The glitter hasn’t even settled on the Strictly Come Dancing dancefloor, and Claudia Winkleman is already pirouetting into her next big thing. Just days after dropping the bombshell that she and co-host Tess Daly are bowing out after 21 glittering years—culminating in one final festive flourish on the Christmas special this December 25—insiders are spilling the tea on Claudia’s sizzling successor gig. Forget a quiet retirement with a fringe trim and a cup of camomile; the queen of wry one-liners and side-eye supremacy is reportedly in advanced talks to land her very own BBC chat show. Yes, you read that right—a Graham Norton-style sofa spectacular, packed with A-list guests, cheeky banter, and enough celebrity confessions to rival a Traitors roundtable.

Picture Claudia, all tousled bob and trademark smokey eyeliner, perched on a plush crimson couch, coaxing secrets from Hollywood heavyweights while tossing out zingers that leave the audience in stitches. Sources close to the action whisper that the show, backed by the powerhouse production company So Television (the brains behind Norton’s long-running hit), is set to air in the slots when Graham’s off-duty, ensuring no sofa showdowns between the BBC’s banter titans. It’s the kind of move that screams “Claudia 2.0,” leveraging her razor-sharp wit and effortless rapport with stars—honed from years of grilling contestants on The Traitors and charming the pants off panelists on her Radio 2 slots. And let’s be real: after masterminding one of the BBC’s buzziest formats, a chat show feels like the natural evolution for a presenter who’s turned interrogation into an art form.

The news hit like a rogue jive just 48 hours after Claudia and Tess’s emotional Instagram reveal, where the duo—bound by a pact to exit arm-in-arm—bid adieu with grace and a touch of glittery glamour. “We were always going to leave together, and now feels like the right time,” they shared in a joint video, voices cracking just enough to tug at heartstrings without smudging mascara. Tess, the eternal optimist in heels, added her MBE-earning poise, while Claudia quipped about departing the “magical, glittery, fake-tanned train” before she was “fully ready to go.” Fans flooded timelines with teary emojis and pleas for “one more series,” but beneath the heartbreak, there’s a palpable buzz. Claudia’s not fading into the wings; she’s commandeering the spotlight.

This chat show coup isn’t out of left field—it’s the culmination of a career that’s been one sly sidestep after another. Claudia’s journey from artsy Oxford grad (she studied history of art, naturally) to telly titan kicked off in the ’90s with holiday reports for BBC Choice and a stint on the lads’ mag-laden The Word. But it was her 2003 gig on BBC Three’s Liquid Assets—valuing viewers’ trashy treasures with deadpan glee—that hinted at the comic goldmine beneath her fringe. Fast-forward to 2005, and she’s helming Fame Academy’s spin-off, then diving into the emotional whirlpool of The House of Tiny Tearaways, where her empathy shone as brightly as her sarcasm.

Strictly entered the chat in 2004 via It Takes Two, the companion show that let Claudia geek out over paso dobles and pratfalls. By 2010, she was co-hosting the results show with Tess, and in 2014—post-Bruce Forsyth’s bow-out—she claimed the main stage throne. The duo’s alchemy was instant: Tess’s sunny warmth bouncing off Claudia’s dry-as-a-Martini humour, creating Saturday night sorcery that pulled in millions. But it was The Traitors in 2022 that catapulted her to national treasure status. That hooded-eye thriller, with Claudia as the velvet-gloved puppet master, snagged her a BAFTA and spawned a celebrity edition that’s currently devouring airtime. Her latest Channel 4 venture, The Piano—spotting hidden virtuosos in train stations—has been renewed for seasons two and three, plus a Christmas special and doc. Claudia’s not just busy; she’s a one-woman format factory.

So why swap the ballroom for the banter booth now? Timing, darling—pure, impeccable timing. At 53, Claudia’s at that sweet spot where she’s got the gravitas of a veteran and the edge of an upstart. The Traitors’ success has her inked into BBC contracts through at least 2026, and whispers suggest this chat show could slot in seamlessly, perhaps launching midweek to avoid clashing with her faithful. It’s a savvy play for the Beeb too: in a post-scandal Strictly era (those 2024 misconduct probes still linger like bad fake tan), Claudia’s star power could shore up viewer loyalty. And for her? It’s a chance to flex those interviewing chops on a bigger canvas—no scripts, just sofas and spontaneity. Remember her guest spot on Graham Norton earlier this year? She subbed in like she’d been born with a red chair, trading barbs with the best of them. If that’s a preview, sign us up for tickets.

Of course, the reveal has sparked a frenzy of “what ifs.” Will it be filmed in the same West London studios as Norton, with that iconic curved couch and fairy-lit vibe? Expect guests like her Traitors alums—think Jaz Singh spilling strategy secrets or Harry Clark on that finale gut-punch—mingled with Stateside imports. Claudia’s style? Expect less orchestrated chaos than Norton’s ensemble romps, more intimate interrogations laced with her signature self-deprecation. “I’ll probably trip over the desk in the pilot,” she joked in a recent interview, ever the queen of underplaying her hand. And with So Television at the helm, the production values will be sky-high: think viral clips primed for TikTok, where her “Clauditorium” (fan-coined for her fangirl empire) can meme the moments into eternity.

Fans, predictably, are divided between devastation and delight. Social scrolls overflow with #ThankYouClaudia montages—clips of her cackling through Craig’s critiques or whispering “keep dancing” like a conspiratorial mantra. But the pivot to chat show territory? It’s met with cheers: “From Traitors to talk shows—Claudia’s unstoppable!” one devotee posted, while another mused, “She’ll have the celebs spilling more than the Faithful ever did.” Critics, too, are intrigued; TV editor Caroline Frost called her a “formidable force,” predicting the format could “redefine late-night levity.”

Yet amid the excitement, there’s a poignant undercurrent. Claudia’s Strictly swansong—wrapping with Icons Week tributes to legends past—feels like a full-circle flourish. She’ll trade the Elstree studios for one last “keep dancing,” arm-in-arm with Tess, before the fringe falls on that chapter. What’s next beyond the chat show? More Piano prodigies? A Traitors US crossover? Or perhaps that long-rumored memoir, spilling the secrets of surviving 21 series of sequins and scandals. Whatever it is, Claudia Winkleman’s not exiting stage left—she’s merely changing costumes.

In a landscape where presenters are as replaceable as dance partners, Claudia’s next role isn’t just a job; it’s a coronation. The BBC’s banking on her to bottle that magic— the mix of mischief, warmth, and whip-smart insight that turned a results show sidekick into a household name. As she steps from the dancefloor dust into the sofa glow, one thing’s clear: Claudia Winkleman isn’t saying goodbye to the spotlight. She’s just inviting us all to pull up a chair. And trust us, you won’t want to miss the view.