Claudia.. chat show queen
Winkleman being lined up to replace Graham Norton
CLAUDIA Winkleman is being tipped as a possible future replacement for BBC chat show host Graham Norton.
The Traitors presenter, 51, completed a successful pilot show a year ago.
But insiders say there are no current plans for a series – as Claudia is too busy.
As well as fronting The Traitors and co-presenting Strictly on BBC One, the mum-of-three is also making a second series of Channel 4 music show The Piano.
She also hosts a Saturday morning show on BBC Radio 2 – although she is standing down from that in March.
Claudia made the pilot with So Television, which is responsible for Graham’s long-running BBC One series.
The pair previously presented 2008’s Eurovision Dance Contest together.
BUSY
Graham, 60, has made no secret of his desire to take things easier. In 2015, he said he might retire within a few years.
But he changed his mind post-pandemic and signed for Wheel of Fortune on ITV alongside his BBC One show and his Virgin Radio UK weekend slots. Graham, who is also a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and host of Eurovision, said: “I had this idea to cut down yet I’m busier than ever.” However, sources suggest Claudia is being lined up in the longer term to replace him when he decides to step back. One said: “One idea was to keep the show across the same number of weeks but have different people hosting it. So it would be The Graham Norton Show hosted by Claudia Winkleman, for example.” Another said: “Claudia is one of several people being tried out.”
A BBC insider said of the pilot: “We loved it, but Claudia is simply too busy and Graham is still going strong.” The BBC said it doesn’t comment on pilots.