Beloved television presenter Claudia Winkleman is set to host her very own Friday night chat show on the BBC, a major new commission confirmed for the broadcaster's schedule.
A New Friday Night Fixture
The Claudia Winkleman Show has been officially commissioned and is scheduled to launch in the spring of 2026. The series will consist of seven episodes, filling a prestigious prime-time slot. Winkleman, 53, will welcome what producers are calling a "sofa full of stars," featuring major names from film, television, music, and beyond.
The programme promises lively conversation facilitated by a studio audience, aiming to capture the intimate and entertaining atmosphere of a classic talk show. In a significant endorsement, the show will be co-produced by So Television, the team behind the hugely successful The Graham Norton Show.
From Strictly Exit to Star-Studded Sofa
This exciting venture follows Winkleman's emotional departure from her role as co-host of Strictly Come Dancing. The new series will see her swap the glitterball for glamour as she interviews a star-studded line-up each week.
Speaking about the opportunity, Claudia Winkleman said: "I can’t quite believe it and I’m incredibly grateful to the BBC for this amazing opportunity. I’m obviously going to be awful, that goes without saying, but I’m over the moon they’re letting me try."
Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment Commissioning at the BBC, praised Winkleman as a "true national treasure – warm, witty and endlessly entertaining." Patel-Knight added: "She has an extraordinary ability to put people at ease and bring out the very best in them... It’s very exciting that she will be fronting her very own show on the BBC."
Following in Iconic Footsteps
The Friday night talk show slot on the BBC is currently dominated by Graham Norton, whose programme is an institution. Graham Stuart, Managing Director of So Television, acknowledged the challenge but expressed full confidence in Winkleman.
"Graham Norton has made the Friday night talk show slot a dazzling appointment to view," Stuart said. "How can you possibly follow that? By booking a host equally as brilliant. So we have."
While specific guests for the debut series are yet to be announced, with bosses stating details will come "in due course," the expectation is for a high-calibre roster. The show's announcement comes shortly after the conclusion of the latest series of The Traitors, which Winkleman also hosts to critical acclaim.
This new chat show marks the latest peak in a glittering career for the London-born star, whose recent credits also include presenting The Piano for Channel 4 and the celebrity edition of The Traitors.
