves and carrying a ceremonial pouch – I think it’s over. But I’ve had a good run.”
However, the presenter said she has become completely absorbed in the programme.
“I find the whole thing fascinating,” she said. “It’s such a good game. I’m so into it, like I’ve never been on anything else. I live and breathe it.”
Despite the show's competitive format, Winkleman says she becomes emotionally invested in the contestants and their decisions. She described listening to their discussions as “the greatest honour of my working life”.
Recalling a moment in the first series when one Traitor turned against another, she went on: “I remember I was shaking and shallow breathing. It blew my mind.”
She also revealed that she cries at the conclusion of every series. “I can’t help it,” she added.
“What I’ve learnt from Traitors is that gut feeling doesn’t exist. And I don’t think you can spot a liar.
“Even if you know something for a fact, if you don’t have people behind you and believing in you, it doesn’t matter. The Round Table is all about the power of persuasion.”
Winkleman recently reflected on the latest celebrity series, which included actor Richard E Grant accidentally revealing that he had been selected as a Traitor.
But she defended Grant's unexpected revelation, saying: “He would have been a superb Traitor, but he was still magnificent. I told him: you’re iconic. You’ve come in here and done something that’s never been done before.”
The recognition from Harper’s Bazaar comes after another significant chapter in Winkleman's career. She and Tess Daly left Strictly Come Dancing in 2025, having presented the competition together for more than a decade.
“That was a long discussion between Tess and me,” she recalled. “We never lost our love for the show, but it was time. That show deserved something new.”
“Tess and I are having a sleepover at mine and watching the first show, with Baileys and a cheeseboard. That girl loves cheese more than anybody I’ve ever met…"
She has also ruled out returning to her BBC chat show, The Claudia Winkleman Show, after its first series.
“I didn’t enjoy it, I didn’t like having my name on it, it’s not what I’m good at. I need a format – it can’t just be me,” she said.
However, she insisted that trying something new and failing was nothing to be embarrassed about.
“It’s brilliant to give something a go, and it’s brilliant to fail,” she said. “And it’s only work. It doesn’t matter. You’ve got to be able to brush it off and say, this isn’t the thing; the thing is family and friends and scrambled eggs.”
The daughter of journalist Eve Pollard and publisher Barry Winkleman, Winkleman grew up in a household where academic curiosity and feminism were encouraged.
“My mum was a staunch feminist, a brilliant journalist, and she said from the get-go, it can’t be about what you look like,” she said.
Married to Thykier since 2000, Winkleman has three children and says family life remains her priority. She also credits her father with instilling a strong work ethic.
“My dad taught me: be there early, stay late, make the tea,” she said.
Asked what she believes is behind her success, Winkleman offered a characteristically self-deprecating answer.
“I’ve been in the right place at the right time,” she said, before adding: “Not taking yourself seriously is the key. People who take themselves seriously are revolting.”
Winkleman was awarded an MBE in 2025 for services to broadcasting.
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