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Telegraph
01-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Claudia Winkleman's unstoppable rise: ‘My parents told me not to worry about being interesting'
She used to joke that she only got work because she was known as 'that weird one with a fringe' and that she was regularly mistaken for Noel Fielding. But these days, no one is at risk of forgetting Claudia Winkleman. The 53-year-old has become the undisputed queen of primetime, fronting some of TV's biggest shows from Strictly to The Traitors, via The Piano. Most recently, her Channel 4 game show One Question returned to our screens, and as of last night she's keeping Graham Norton's swivel chair warm on his Friday night chat show while he goes on an Australian tour. So how has Winkleman become one of the BBC's highest-paid and most popular female stars? Although few people – probably herself included – could have predicted her stratospheric rise to National Treasure status, Winkleman is something of a media 'nepo baby', with royal connections to boot. The daughter of trailblazing journalist Eve Pollard and publisher Barry Winkleman, she grew up in Hampstead in a house without mirrors – a tradition she continues in her own home. 'Claudia grew up with an understanding of the media, particularly with my job as editor of a national newspaper. But more than anything, I wanted to give her a grounding in the real world,' says Pollard. 'Rather than gazing in the mirror, I encouraged her to look inwards to the qualities that matter in the long term – intelligence, wit and character.' She was three when her parents separated, and her mother remarried fellow newspaper editor Nicholas Lloyd. She became part of a large blended family, with a younger half-brother called Oliver, and a half-sister through her father's second marriage – the Peep Show actress Sophie Winkleman. In 2009, Sophie, now known as Lady Frederick Windsor, married Lord Frederick Windsor, the son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. Royalty are now part of Winkleman's family, but famous names were always a regular feature around the family table when she was growing up. 'In our family, it was crucial to be able to hold your own in conversation around the dinner table, and age was no excuse,' recalls Pollard. When she was 12, Winkleman's family moved to New York – Lloyd to edit the New York Post and Pollard to launch Elle. Winkleman refers to the disruption as 'a wobble'. 'I remember sort of kicking off: 'I don't want to leave Dad. I don't want to leave Melanie.' Melanie was my very best friend at school. And Mum said, 'I'll bring you back, and Dad will come over, and I love you, but I can't go without you.' So we went. And then it was an adventure. It was a proper adventure.' After nine months they were back in London, and Winkleman attended the City of London School for Girls. 'I wore fishnets and I liked smoking fags and flirting with boys,' she says of her school days. 'There were no early signs of Claudia's stardom,' says Pollard. 'She had a very straightforward career at school. She was clever and popular and passed the right exams to get into Cambridge. But she was never into amateur dramatics, either then or later. She had absolutely no interest in being an actress. She was, however, a brilliant swimmer and for a while I was hoping that she would become a marine biologist. I thought it would be reliable work and rather more secure than the life of a journalist.' Winkleman studied History of Art at Cambridge, and once said she slept on her floor for four months because the sunbed she had rented took up all the space in her room. It was around this time that her signature 'uniform' of black clothing, a deep tan and a heavy fringe came together. 'I was born with six extra teeth like a little dinosaur. When people saw me smile they screamed,' she once said. 'But when I was 21 and a virgin, I got my fringe and everything started happening.' After graduating she worked in an art gallery but it was too 'pristine' and 'slow', so she interned at a glossy fashion magazine instead, lugging suitcases of clothes to shoots. Then in 1992, after a call from a Cambridge friend, she did a screen test for a production company looking for new talent. She started working as a reporter for the BBC travel series Holiday and hosted various late-night shows on cable TV. Her terrestrial TV break came in 1997 with the game show Talking Telephone Numbers with Philip Schofield. 'My parents were shocked,' she says, of her pivot into TV. 'My parents told me basically, 'You just have to work incredibly hard and don't be a turd'. Their main rule was, 'Don't worry about being interesting. Be interested.'' That advice stood her in good stead when she started interviewing reality TV contestants on the spin-off to the BBC's talent show Fame Academy in 2003. From there it was a small quickstep to the Strictly spin-off It Takes Two. Winkleman was so good at bonding with contestants that she became a fan favourite and in 2009, when Bruce Forsyth was taken ill, she stepped into the main presenter role alongside Tess Daly. In 2014, she waltzed into the primetime gig permanently, and recently completed her 11th series of the show. She has since become the go-to for hosting chummy reality competitions, including The Great British Sewing Bee, Britain's Best Home Cook and the surprise hit The Piano. But nothing has captured the nation's attention like The Traitors, which has racked up 34 million views and won two Baftas and a National Television Award. Winkleman's distinctive fashion choices also led to a rise in the popularity of tartan, tweed and capes. Alexander Dragonetti, a contestant on the third season of The Traitors says: 'Claudia's so warm and supportive of the show and the cast. And she really looks out for