Strictly's Claudia Winkleman's devastating family trauma that led to therapy
Claudia Winkleman told of her and her family's struggle to recover and move on from the accident that saw her daughter Matilda hurt back in 2015. The TV host explained to The Times Magazine how she - and the rest of her clan - were ‘blindsided’ by what she describes as a real 'family trauma'.
Back in 2020, the Strictly Come Dancing opened up about the Halloween accident which saw her then-eight year-old child suffer some truly horrific burns after her flammable Halloween costume caught on fire. It was the first time the 52 year-old had fully opened up about what the family went through during and after the incident.
Claudia – who quit her BBC Radio 2 show in December 2023 to spend more time with her family – admitted that she would often ‘replay the trauma’ and that, as a result, she has become too sensitive and ‘hyper-vigilant’ with her three children.
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Claudia's been married to devoted husband Kris Thykier for more than two decades and the pair have three kids together: Matilda, Jake and Arthur.
The fringe-loving TV personality credits one very special friend with her personal psychological recovery – clinical psychologist Tanya Bryon. Not only was Tanya a great friend who was one of the first people to contact Claudia after the accident, she also helped her clinically. She revealed in her interview how her psychologist pal effectively 'saved her'.
“I just knew I would need Tanya. I did need her and she put me back together again, let’s just say that. I am incredibly lucky that I happen to have an incredible friend who happens to be in my eyes the world’s best clinical psychologist and I was facing something that felt difficult. I don’t want to use big words because I have to be respectful to my daughter and the rest of my family, but Tanya genuinely saved me.”
The two became close after appearing together on the BBC Three show The House of Tiny Tearaways back in 2005.
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She claims that Tanya gave her 'majestic' advice for coping, despite admitting that she now 'can’t remember life before the incident happened.'
Claudia’s next-door neighbour Jamie Poulton was also caught up in the accident and sustained second degree burns after he attempted to put the fire out with his bare hands. Jamie told The Daily Mail this at the time: “All the children were wearing the same kit. It was like a potential horror film in front of me, because they were all going to go. This material just keeps reigniting and re-burning. And it is sticky, so it melts on the skin. It doesn’t cinder. It remains hot. It was horrific to be honest.”
It's been nearly nine years since the accident and Claudia has since gone on to become a staunch campaigner for the safety and regulations around the materials used in children’s fancy dress costumes.
