The Celebrity Traitors star is renowned for her jet-black hair and full fringe as she hosts two of the biggest shows in the country
Claudia Winkleman hosting Strictly Come Dancing(Image: BBC)
Claudia Winkleman looks unrecognisable in an unearthed photo from her university days before the Strictly Come Dancing host started donning her signature look.
The broadcaster is renowned for her jet-black hair and full fringe as much as her quick wit and kind nature as she co-hosts the hit BBC One dance contest, which we now know will be for the last time.
Claudia announced in October alongside Tess Daly that they will be leaving as hosts of the popular programme at the end of the current series, which is almost at its midway point.
Claudia, 53, and Tess, 56, announced the news on social media in a joint statement, alongside a video in which they discussed their decision.
They said: “We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream,” they said. “We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time.
“We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show. They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day.
“We will cry when we say the last ‘keep dancing’ but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”
While Claudia continues to host the hit dance show, as well as the first-ever Celebrity Traitors in the UK, the star has been revealed as being worlds away from the woman she is now.
Claudia at Murray Edwards College in 1990(Image: LAFAYETTE PHOTOGRAPHY LTD and SHARED BY MURRAY EDWARDS COLLEGE/ BAV MEDIA)
A newly emerged photo of her as a student at Cambridge University shows the TV star without her trademark fringe and dark eyeliner.
She’s seen posing with her classmates at Murray Edwards College in 1990 and Claudia, who was just 18 at the time, can be seen with long dark hair and no heavy eye make up as she sits in the front row of the matriculation photo.
It comes as Strictly fans think they have found the ‘perfect’ replacement for Claudia when she leaves the much-loved show, with her and Tess’ last live appearance in the ballroom set to be the 2025 final on December 20.
@ayesleft said: “La Voix is the perfect Claudia replacement #Strictly.” @kirv96 commented: “La Voix is the perfect Claudia replacement but people are too strung up to admit it #StrictlyComeDancing #Strictly.”
@Henry92589880 posted: “I’ve sadly accepted that La Voix is likely not winning Strictly. However….. I think she’d be a perfect replacement for Tess and Claudia as the new host! #StrictlyComeDancing.” @OliveBridget added: “We think La Voix would be a brilliant replacement for Claudia! #strictly @bbcstrictly #lavoix.”