The BBC has officially announced that popular presenter Claudia Winkleman will front her very own prime-time talk show, set to launch in 2026. The Claudia Winkleman Show will arrive on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the spring, marking a major new chapter for the broadcaster's entertainment slate.
From Strictly to the Sofa: A New Chapter
This confirmation comes after a year of significant change for Winkleman. Earlier in 2025, the 53-year-old stepped down from her long-running role as a host on Strictly Come Dancing. Now, just weeks after that departure, the BBC has revealed her next big project. The show will be produced by So Television, the production company behind the multi-BAFTA-winning The Graham Norton Show.
Winkleman is no stranger to the chat show format, having successfully guest-hosted Norton's programme in February 2025 while he was on a comedy tour in Australia. Her stint, which featured guests like Chris Pratt and Toby Jones, was a hit with viewers, sparking immediate calls for her to be given a permanent presenting slot.
Producers Promise "Equally Brilliant" Host
Graham Stuart, Director of So Television and Executive Producer, addressed the challenge of following Norton's iconic show. "Graham Norton has made the Friday night talk show slot a dazzling appointment to view," he said. "How can you possibly follow that? By booking a host equally as brilliant. So we have."
While the exact broadcast time slot is yet to be confirmed, the format will be familiar to fans: a sofa filled with celebrity guests from TV, film, and music, and a live studio audience. The big question is whether it can rival the show that has dominated since 2007.
The Graham Norton Show is a formidable act to follow, having interviewed A-list stars from Tom Cruise to Olivia Colman and won six BAFTA Television awards. However, the BBC is expressing full confidence in its new star.
BBC Backing and Winkleman's Excitement
Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment Commissioning at the BBC, said: "She has an extraordinary ability to put people at ease and bring out the very best in them, whether they’re global superstars or members of the audience. It’s very exciting that she will be fronting her very own show on the BBC."
In her own characteristically self-deprecating style, Claudia Winkleman reacted to the news: "I can’t quite believe it and I’m incredibly grateful to the BBC for this amazing opportunity. I’m obviously going to be awful, that goes without saying, but I’m over the moon they’re letting me try."
With production now confirmed and a spring 2026 launch window set, the stage is being prepared for a fresh, charismatic take on the British chat show, promising to bring a new dynamic to BBC One's weekend lineup.
