The Traitors came to an end last week, with a nail-biting final that proved watercooler TV isn’t dead – and it’s not just the contestants that fans are obsessing over. The reality TV game of deception has only confirmed the public’s love for host Claudia Winkleman, who won over fans and critics with her hilarious commentary, chic winter outfits and endless empathy for the players.
On social media, fans dressed up in the 52-year-old presenter’s trademark fringe, fake tan and heavy eyeliner to watch the final, with one viewer writing that “there is no host like Claudia Winkleman”.
For Claudia, 2024 looks to be a landmark year. Alongside The Traitors, she’s best known for co-hosting Strictly Come Dancing alongside pal Tess Daly, 54, with 2024 marking Claudia’s 10th year on the main show.
And now insiders say that Claudia – who shares children Jake, 20, Matilda, 17, and Arthur, 12, with husband Kris Thykier, 52 – is considering her future career. Amid reports of more seasons of The Traitors, the much-loved host is conscious not to let workload affect her family balance.
A source tells Closer, “When this season of The Traitors was launched, everyone had high hopes it would do as well as the season before – but nobody can quite believe the impact it has made, especially Claudia. Series three has already started taking applicants, there’s talk of a celeb version and bosses are desperate to get Claudia to sign a long-term deal to present it.
“But while Claudia loves doing the show and wouldn’t want anybody else presenting it, her family is, and will always be, her top priority, so she would have to make sure she has enough time to do [it] and not take her away from her family too much. She’s also had so many more offers come in since the success of this season and she’s been told by some networks that she can name her price.”
It wouldn’t be the first time Claudia’s family has taken priority. In March, the presenter will be stepping down from her BBC Radio 2 show after three years, a move, she explained in December, to spend more time with her family. “My daughter is getting ready to leave home, and she was three about five minutes ago,” she told listeners. “I still have a little one who wants to be with me – don’t know how long that’ll last – and I just need to be at home with them more.”
The insider adds, “Claudia has already shown that she’s not afraid to quit things for her family, like she has done with her Radio 2 show, and if work was overtaking her life again, she’d have to rethink some of her commitments and the most obvious one is Strictly. But Claudia knows Tess would be heartbroken if she left as she just couldn’t do the show without her.”
Claudia and Tess are close both on-screen and off-screen, with Claudia previously joking that they have a pact to only leave Strictly together. Gushing about her “firecracker” friend, Tess once wrote, “Your laughs are limitless, our memories our countless and our friendship endless! Love you to bits @ claudiawinkle.”
The source says, “This year is 10 years since she started co-hosting full-time with Tess and while she loves every minute of it and would never want to leave Tess, she does always wonder how long it can go on for. And if The Traitors and Strictly filming clashed too much and she wasn’t at home enough, well then she’d have some tough decisions to make.
“While Tess is immensely proud of her friend, the whole thing has left her feeling panicked. It’s been 20 years for Tess this year and she has to pinch herself that she’s still getting to do her dream job. She and Claudia have become more than just co-hosts and are almost like family, and a Strictly without Claudia is something Tess doesn’t want to think about – she’d be devastated.”
Tess – who shares daughters Phoebe, 19, and Amber, 14, with husband Vernon Kay, 49 – has herself spoken out about work-life balance. Like Claudia, she has turned down work outside of Strictly to spend time with her family, and previously said. “I’m just trying to be present, I love the journey of being a parent and I don’t want to miss out.”
And the source adds, “Tess knows how precious Claudia’s family time is and so of course will totally support her whatever she decides. She’s just desperate for BBC bosses to make it work so Claudia can juggle both shows, plus any other commitments she’s got, and doesn’t have to leave.
“She and Claudia come as a team and she’ll do anything to make sure that they’re not split up. She knows Strictly is still their flagship show and bosses wouldn’t want any upheaval, but it is worrying for Tess. Claudia has a tendency to make shock decisions and with all these other offers and Claudia’s 10-year Strictly anniversary this year, she is preparing for the worst.”