Claudia Winkleman shares foul-mouthed advice from Strictly bosses
Traitors host Claudia Winkleman is one of the most recognised presenters on British TV, hosting Strictly Come Dancing and The Piano
TV royalty Claudia Winkleman is arguably a national treasure, working on Strictly Come Dancing, The Piano, and the highly addictive The Traitors. Back during her early days in show business, she was given some brutal advice that was quite harsh as to what they thought would help her get far. Speaking in 2023 at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Claudia unveiled what she was told by BBC bosses when she began working on Strictly: It Takes Two. According to Metro, she said: "And one of my old producers on Strictly: It Takes Two used to say two things in my earpiece before we started filming – 'Don’t be s***. It’s only telly,' and I always try."
She has hosted the full series of Strictly with Tess Daly since 2014. Claudia also went on to explain in particular what her parents told her as advice: "My parents told me basically, 'You just have to work incredibly hard and don’t be a turd.'"
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Meanwhile, Traitors fans are gearing up for the highly anticipated spin-off, which is set to air on our TV screens this autumn. The hit psychological reality series will be hosted once again by Claudia Winkleman, with celebrities battling it out to uncover secret saboteurs in a high-stakes game of lies and loyalty.
This time, there’s more than just honour on the line: a £100,000 prize fund is up for grabs. The winning Traitors—or Faithfuls, depending on how the game unfolds—will split the cash, which will be donated to charities of their choice, adding a meaningful twist to the cloak-and-dagger competition.
The lineup includes Traitors superfan Stephen Fry, Olympian Tom Daley, TV presenter Jonathan Ross, and Good Morning Britain host Kate Garraway.
Comedian Joe Wilkinson will also be in the Scottish castle alongside singer Paloma Faith and Former England rugby player Joe Marler. Line of Duty star Mark Bonnar is also making an appearance, as well as presenter Clare Balding and singer Cat Burns. You can read the full lineup here.
The BBC has recently released new images ahead of the series launch, featuring the star-studded cast and host Claudia, set against the backdrop of Scotland's Ardross Castle.
