Claudia Winkleman reveals bizarre Strictly Come Dancing pre-show ritual that calms her nerves

‘I get very, very nervous,’ presenter said

Claudia Winkleman has revealed she has an unusual Strictly Come Dancing ritual she uses to calm her nerves ahead of a live show.

The presenter, 53, who’s hosted the BBC dance competition alongside Tess Daly since 2014, said she’s overcome with pre-show jitters despite over a decade in the job.

“I must eat crisps and I always squeeze Tess before we go live. I get very, very nervous,” Winkleman said ahead of the series’s return this month.

“She's the kindest and the greatest human anyone could wish to work with. I'm so lucky to do it with her,” Winkleman told MailOnline.

Winkleman added that, despite her nerves, she gets a huge rush of excitement every time the series gears up to launch on BBC One for another year.

“I get so excited. We’re so lucky to work on such a show. The build-up to all of our celebrities dancing is palpable. I can’t wait to see them on the dance floor,” she said.

Strictly Come Dancing returns to screens on Saturday 20 September with its usual pre-recorded launch programme, which will see the new cohort of celebrities paired up with professional dance partners.

Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly presenting ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ (BBC/Guy Levy)

Saturday live shows will kick off a week later, and the first Sunday results programme will air on 5 October, when the first celebrity to leave the show will be announced.

The BBC has also revealed that the Strictly Come Dancing final will take place a few days before Christmas on Saturday 20 December.

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Stars set to appear on the show include former Love Island contestant Dani Dyer, Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison, rugby player Chris Robshaw, and Dutch footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

One 2025 celebrity who has sparked an online backlash ahead of the new series is former The Apprentice star Thomas Skinner, who met US vice-president JD Vance for a barbecue and drinks this summer.

Controversial 2025 ‘Strictly’ contestant Thomas Skinner (BBC)

BBC director general Tim Davie has defended the decision to cast Skinner, telling MPs from the Culture, Media and Sport committee last week that the casting team chose contestants who they believe will be interesting to the audience.

“Clearly, we wouldn’t take anyone whose views are just beyond the pale, or we would see as completely unacceptable or not suitable, racist views, all those things, we wouldn’t accept them,” he said.

The Independent’s Rachel McGrath wrote that Skinner’s casting “doesn’t feel right” and questioned the BBC’s decision to “intentionally sign someone so divisive”.You can read the full line-up of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing contestants here.