‘I’m waiting to be fired’ admits Claudia Winkleman as she shares fear for The Piano after Channel 4 makes huge change
CLAUDIA Winkleman has joked that she is “waiting to be fired” from her many TV jobs after becoming one of telly’s most in-demand women.
The star, 52, will be back on screens this weekend in Channel 4‘s runaway hit, The Piano, following on from a stellar few months as host of the ever popular Strictly Come Dancing and ratings smash hit, The Traitors.
With being in so many roles means that the chances of losing them are even higher with Claudia recently joking: “I am incredibly lucky that I get to do both [The Traitors & The Piano] and I am waiting to be told that I’m fired from both.
“Until then, I really love it [presenting both], they could not be more different.”
Thankfully, it seems as though the prospect of her being fired is off the cards with TV bosses scrambling to sign up the charismatic star for their new on-screen formats.
Claudia’s latest role as host of The Piano has seen her embrace “calmness”, something which appeared to be a welcome relief amid the chaos of The Traitors and the razzle dazzle of Strictly.
Viewers were left blown away when The Piano debuted last year with many breaking down in tears at blind 13-year-old Lucy wowing the nation with her formidable talent.
The programme become renowned for bringing skilled piano players to train stations to show off their talent to the nation.
These unsuspecting members of the public were unaware that they were being spied on by star judges Mika and Lang Lang in a secret room.
This time around, Claudia admitted she was “worried” that the show wouldn’t work with the element of surprise now lost as participants are well aware of the A-listers watching on.
Now, with that surprise ruined, there had been some worry that the authenticity would be no more.
Speaking to The Sun and other press just moments after filming an episode of the new series at Liverpool Lime Street, Claudia said: “I was really worried, we were all worried because we thought them coming and them knowing [about the show], they would be dressed in a different way and would play in a different way.
“We thought that they’d literally arrive and go, ‘hello Mika, hello Lang Lang’, but the strangest thing is – if you can’t see them, they sort of forget them.
“So you do have them just coming there, wearing whatever they’re wearing, they sit down, they have a play, they’re not trying to second guess what Mika and Lang Lang want to hear.
“It sort of kept the magic and that was really surprising, I think, and brilliant for all of us.”
Mika, famed for hits including Grace Kelly, added: “We didn’t know how it would affect things and we were very afraid that it would change the way they behave more than anything or their intentions for coming on to the show.
“The DNA of the show is that it’s an anti talent show.
“It’s not got that mechanism, that kind of roller coaster thing, and we’re not sitting behind a desk in front of them, you know.”
The pull of the piano players is so inviting that Claudia has admitted her favourite part of recording the show is seeing passers-by purposefully missing trains so they can stand and watch all the goings-on.
She recalled: “My favourite is when somebody misses a train on purpose, and that has happened a few times in series one and in series two in Glasgow, that was my favourite thing.
“There were two teachers and the whole gang of kids and they were going on a school trip and I think it was the third performance.
“Anyway, it was really beautiful and she turned to me and she went, ‘nah, we’ll get the next one’ and texted the school going ‘tell parents it’ll be 15 minutes later for pick up.’
“They all just sat on the floor and had their packed lunches.”
The new series will see Claudia, Mika and Lang Lang travel around the country once again to find more talented pianists to put on a showstopping performance.
Whilst last year it took place at London’s Royal Festival Hall, this time around they will be putting on an evening of musical excellence in Manchester.
One of them will then be chosen as the overall winner depending on the night’s most incredible performance.