Claudia Winkleman has confirmed she will not host a second series of The Claudia Winkleman Show, the BBC talkshow launched in March to cover for The Graham Norton Show's hiatus, after lukewarm reviews and disappointing ratings. Writing in the Guardian, Fiona Sturges argues the decision, reportedly Winkleman's own, reflects less on her talent than on the chatshow format itself, which suits few presenters despite appearing straightforward, and suggests she try a different style of show rather than persist with the traditional sofa-and-guests set-up.

Sturges contrasts Winkleman's uneasy performance, marked by a gloomy set, an oddly positioned audience and forced enthusiasm, with Graham Norton's polished, warm hosting style honed over almost two decades. She notes Winkleman is far from the first popular presenter to struggle in the format, citing Davina McCall, Lily Allen and Charlotte Church, and observes that the late-night chatshow has historically been dominated by male and largely comedian hosts, from Michael Parkinson and Jonathan Ross to Johnny Carson and Conan O'Brien, with Caroline Aherne's Mrs Merton character a rare exception.