Strictly Come Dancing presenter reveals seriously rude advice from BBC boss – and how it actually paid off

BUSY Strictly host Claudia Winkleman has dismissed the idea she’s one of TV’s hardest working presenters — despite returning to the show while juggling two other big projects.

With just weeks to go before returning with Tess Daly to co-host the hit BBC1 dance show, she insisted down-to-earth advice keeps her feet on the ground.

Claudia, 51, said: “My parents told me basically, ‘You just have to work incredibly hard and don’t be a turd.’

“And one of my old producers on Strictly: It Takes Two used to say two things in my earpiece before we started filming — ‘Don’t be sh**. It’s only telly.’ And I always try.”

The star, famed for her long fringe and fake tan, also showed she does not take herself too seriously by adding: “All I do is paint myself orange and read from an autocue.”

Claudia is currently filming new BBC1’s The Traitors as well as Channel 4 show The Piano.

Fortunately the shooting schedules left the early part of the year relatively clear, other than her Radio 2 show every Saturday.

She said: “Some people say to me, ‘You must be so busy’. But I’m like, ‘I’ve just completed a jigsaw’.”

This will be Claudia’s 13th Strictly since she joined the main show full-time.

Close pal Tess, 54, takes the lead presenting duties while Claudia “checks the celebs are OK” on the balcony as they await the judges’ scores.

She says accepting the offer to co-host the show was a no-brainer — especially with the strong work ethic she inherited from her parents Eve Pollard and Barry Winkleman, both former national newspaper editors.

Her mum was a particular inspiration — only the second woman to hold the top role on Fleet Street while still managing to bring up a family.

That fact keeps everything in perspective for mum-of-three Claudia, who’s been married to movie producer Kris Thykier for 23 years.

She said: “It was hard for her — and people who need to be in their offices, doctors and lawyers, who have to leave the house at 7.30am and they come back at 7pm.

“So there is no way I can complain because for me on the days that I work.

“I don’t think it’s comparable to people who work in production.”

Having previously worked on spin-off It Takes Two and the Sunday night results show, she was always the front runner when the late Bruce Forsyth left Strictly a decade ago.

The prospect of two women hosting a series that size was heavily scrutinised — but it never fazed Claudia.

Talking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, she explained: “The biggest show on telly at that point was Bake Off which was hosted by two women (Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc).

“So I was like, I’m not even pulling on that string. But I did feel incredibly nervous at the time.”

She added: “Strictly is run by women.

“Our boss is a woman, it’s directed by a woman, my producer is a woman.

“Our leader is pregnant and we had a meeting the other day about the cast — but all we could talk about was baby names.”

This year’s cast is made up of Les Dennis, former newsreader Angela Rippon, actors Layton Williams and Amanda Abbington, EastEnder Bobby Brazier, ex-Love Islander Zara McDermott, presenter Angela Scanlon, Channel 4 News’ Krishnan Guru-Murthy and ex-Emmerdale favourite Adam Thomas.

Claudia said: “Without sounding like a total tool, I’m with the people who watch Strictly, and they’re with me.

“We want this person who has to dance live in front of millions of people and four judges, wearing uncomfortable shoes, with somebody they just met, to do well.”