While Claudia Winkleman is best known for co-hosting the the BBC’s family-friendly hit Strictly Come Dancing, she is now the face of the channel’s upcoming psychological reality competition – and has revealed that she’s ditching her “smiley” Strictly persona for the show.
The new game show, which is based on the Dutch series De Verraders, sees 22 strangers attempt to win £120,000 at a Scottish castle by working out which of the group are the traitors – the saboteurs within the competition who pick off their fellow players one by one.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press ahead of the show’s launch, Winkleman compared hosting Strictly to her new gig, saying that she does “miss” taking on a darker demeanour.
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“I miss that. I have to be so smiley on Strictly. ‘Oh a five’s not bad from Craig [Revel Horwood], well done. At least it’s not a three.’”
She added that when it comes to hosting The Traitors, she can’t be as friendly with the contestants as she is with the Strictly celebrities.
“I’m kind to [the contestants] sometimes. I wish the best for them and I try and look after them, but it’s quite difficult because I can’t say anything. I love Strictly, I love both.”
As for her outfits on The Traitors, Winkleman said they were “quite something”.
“There’s a girl who’s in charge and she’s called Sinead and we sort of went Princess Anne meets Ronnie Corbett meets Madonna when she was with Guy [Ritchie].”
She added: “But at one point I’m wearing a cape. I think episode 9, I’ve got feathers coming out of it, I can’t apologise enough.”
Winkleman also revealed that she almost turned down the Traitors presenting role, but changed her mind after watching the Dutch original.
“I was so obsessed that then I had to phone [BBC director of unscripted] Kate [Phillips] and I said, ‘I’ve booked a train, I’m going to Scotland now.’ She was like, ‘Filming doesn’t start for months.’”
The Traitors airs on Tuesday 29th November at 9:30pm on BBC One. Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One on Saturdays and Sundays.
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