Claudia Winkleman: ‘Total privilege’ to have Norton slot

Claudia Winkleman has said that to have her new chat show in the same slot as Graham Norton’s is a “total privilege and also completely nerve-racking”.

The Claudia Winkleman Show launches on BBC One this Friday, with the former Strictly Come Dancing presenter describing her new venture as “really scary”.

Her first guests will be Hollywood actor Jeff Goldblum, actresses Vanessa Williams and Jennifer Saunders and comedian Tom Allen, with the programme filmed in front of a live studio audience each week.

Asked about what to expect from the show, Winkleman said: “We’ve got some great guests lined up who will sit on a green sofa.

“I’m trying to dress like Michael Aspel with a touch of Michael Caine.

“I know my job is to make sure the guests have a great time and feel relaxed – I imagine I’ll ask them about their favourite biscuits, and their dog and people will actually fall asleep.”

Describing how she feels about her show airing at the same time as The Graham Norton Show, Winkleman said: “It’s an enormous honour.

“He is the king, the best of the best. He’s incredibly generous and charming and easy to talk to and that’s why he always has the best guests.

“To be in the same slot is a total privilege and also completely nerve-racking.”

Winkleman, who recently stepped down from presenting Strictly after 15 years, has more recently hosted hit show The Traitors, and said she has also been inspired by other chat show hosts including Jonathan Ross and Alan Carr.

“I always have Radio 2 or 4 on and love listening to people ask and answer questions,” she added.

Winkleman, who said she will provide her celebrity guests with “beer, crisps and some biscuits I’ll have made, which will be both raw and burnt”, admitted she is feeling superstitious as her show launches on Friday 13, which some believe to be unlucky.

She continued: “All I can tell you is that if I see a single magpie, I salute them and ask them about their husband or wife.

“I then think the day’s a write off and try and get back into bed with my eyes closed.

“Starting on Friday 13 means it’s going to have a freakishly short run.”

The BBC released a teaser for Winkleman’s new chat show on Friday, in which she made fun of herself by smearing her face with orange paint.

The 32-second clip showed Winkleman – with her trademark long dark fringe, heavily lined eyes and tanned face – stir what appeared to be a large vat of bright orange paint with a paintbrush, before daubing a large stripe of the paint on her cheek.