The Claudia Winkleman Show review: Critics say host has ‘brilliant potential’ but ‘might need a few tweaks’

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Most critics enjoyed The Claudia Winkleman Show when it premiered on Friday night, expressing a positive reaction overall.

Claudia assembled a fantastic group of performers including Jeff Goldblum, Vanessa Williams, Jennifer Saunders, and Tom Allen.

The previous host of Strictly Come Dancing is filling in for Graham for seven weeks, broadcasting from a new studio in London.

Viewers weren’t impressed with the show, feeling Claudia couldn’t live up to Graham Norton’s legacy. Critics, however, had mixed reactions.

According to Felicity Cross of The Sun, the chat show was a bit awkward, but ultimately charming and enjoyable due to its great celebrity guests and lively conversation.

Nick Hilton from the Independent rated the show three stars, calling it ‘classy and witty with brilliant potential,’ but suggested it could benefit from some minor improvements.

The Guardian’s critic expressed affection for Claudia Winkleman but stated Graham Norton is irreplaceable, ultimately describing the show as disorganized.

Lucy Mangan gave the show a disappointing two-star review, noting that host Claudia Winkleman was sharper and funnier than a majority of the guests.

In her article for The Times, Carol Midgley writes that Claudia isn’t a professional comedian, but she has a good sense of humor – she even joked about breastfeeding her dog. Midgley suggests Claudia would benefit from being more relaxed and self-assured, and perhaps a little less overly pleasant.

This job turned out to be harder than expected. Despite being nervous and downplaying her abilities, Claudia did a good job on her first day.

In a review for The Telegraph, Anita Singh described the show as pleasantly unpredictable and heartwarming, making it a good way to relax at the end of the week, though not something you’d rush to watch every time it airs.

Many viewers feel the new chat show doesn’t compare to Graham Norton’s, and they believe even Claudia’s charm isn’t enough to make it successful.

As the first episode began airing on BBC, viewers immediately went to social media to share their complaints about the show, with many specifically mentioning their dislike of the canned laughter and audience noise.

Viewers also disliked the way experts were placed throughout the audience and prompted to comment after each celebrity’s story, creating an awkward atmosphere. One viewer described it as ‘so flat, even the guests look bored.’

Some viewers felt the interviews lacked focus and were chaotic, with the celebrities frequently interrupting one another.

Viewers also criticized the show’s set, saying the dark lighting, furniture, and costumes all blended together, making it hard to distinguish anything.

As a longtime fan, I noticed right away that Jeff Goldblum immediately took the main guest spot, and Tom Allen filled the role of the British comedian – honestly, it felt just like watching #thegrahamnortonshow all over again!

The color palette is overly brown and quite dim, and the audience reactions sound unnatural and forced. While I appreciate Claudia’s work, the entire production feels designed for failure.

So Television is the production company behind Graham Norton’s shows, including The Claudia Winkleman Show. That’s why the new show looks and feels so similar to Norton’s – it uses the same format. It’s disappointing they didn’t try anything new with this chat show.

The show starts a little rough around the edges, but it gets better as it goes on. However, the canned laughter is becoming annoying.

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2026-03-14 12:18