It’s hard to imagine TheTraitors without Claudia Winkleman’s fingerless gloves, huge turtlenecks and her trademark fringe – but that was almost the case, Bill Bailey has revealed.
The comedian and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant has claimed that he was asked to host The Traitors, but turned it down.
Winkleman has hosted BBC One’s The Traitors since it first started airing in 2022, and began presenting the celebrity spin-off when it launched last year.
Speaking to Australian breakfast programme Today, Bailey said that he was in the running to host the franchise.
open image in gallery“Here’s a scoop for you, I was actually offered the role of hosting Traitors, Celebrity Traitors. I couldn’t take the role because I was doing something else.”
The 61-year-old also said that he was also asked to compete on Prime Video hit Last One Laughing, but was busy on another project.
“The recording was when I was actually away filming a travel documentary.” he said.
A representative for Bailey told The Independent that he was approached by Studio Lambert in 2022 to host The Traitors but none of the filming dates worked as he was performing in his nationwide tour of En Route to Normal at the time.
The Independent has contacted Studio Lambert for comment.
Fans were divided over Bailey’s revelation, with one writing on Reddit: “I can’t imagine why they’d not want Claudia on the Celeb version. She’s part of the reason the format works so well.” Another said: “I’d watch that!”
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Winkleman and the Traitors franchise have been a hit for the BBC over the last few years, with the presenter winning a TV BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance in 2023 for her role on the show.
She was nominated again in 2025 and 2026, but lost to Joe Lycett and Bob Mortimer respectively.
Celebrity Traitors broke ratings records when it aired its finale in December, becoming the biggest show of 2025 with 15.2m viewers tuning in to watch Alan Carr be crowned the series’ first-ever winner.
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open image in galleryWinkleman admitted herself that she initially turned down a presenting role on the show, revealing in 2023 that she wanted to spend more time with her family.
“I wasn’t keen on leaving home for three weeks, so initially I said, ‘I don’t think so, but thank you,” she said ahead of The Traitors’ second series.
“They then sent me the original Dutch version. I watched the first four episodes in one sitting, told the kids to make their own tea and then begged the BBC to let me be part of it.”
The show is based on Dutch series De Verraders, which has spawned a number of international adaptations.
The forthcoming series of The Celebrity Traitors will air later this year, with James Acaster, Michael Sheen, Romesh Ranganathan, Bella Ramsay and Leigh-Anne Pinnock among those taking part.