everybody. And I mean that very sincerely. She focuses on when people need a bit of extra help or some support – she's absolutely there. It's hugely impressive. It's not just a job for her.' Despite her on-screen success, she says her family is everything. In 2000, she married the Danish film producer Kris Thykier at Marylebone Town Hall. Although she's joked that she 'doesn't really know what he does', Thykier has been involved with movies such as Kick-Ass and The Woman in Gold, and Sky Atlantic's TV drama Riviera. She is remarkably tight-lipped about their 25-year-marriage, but in her 2020 book Quite she wrote: 'Relationships are strange and what would be an absolute deal-breaker for one person is a sweet quirk to someone else. My husband and I fundamentally disagree about buffets and baby names, yet we have made it work.' They have three children together, Jake, 21, Matilda, 18, and Arthur, 13. In 2024, she quit her BBC Radio 2 Saturday morning show to spend more time with her family. She also took a break from presenting in 2014, after her daughter, Matilda, who appeared as a bridesmaid in her father's 2013 film I Give It a Year, was badly injured in a Halloween accident when she was eight. Matilda's costume brushed a candle while she was trick-or-treating, causing severe burns. Winkleman, who later campaigned for changes to legislation on fire safety for fancy dress, said the incident was so traumatic that she could not 'remember life before it'. It wasn't the first time she's used her platform for charitable causes. She has answered phones for the Disasters Emergency Committee in response to the crisis in Darfur, helped to relaunch The National Missing Persons Campaign and supported a Christmas campaign by Refuge about domestic violence. She says no one in her house watches any of her shows. 'They have not watched me. They're not allowed,' she says. 'Nobody watches anything I do in my house, under strict instructions. Although, they broke rank and watched The Traitors, and I was appalled.' Home is a Grade II-listed five-storey townhouse close to Marble Arch, where her neighbours once included former Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie, and houses sell for around £9 million. Winkleman is regularly seen walking her King Spaniel, Skip, in Hyde Park and says she loves living so centrally. 'I can leave my house at 4am and buy a kebab, rent a movie and get some shampoo. I love my shower, my bread bin and our tortoise, Yoshi.' To relax she cooks cheese and onion quiche and plays bridge with her longtime best friend Victoria Coren Mitchell – the pair met as teenagers as their parents were friends. Claudia was a bridesmaid at Coren Mitchell's 2012 wedding to David Mitchell. She also counts Kirsty Young and Nick Jones, Michael and Kitty McIntyre, and Courtney Cox and Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid among her close circle of friends who call her 'Clauds'. Her distinctive heavy fringe is now so iconic that in April 2024, satirical London mayoral candidate Count Binface stated in his manifesto that he would honour Winkleman by declaring her signature fringe Grade I listed. A Comic Relief sketch saw Dawn French spoof Winkleman and open her fringe like a curtain. When I interviewed Winkleman in 2016, it was easy to see why reality TV contestants open up to her. She was laugh-out-loud funny, extremely self-deprecating and remarkably interested in me. In fact, at times it felt like she was interviewing me. She's clearly very intelligent – and canny at deflecting the conversation when she doesn't want to talk about a subject. When I asked her about her husband, she told me 'if I talk about him everyone will be sick' and she batted off questions about her daughter's accident saying 'if I talk about that I'll cry'. Celebrity PR Natalie Trice says Winkleman has become the queen of primetime thanks to her combination of natural charm, a sharp wit and her ability to appeal across the generations. 'She has an uncanny way of making herself totally relatable while also being glamorous and sharp,' says Trice. 'She's not quite the girl next door, but there's an undeniable friendliness about her that draws people in and keeps them on side.' As for what's next, Winkleman claims she has a pact with Tess Daly to leave Strictly together. 'When one of us is done, we go together. So she's not allowed to leave,' she says. Despite 30 years on our screens, numerous awards and legions of fans, it seems like Winkleman still can't believe her luck. But she's sanguine about the fickle world of TV. 'I try not to revel in successes because it'll go,' she says. 'I'll blink and someone else will have my job. That's fine. It's the way of the world. When the time comes, I'll say: 'Byesy-bye, guys.'' Something tells us that won't be happening for a long while yet.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Disappointed' Gogglebox fans slam new Channel 4 series saying 'so weird'
"Disappointed' Gogglebox fans slammed the third episode of the new Channel 4 series. Friday's installment (February 28) saw our favourite 'armchair critics' share their amusing thoughts and opinions on the week's most popular programmes, including Britain's Got Talent, Celebrity Hunted, Coronation Street and Michael McIntyre's Big Show to name a few. But some viewers said it was 'weird' that Channel 4 didn't show the Gogglebox cast reacting to a recent BBC programme described as a 'phenomenal performance'. Quiz and chill#OneQuestion Watch live at 9pm or catch up on @Channel4 📺💻📱👀#Gogglebox #FreshEveryFriday — C4 Gogglebox (@C4Gogglebox) February 28, 2025 It comes as many asked why EastEnders hadn't been featured last night, particularly for its 40th anniversary efforts. Someone commented on X, formerly Twitter: 'Wow would of thought @C4Gogglebox would of watched #EastEnders40 quite disappointed