Claudia Winkleman quits BBC Radio 2 show and confirms her replacement

Strictly Come Dancing host Claudia Winkleman has announced she will be leaving her BBC Radio 2 show on Saturday mornings next year.

Speaking about her decision, she said: “I absolutely love Radio 2 and it’s been a privilege to host the Saturday morning show for three years.

"I will miss our amazing guests, our brilliant listeners and the one and only Sally Traffic.

"The truth is my children are growing up inordinately fast so I have decided to follow them around at home before they leave for good.

"I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who works on the show, I will continue to visit with badly made biscuits and will pester the bosses to present the odd special."

The presenter went on to confirm Romesh Ranganathan will be the new Saturday morning presenter from April.

"I couldn’t be happier that Romesh is taking over Saturday mornings on Radio 2," she shared.

"He is brilliantly laugh out loud funny, and I’ll listen every single week as my kids beg me to leave them alone.”

Addressing his new job, Romesh commented: "In my many years working as a maths teacher thinking ‘what would happen if I gave this up’, I never imagined I’d be sandwiched between Dermot O’Leary and Steve Wright on the UK’s most popular radio station every Saturday morning.

"I’m grateful to Claud for wanting to spend more time with her kids, and enabling me to spend less time with mine, and I look forward to finding out what the nation is up to at that time, as well as speaking to some familiar faces. It’s going to be fun. Probably.”

Charlotte Moore, Chief Content Officer, BBC, said: “Claudia is one of the BBC’s most loved presenters and I’d like to thank her for all the laughs she’s given us as we’ve started our weekends on Radio 2 over the past three years.

"I really look forward to joining her for series two of The Traitors in the new year as well as Strictly Come Dancing next Autumn.

“Romesh is hugely popular with BBC audiences so I’m thrilled that he will be bringing his own unique sense of humour to Saturday mornings on Radio 2. I can’t wait to hear his new show.”

Claudia first joined Radio 2 in Spring 208 when she hosted Hot Gossip, a comedy quiz series, before moving to Friday nights to host the Claudia Winkleman Arts Show.

In 2016, Claudia presented Claudia on Sunday (7-9pm) and then moved on to Saturday mornings in February 2021.

Guests on her popular Radio 2 show have included Ant & Dec, Michael Bublé, Brian Cox, Minnie Driver, Emily Eavis, Noel Gallagher and Tom Hiddleston.

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