Claudia Winkleman banned from wearing one outfit on Strictly Come Dancing

Claudia Winkleman revealed Strictly Come Dancing bosses wouldn’t allow her to wear one particular outfit during filming

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Claudia Winkleman revealed there is one outfit Strictly bosses wouldn’t let her wear (Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Ray Burmiston)

Strictly Come Dancing host Claudia Winkleman has revealed that her dream outfit for presenting the show was firmly rejected by BBC bosses. Speaking to co-host Tess Daly’s husband Vernon Kay on his BBC Radio 2 show last year, Claudia shared her fondness for a very particular fashion style that didn’t make the cut. “I wanted to look like a male mature French student. Let’s call him Jean, he’s in Lyon, he’s on the way to a lecture, he’s studying Physics, and he’s got a scarf on, he’s got a skinny black pair of trousers, he might have a turtleneck”, the presenter explained. She humorously described her ideal look: “On the way, he’s walking, it’s damp, it’s November. Guess what he goes past? A small pirate fancy dress shop, he picks up something. That’s my person.”

However, Claudia admitted that the BBC wasn’t on board with her offbeat fashion vision, admitting they said: “You can’t dress as Jean, you have to be somebody else.” Vernon playfully suggested there must be one week where Claudia gets her way – ‘Movie Week’. He guessed that it’s her chance to embrace her inner eccentricity, as the themed episode encourages hosts and contestants alike to dress up as iconic film characters, offering a rare break from the show’s usual glamour.

'I was in the Strictly audience and star of the show doesn't get enough credit' ‘I was in the Strictly audience and star of the show doesn’t get enough credit’

The television icon agreed, admitting that Strictly’s themed episodes are the rare times she strays from her signature look: “The only way to get me out of my uniform is to dress up as somebody.

“One year it was Anita Dobson, my most successful year, the next year it was Pat Butcher. It’s not that you’re dressing like them, because these are heroes, so you’re not taking the mick, but what you’re doing is (thinking) would they think this is alright? Would Anita Dobson say, ‘tick?’.”

And Claudia will get the chance to break away from her usual look tonight as Movie Week returns. Lewis Cope and Katya Jones will bring the heat with a Paso Doble set to ‘The Plaza of Execution’ from The Mask of Zorro, while Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington will transport us to the roaring 1920s with a lively Charleston to ‘A Little Party Never Killed Nobody’ from The Great Gatsby.

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer will heat up the dance floor with an energetic Salsa to ‘I Always Wanted a Brother’ from Mufasa: The Lion King, while Chris Robson and Nadiya Bychokova are ready to bring intensity with a Paso Doble to ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ from Thor.

Strictly Come Dancing 2025

Claudia and Tess will return to host Movie Week (Image: Guy Levy/BBC/PA)

Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola will light up the floor with a Samba to ‘Dance the Night’ from Barbie, while Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley will deliver a dramatic Rumba to ‘No Time To Die’ from James Bond. La Voix and Aljaž will glide gracefully through a waltz to ‘Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag)’ from Mary Poppins.

Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe will dazzle with a Quickstep to ‘Suddenly I See’ from The Devil Wears Prada, while Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon will glide through a Foxtrot to ‘The Way You Look Tonight’ from Swing Time.

Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin will charm the dance floor with an American Smooth to ‘Sixteen Going on Seventeen’ from The Sound of Music, while Karen Carney and Carlos Gu bring the energy with a Cha Cha Cha to ‘She’s a Lady’ from Miss Congeniality.

Ross King and Jowita Przystał will tackle a Paso Doble to the iconic Thunderbirds theme, while Stefan Dennis and Dianne Buswell round out the line-up with a graceful Waltz to ‘It Is You (I Have Loved)’ from Shrek.