they didn't comment it in as it was a phenomenal performance #gogglebox.' This soap fan asked: 'Why does gogglebox never react to Eastenders just Corrie. Thought they may have reacted to the 40th Anniversary episodes. #Gogglebox.' One said: 'Weird that gogglebox haven't shown EastEnders for it's 40th anniversary #Gogglebox.' In agreement, another posted: '#gogglebox not reacting to any #Eastenders is so weird.' Last month, the BBC aired several special episodes to celebrate four decades of EastEnders. Recommended reading: Gogglebox favourites announce sad death saying 'we will never forget' Gogglebox fans call for pair to be axed complaining they are 'not suitable for TV' Gogglebox fans call for return of classic cast member amid criticism of Kent family At the end of the live show on February 20, Martin Fowler played by James Bye was killed off – he died of a cardiac arrest after suffering crushed syndrome when a beam, which landed on him after an explosion in the Queen Vic, was lifted from his midriff. Just before the beam was removed, he had successfully proposed to Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), and they had kissed, before Stacey told him: 'It's going to be all right.' Gogglebox continues on Friday, March 7 from 9pm on Channel 4.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
One Question to focus on school finance
Feb. 18—MIDLAND — To help the public get a handle on the opaque topic of school finance, Basin PBS will broadcast a special episode of One Question "Public Schools in Financial Crisis" at 8 p.m. Feb. 20. Panelists include Ector County ISD Superintendent designate Keeley Boyer, Midland ISD Superintendent Stephanie Howard, Midland Council of PTAs President, Amber Davidson and Amy Dodson, Senior Regional Advocacy Director — West and Central Texas. Becky Ferguson is hosting. Ferguson asked the superintendents to talk about where they are financially. Dodson will offer some history on how we got here. During the last legislative session, school finance was "held hostage" by Educational Savings Accounts and districts have not received any additional money for six years, Ferguson said. Meanwhile, prices have continued climbing. "Basically, the purpose of the show was to just let citizens know where the school districts are, where our local school districts are, where the state school districts are, what it is our superintendents are hoping will happen, what Raise Your Hand Texas is hoping will happen," Ferguson said. "One of the things that that they're hoping for is to change the way schools are reimbursed. Now they're reimbursed based on average daily attendance as opposed to average daily enrollment, and it makes a big difference. If you have a class of 30 and only 20 show up, the teacher doesn't get to go home for a third of the day, so they think that that's very important. Of course, we talk a lot about vouchers, and Raise Your Hand Texas feels that talked about how they don't think vouchers will serve Texas. Ninety percent (90%) of students in Texas and in the Permian Basin go to public schools so that's where Raise Your Hand Texas feels that public money should go," Ferguson said. One of Raise Your Hand Texas' goals is to change the way students are tested rather than focusing on the STAAR test. "Our goal always here at Basin PBS is to just give people the information that they need to make good decisions. As you have mentioned, public school finance is very complicated, so most people's eyes glaze over before they get an understanding of it. But basically, I think if somebody were to watch the program, what they would come away with is both our school districts are operating at deficits, and that means cutting positions. Every school district in Texas has been affected because there's been no additional money in six years," Ferguson said. People know their costs have gone up for food, fuel and everything else people buy. Costs also have risen for public schools. Ferguson said it's crucial that people tune in to the program. "Ninety percent (90%) of students in Midland and Odessa are in public schools, so I think it's important that people understand that our school districts are in a pickle financially, and how that might or might not change with the current legislative session. I'm hoping that we're arming people with information that will help them understand what's going on," she added. Howard said she mainly spoke about MISD's $42.5 million deficit, about $35 million of which is due to loss of Formula Transition Grant funding. "FTG is the Formula Transition Grant that we've been receiving since 2019. When the school finance system changes, there are districts that may stand to benefit significantly and districts that the new formulas/system will cause to lose significant amounts. MISD would have been one of the big losers with the changes in 2019. We have been one of the biggest recipients of that Formula Transition Grant. It went away this year — we did not receive those funds, so while about 60% of districts are running deficit budgets, ours is further complicated with those funds going away. We are working to make cuts and become more efficient to get back to expenses in line with revenue with the loss of FTG," Howard said in an email. Like other districts, MISD is facing a 23 percent spike in inflation and no increase in the basic allotment since 2019. The basic allotment is the minimum amount the state gives to each school district to fund public education. Howard said MISD is working with legislators to fully fund prekindergarten. The state funds only half a day and it costs MISD about $2.7 million to provide full-day preK over what is allocated. On safety and security, MISD is having to subsidize about $3 million to cover the cost of the requirement to have an officer at every campus that passed in the last session.
