BBC axes Claudia Winkleman’s Friday night chat show after single run
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Claudia Winkleman has announced she is stepping down from her BBC Friday night chat show after just one series, saying she found herself "too nervous to enjoy it" despite being grateful for the opportunity. The decision brings a swift end to a programme that had been positioned as a spring-season successor to Graham Norton's long-running talk show, occupying the same BBC One slot and produced by his company, So Television.
The seven-episode run, broadcast this spring, featured guests including Lisa Kudrow, Jeff Goldblum, Niall Horan, Rachel Zegler, Ralph Fiennes and James McAvoy, drawing average combined audiences of between 1.5 million and 2 million viewers — lower than the 2.5 million to 3 million typically attracted by Norton's show. Reviews were mixed, with some praising its banter while others called it "messy" and "a bit of a bore". The BBC's director of entertainment, Ed Havard, said the broadcaster respected Winkleman's decision and thanked her and the production team, adding that she will return to screens later this year hosting The Celebrity Traitors.
- Claudia Winkleman quits her BBC Friday chat show after just one series
- She said she felt "too nervous to enjoy" hosting it
- Show drew 1.5m-2m viewers; she returns later this year on Celebrity Traitors
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Claudia Winkleman is one of the BBC’s best-known presenters, fronting programmes including Strictly Come Dancing and The Traitors. Her chat show was made for BBC One’s Friday-night entertainment schedule, where celebrity interviews and performances have long been a familiar format.
The programme was intended to fill the slot used by The Graham Norton Show during part of the year. Graham Norton’s series has been a major BBC chat show for many years, and both programmes were made by So Television, the production company he founded.
Friday-night chat shows compete for broad audiences and depend on a presenter’s style, guest mix and public response. The programme’s short run highlights how broadcasters regularly test new formats and presenters when planning their entertainment schedules.
More coverage
- Daily Mail — Claudia Winkleman quits her high-profile new BBC chat show after just one season: It was launched to massive hype after Strictly chaos… but now she tells ALISON BOSHOFF exactly why she's walked away
- Deadline — ‘The Traitors’ Host Claudia Winkleman Quits Her BBC Chat Show After One Season
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Originally published by BBC Entertainment as “Claudia Winkleman quits chat show after one series”.