Claudia Winkleman is soon set to leave her presenting role on BBC Radio 2 and already has strong feelings about her replacement.
The Traitors star announced late last year that she’d be stepping down from her Saturday morning radio show, with comedian Romesh Ranganathan taking her place.
Reflecting on her upcoming exit, Winkleman’s now shared her thoughts on how Ranganathan will do in the job.
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Chatting with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett during an episode of the Dish podcast, she described Ranganathan as "the funniest man alive".
"I think everyone will be very pleased, they will throw 'see you' parties," Winkleman remarked. "It’s going to be amazing,"
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Detailing what she’ll miss most about her radio gig, Winkleman said: "I’ll miss the listeners because what is so lovely about radio is that it’s immediate.
"Once when I sneezed, all of these lovely people like Stephen in Halifax and Betty got in touch saying, 'What you want to do is this...' That’s my favourite bit."
Related: BBC Radio 2's Zoe Ball to take time off over heartbreaking family news
Having announced her departure in December 2023, Winkleman is officially set to step down from her show at the end of March.
Ranganathan will then take over the 10am to 1pm time slot in April, launching his new show.
Sharing her exit news with fans at the time, Winkleman explained her decision to leave was based on wanting to spend more time with family.
"I absolutely love Radio 2 and it’s been a privilege to host the Saturday morning show for three years," she said. "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."
News Editor, Digital Spy
Emma is an experienced entertainment news journalist with NCTJ accreditation and a First-Class Honours Degree in Journalism. Having started her career as a broadcast journalist, Emma’s voice has been heard on varying radio stations across the UK including Absolute, Magic, BBC Three Counties Radio, LBC London News and more.
Later specialising in multimedia entertainment news, Emma has brushed shoulders with numerous famous faces and interviewed the likes of Edward Norton, Margot Robbie, Sir Michael Palin, Rick Astley, and too many soap stars to count. Having produced a range of engaging news content over the years for brands such as 7Digital’s Entertainment News, Yahoo, and Express Online, Emma eventually joined Digital Spy in 2022 as Deputy News Editor, becoming Acting News Editor in 2023 and then News Editor in 2024.
While she’s gained lots of praise during celebrity interviews throughout her career, the most memorable compliment Emma’s ever received was when a Game of Thrones star remarked "Your teeth are stunning!". LinkedIn
