“The Claudia Winkleman Show” will be officially canceled after one season. Variety understands that it was host Claudia Winkleman’s decision not to return.
“I’m incredibly grateful to the BBC for the opportunity, to the guests who agreed to come and talk, and to the truly talented production team,” Winkleman said in a statement.
“Sometimes you have to try something out to see how it fits, and I find myself too nervous to enjoy it. Maybe someday I’ll try again, but for now, I already have the best job in the world and I really love the show I’m doing.”
Winkleman, best known as the host of The Traitors UK and Strictly Come Dancing (the British version of Dancing with the Stars), launched his eponymous talk show in February this year. The show, featuring couch chats with celebrities, was intended as a complement to Graham Norton’s show during the hiatus between seasons. Like “The Graham Norton Show,” Winkleman’s show also aired on Friday nights. Norton’s production company, Thor Television, was also a co-producer.
However, reviews were lukewarm and ratings were inconsistent, with most falling short of Norton’s 1.1 million+. And while she managed to land some impressive guests – the debut episode featured Jeff Goldblum, Jennifer Saunders, Vanessa Williams, and Tom Allen – the rest of the seven-episode series was less starry (the penultimate episode featured Mr. Blobby, and the final episode was a compilation show).
Still, plans for a second season are rumored, and the ball is said to be in Winkleman’s court. She has now admitted that she will not return.
“Claudia’s warmth and quick wit made The Claudia Winkleman Show such a joy,” said Ed Hubbard, BBC entertainment director. “As much as we loved the show, we fully respect her decision and would like to thank Claudia and the talented team at So Television for bringing this series to the BBC. As the host of the country’s most-watched show, Claudia will soon be returning to the BBC for Celebrity Traitors Returns later this year. We can’t wait to see what she has in store for our new celebs.”
