Claudia Winkleman announces first new gig after Strictly

From the Glitterball to go fetch the ball, Claudia Winkleman has revealed she’s swapping Strictly Come Dancing to join the presenting team for Crufts.

Claudia - along with long-time host Tess Daly - departed the BBC dance show in December 2025, but it won’t be long until she’s back on screens, after announcing she’ll be joining the likes of Clare Balding for the annual dog show, airing from Thursday, March 5.

While audiences have come to love Claudia’s trademark heritage style while presenting The Traitors, we can’t wait to see what outfits she’ll wear for the dog show. Those timeless wool coats might be perfect for storing treats.

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Of her new gig, Claudia has said, "I absolutely love dogs and there is literally nowhere else on earth I'd rather be.

"I can't wait to join this incredible team, and I'm so grateful to Channel 4 for allowing me to be part of it. I have a pocket rammed with treats."

For Claudia and Clare Balding - who has hosted the annual competition for Channel 4 since 2010 - it’ll be a nice reunion. Clare took part in the first celebrity series of The Traitors in 2025.

Of reuniting with the host of the series, Clare said in a statement, "I'm really looking forward to working with Claudia, who is a fantastic addition to the team. She really loves dogs and will bring an additional element of fun, as well as an intelligent curiosity and, of course, style."

And Clare wasn’t wrong about Claudia’s love of dogs. In fact, Claudia might have overshared with a divisive confession during a podcast appearance in January 2025.

On her episode of Where There's a Will There's a Wake, Claudia talked about getting her King Charles Spaniel, named Skip.

She revealed, "So I have recently got a dog who I am in love with. I mean, I'm going to bore you [until] your ears bleed. The two [children] have left home. I didn't know what to do. I thought I might steal a baby.

"So instead I got a dog… I’d never had a dog before or any form of animal, but this little dog, who I open his mouth and insert my tongue. I do."

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"Did you ever see that film There's Something About Mary, and there’s that old orange lady that goes 'lalalalala' with her dog? I was like 'That is disgusting!' It's me! Turns out that I'm that lady. I'm like 'How did they know?'"

"My husband was like 'This is too much. Have you had a Baileys?' 'No, I've had a Ribena.' He was like 'Step away, away from the dog!'"

Well, probably wise not do that during the Best in Show segment at Crufts, Claudia.

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Jack Slater is not the Last Action Hero, but that's what comes up first when you Google him. Preferring a much more sedentary life, Jack gets his thrills by covering news, entertainment, celebrity, film and culture for woman&home, and other digital publications.

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