Can Claudia Winkleman conjure chatshow magic?

Claudia Winkleman’s new chatshow lands next month, and she has sounded genuinely thrilled: “I can’t quite believe it and I’m incredibly grateful to the BBC for this amazing opportunity.” Kalpna Patel-Knight called her “a true national treasure – warm, witty and endlessly entertaining,” and Graham Stuart argued a brilliant host is the way to follow Graham Norton.

Still, the early fanfare underlines how far there is to go before a new sofa show feels truly essential. Picking guests is one of the trickiest parts. Big names bring prestige but often say less, so the host needs to spark something unrehearsed. Graham Norton’s multi-guest sofa is a carefully balanced formula and, as he admitted, “I’m really bad at actually interviewing people.” When it works, guests generate their own chaos and charm — think Lady Gaga with June Brown — and the TV comes alive.

The interview itself has changed.

United Kingdom

claudia winkleman, chatshow, bbc, sofa show, graham norton, guests, interview, lady gaga, june brown, host