Strictly's Claudia Winkleman disrupted show with embarrassing bodily function - 'They can't fire me'
We've grown used to seeing Claudia Winkleman steal the show on Saturday night's at the Strictly ballroom, and expertly guiding sometimes hapless contestants on The Traitors. But despite her professionalism, the 52 year old telly favourite once recalled a hilarious incident where her hosting skills on her "dream job" weren't quite up to scratch.
The London-born star, who found fame in the 90s on shows like Talking Telephone Numbers alongside Phillip Schofield, and the ITV dating show God's Gift, told The Telegraph back in 2010 that the incident happened when she was presenting the Arts Show on BBC Radio 2. On describing her perfect weekend, Claudia revealed: "They start with work, but nice work, on Friday nights when I present my Arts Show on BBC Radio 2. It's my dream job."
She continued: "I'm phenomenally bad at it - I once had hiccups most of the way through - and am convinced I've been given the job by accident. I try not to make eye contact with anyone when I'm there. That way, I think they can't fire me."
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Claudia presented the show for five years from 1998 to 2013, the same year she began presenting The Great British Sewing Bee on BBC Two (now on BBC One) and a year before she stepped up to replace the late Sir Bruce Forsyth as one of the two main presenters on Strictly Saturday night shows.
In a more recent interview, from December last year, Claudia revealed that she actually considers imposter syndrome to be a good thing as it helps keep her on her toes and at the top of her game.
"I don’t want my career to end tomorrow – more than anything, I love the adrenaline," she told Psychologies magazine. "But if it does, I think I’ve had a ridiculously long run. I can’t bear the arrogance of assuming that it’s just going to continue – I love a bit of imposter syndrome. I think it’s super healthy.
"I’ve met people who don’t have it – they’re awful. I think it’s okay to think, 'How have I got here? When are they going to find out?', and 'I’m really not that good!'. And I want to instil that in my kids, too. Entitlement is not fine."
This year marks 20 years of Strictly, and Claudia has been involved in the show - first on Strictly - It Takes Two, and now the main show - since the start. She said prior to the latest series starting that it was a "total honour and privilege" to be part of the Strictly "family", joking that "the fake tanning starts in earnest on September 1st and there’s no let up until Christmas."
Claudia's fans are also waiting with baited breath for the BBC to confirm the air date for series 3 of The Traitors. The first series, which was won faithfuls Aaron Evans, Hannah Byczkowski and Meryl Williams, aired on November 2022, while the second series - won by traitor Harry Clark - kicked off in January this year.
