Winklemans

The Traitors and former Strictly Come Dancing host Claudia Winkleman, who celebrates her birthday today, has faced a number of health issues over the years, including a chronic condition

The Traitors’ presenter Claudia Winkleman, who turns 54 today (Thursday, January 15), is one of the UK’s most recognisable TV stars.

She worked on Strictly Come Dancing for 15 years before announcing her departure at the end of the last series. Her star has continued to rise as she fronts The Traitors and its celebrity spin-off while she is set to host her own BBC chat show this spring.

Claudia is also a mum-of-three with her husband of 25 years Kris Thykier but life has not been all plain sailing.

Her life has thrown up some serious health challenges, including one that left her feeling “embarrassed”.

Claudia has spoken candidly about her ongoing battle with myopia, an eye condition where distant objects appear blurry due to an issue with focus. The chronic eye condition resulted in a number of operations which mean she “can’t really read anymore”.

Speaking to Gabby Logan on her Mid-Point podcast, she said: “I’ve had a lens replacement. I’ve had so many operations on my eyes.

“I had a lens replacement in my left eye because my astigmatism was so bad I was minus 16, but that was 14 years ago and then I had a little fiddle with it but because I was so short sighted by then I’m now long sighted so I can’t really read anymore.

“I can with glasses, I’ve got plus 2.5 but I can’t read The Bee Sting with those glasses and that light.”

Around one in three people in the UK suffer from myopia. Claudia admits she has always had terrible eyesight.

During a 2021 interview with the Sun, she revealed she is “embarrassed” at the situation as she struggles to read an autocue – a key part of the job for a television presenter.

She said: “I can’t even begin to tell you how blind I am. It’s embarrassing. I can’t read the autocue. My eyes have deteriorated so badly, I’m not meant to drive. I am doing the wrong job.”

Poor eyesight is not the only health condition Claudia has battled against. She also opened up about a long-term health issue that left her “falling apart”.

She said that after not “standing up straight” for all her life, she is now working with a Pilates instructor to correct her posture.

Speaking with Gabby Logan about her issue, Claudia said: “My body is made entirely of crepe. [I’m] falling apart.

“I’ve got a bad back and I need some form of strength. You know what I mean? I’ve got my core.

“They talked to me about parts of my body. They said, ‘The problem is you’ve never used your lats’. I was like, ‘What is that?’. Apparently, so my shoulders are up by my neck. I’m always like (demonstrates her posture).

“And I don’t like the look of people standing up straight. It feels somehow cocky, so my stance has always been like a turtle.”

‘Lats’ refers to the latissimus dorsi muscle, one of the largest muscles in the back. Pilates can help improve major muscle groups, posture, flexibility, strength, balance and body awareness.”

Speaking about a slightly less serious issue she has faced, Claudia also revealed she had an invisible brace fitted after learning her teeth were becoming crooked.

In what she called a “mid-life crisis”, the TV star admitted she uses Invisalign.

Speaking to the Emma Guns Show back in 2018, she said: “They’re part of the mid-life crisis, I’ve got Invisalign in. My teeth suddenly went crooked, one morning they all decided to fold in front of each other, you couldn’t do anything with them so I got this, I’m slightly in love with it. They’re so clever.”

Catch Claudia on The Traitors tonight (Thursday, January 15), at 8pm on BBC One. This season’s finale airs next Friday (January 23).

Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are leaving Strictly Come Dancing the 2025 series draws to a close

Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s “true feelings: about leaving Strictly Come Dancing might have been uncovered.

The beloved hosting duo shocked fans back in October when they announced that they would be stepping down from the programme at the end of the current series.

They have fronted the BBC programme together since 2014, with Claudia replacing Sir Bruce Forsyth, who presented the original series with Tess from 2004.

Tess previously took to Instagram to share a statement, and was showered in support from fans and friends alike. She wrote: “After 21 unforgettable years, the time has come to say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing.”

The star added: “This isn’t a goodbye to glitter, sequins, or Saturday night sparkle (I could never say goodbye to those!). Strictly will forever hold a special place in my heart – but it does feel like the right time to hand over the reins.”

Tess and Claudia will present their last live show tonight (Saturday, December 20), as Strictly returns to screens for this year’s grand final. The pair will then appear on the show’s festive special on Christmas Day, where they will take part in a memorable performance.

Now, a body language expert has examined Tess and Claudia’s recent TV appearances and pointed to subtle gestures that hint at unease behind the scenes.

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Darren Stanton explained that the pair’s body language suggests that they are nervous ahead of their Strictly exit.

“What stands out for me when I watch Tess and Claudia discuss their departure in interviews is how their posture, voices, and micro-expressions always soften more than usual. It’s clear they are masking a good deal of emotion beneath a very controlled surface. From a body-language perspective, it doesn’t read like a light or casual decision,” he said.

“There are clear signs of nerves from both of them about the future, visible in subtle cues such as lip biting, the way they look at each other, and how they turn toward one another when discussing their departure, almost as if they are operating as a single unit.

“It doesn’t seem to be apprehension about the future itself, but about the difficulty of leaving something familiar.

“Tess, who has been part of the show for a long time, shows small gestures and micro expressions of nerves, like wringing her hands. Claudia shows similar gestures, proving that they both feel the impact of leaving the show.”

Since the announcement of Tess and Claudia’s exits, speculation has been swirling over who could step into their shoes, with Zoe Ball, Janette Manrara, Fleur East and Rylan Clark all in the running.

Tonight, Karen Carney, Amber Davies and George Clarke will battle it out for the chance to lift this year’s Glitterball Trophy. They will each perform three dances in the hopes of impressing the judges and voting public. These include a Showdance, Judges’ Choice, and their favourite routine from the series.

Strictly Come Dancing is available to stream on BBC iPlayer