Claudia Winkleman was playfully roasted by Strictly Come Dancing fans after a “hilarious” live blunder on Saturday night.
The 53-year-old presenter, who also hosts the hit show The Traitors, appeared to mix up her hosting duties during Movie Week, when the celebrities showcased their best routines.
Lewis Cope and Katya Jones impressed the judges with a Paso Doble to The Mask of Zorro’s Plaza of Execution, earning the first 10 of the series.
While co-hosting alongside Tess Daly, Claudia, dressed in a sparkling black gown, accidentally referred to the dancers as “players,” a nod to The Traitors, which is currently airing the celebrity edition. Speaking to the contestants, she said, “Honestly, what an unbelievable dance. I need you to know that your fellow players were screaming. Did you enjoy that?”
Claudia quickly corrected herself as she stumbled between saying “dancers” and “players.”
Fans were quick to notice the slip-up and took to social media, joking: “When you forget which show you’re presenting…”
Viewers found the mistake hilarious, flooding the comment sections with reactions. One wrote, “I didn’t notice this! This is hilarious,” while another quipped, “Now let’s see what the Traitors have to say about this. I mean judges.”
Claudia has been busy hosting Celebrity Traitors, which features stars like comedian Alan Carr and presenter Jonathan Ross. Last week, Alan “murdered” his best friend Paloma Faith in the show’s second episode, leaving viewers in stitches over the cheeky stunt.
The 49-year-old comedian later made light of the moment while out for drinks with a friend, showing there were no hard feelings between him and the singer.
In a social media clip, Alan Carr was asked by a friend, “What kind of cocktail do you feel like, Alan?”
Grinning at the camera, he joked, “Oh, I don’t know — I could murder a Paloma.”
To show there were no hard feelings, Alan captioned the video: “Anyone thirsty? Love you @palomafaith #forgiveme.” Paloma responded with her own cheeky comment: “Mine’s too salty.”
Fans, including host Claudia Winkleman, reacted with laughing emojis, calling Alan a “national treasure” for joking about the stunt. However, some viewers felt the joke was “too soon,” “savage,” or “cruel.”
Sources have since confirmed that any tension between the pair is purely for show. A source told The Sun: “Paloma’s sad to be out first from Celebrity Traitors but is keen to carry on the game. She’s been making digs at Alan on social media to maintain the pretend rivalry, but of course, they’re still firm friends. Both have been in the business long enough to know not to take anything seriously.”
The source added that the pair are already planning a catch-up for a full Traitors debrief.