Long before she adopted her iconic fringe and memorable style, Claudia Winkleman had a very different look. The Celebrity Traitors host is famed for her distinctive black hair and full fringe, as well as her witty humour and bubbly personality. She is also recognised for co-presenting Strictly Come Dancing alongside Tess Daly; however, this series is now confirmed to be their last. The duo announced their departure in a joint statement on social media, accompanied by a video that explained why now was the right time for them to leave. Tess has been a part of the Strictly team since 2004, previously hosting alongside the late Sir Bruce Forsyth.
Meanwhile, Claudia Winkleman has previously looked remarkably different from her current appearance. In a resurfaced image, the broadcaster looked worlds away from her signature black eyeliner during her time at Cambridge University.
According to the Manchester Evening News, the snap reports that she is seen sitting alongside other students at Murray Edwards College in 1990, with Claudia, then aged 18, boasting long, dark hair and minimal eye makeup, while seated in the front row of the matriculation picture.
Tess and Claudia will officially be leaving their roles as co-hosts at the end of the series, with rumours on who will be replacing them now fever pitch.
Bookies have named several leading contenders, with Fleur East and Zoe Ball being some of the hot favourites. However, judge Motsi Mabuse stunned fans when she admitted that she doesn’t want her sister, Oti, to be one of the replacements. The 44-year-old has been a judge on the BBC dance competition since 2019.
Speaking on the ITV show Loose Women, Motsi explained: “Shall I be honest? I wouldn’t let her [Oti] do it, because I want to protect her from that, because I know what type of show it is.”
She continued: “I know what type of pressure it is, I know who’s shoes she’s stepping into, I feel as an older sister, I wouldn’t want to do that to my sister.
“I want her to be in a safe space, where she can develop, where she has time to grow, where there is a future, I don’t want everything on her back, and then the next day, it’s going down because your sister is in. […] So as the older sister and the one that chooses safety, more than adventure…”
Strictly Come Dancing resumes tonight on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
