Claudia Winkleman 'scared' over future of BBC show: 'I was ignored'

Claudia Winkleman admitted she was "scared" for the future of her BBC show after bosses "ignored everything she said" while making a huge decision. The Strictly Come Dancing presenter, 53, confessed she tried to shut down a special version of one of her programmes but was completely shut down by bosses.

Claudia admitted that she was terrified at the prospect of a celebrity edition of her game show The Traitors UK. With a line-up of stars including Stephen Fry, Kate Garraway and Alan Carr, the show offers a £100,000 prize for the winning celeb to donate to a charity of their choice.

But Claudia has admitted: "I was scared. Only because I'm in love with this show and I wanted to keep it small. Once a year or maybe once every two years felt like enough. My bosses, thank goodness, ignored everything I said."

She added that hosting the star-studded version "was scarier, because all I wanted to do was chat to them and make them like me. But of course, I have to be extremely unlikeable. It was tricky."

Claudia confessed that the "biggest challenge" she faced was being "strict" with the stars, explaining: "All I wanted to do was chat and be friendly, but my role is aloof and grumpy. I found it hard not to just sit down with them and have a cup of tea."

19 celebrities are taking part in the new spin-off series, including Clare Balding, Celia Imrie, Jonathan Ross, Paloma Faith and Charlotte Church.

They'll be joined by the likes of Lucy Beaumont, Ruth Codd, Joe Marler and Cat Burns, as well as Nick Mohammed, Tameka Empson, Mark Bonnar and Tom Daley.

Rounding out the line-up is Niko Omilana, David Olusoga and Joe Wilkinson. The celebrities will be divided up into Traitors and Faithful - most of whom will be "murdered", Claudia teased.