Strictly Come Dancing’s Claudia Winkleman reveals she’s ignored her kids’ pleas to quit ‘embarrassing’ series

Claudia Winkleman admitted that she’s ignored her children’s pleas to quit her “embarrassing” Strictly Come Dancing presenting role.

The 51-year-old welcomed kids Jake, 19, Matilda, 15, and Arthur, 10, with her film producer husband Kris Thykier, 50, who she married in 2000.

Discussing her brood’s feelings towards her coveted BBC role, Winkleman recalled how her eldest son begged her to stop fronting the BBC ballroom stalwart after his teacher spoke about it in school.

While picking up an Outstanding Achievement Award at the Edinburgh TV Festival, the TV star said: “He [Jake] said to me, ‘Mum, you have got to stop doing Strictly, it’s so embarrassing and my teacher has mentioned it’.

“I just went, ‘See those trainers, Jake?’, He was like, ‘OK, sorry!’”

The Traitors host, who is gearing up for the 21st series of the BBC series alongside co-host Tess Daly, remained modest about her role on the weekend “thrilling” TV stalwart.

She shared with a laugh: “My only job is to make sure [the celebs] are OK and to stop speaking on time.

“I know I’m not allowed to say I just paint myself orange and I read out loud but really that is what I do most of the time. So, that’s the gig but it’s really, really thrilling.”

Her comments come after Winkleman revealed the bizarre request she received from a BBC boss in a bid to secure her Strictly presenting role.

The BBC star explained how she was offered the coveted job after veteran host Sir Bruce Forsyth stepped down from the position by then-controller of BBC One, Danny Cohen.

However, she admitted that was one “weird” condition she had to follow to before he signed it off – cut her trademark fringe.

Strictly Come Dancing returns to screens on Saturday, September 23, for the first live show.