Claudia Winkleman Wasn't Actually First Choice To Host The Traitors

Claudia Winkleman in the Traitors castleIt’s hard to imagine The Traitors without Claudia Winkleman, but it turns out th show almost had a different host entirely.Over the last three years, Claudia has become a much-loved part of the murder mystery-themed reality show, thanks to her Highlands-meets-goth fashion choices, deadpan delivery and palpable love of the game.However, BBC Chief Content Officer Kate Phillips has revealed that if it weren’t for a diary clash, Claudia may not have ended up on our screens at all.Speaking on Richard Osman and Marina Hyde’s podcast, The Rest Is Entertainment, she explained that US Traitors host – Scottish actor Alan Cumming – was first to be called up for the gig.“Alan Cumming had been signed to do the American one, so I thought that Alan was known here as a popular Scottish actor,” she explained.“Full disclosure – we did ask Alan if he would do it, but he couldn’t do our dates.”Alan Cumming is already the host of the US version of The Traitors, for which he's won four EmmysKate then went straight to Claudia, having previously worked with her on Strictly Come Dancing and observed how her interest in people, as opposed to dancing, made her such a great host – perfect for a show designed around human nature, bluffing and alliances.The BBC boss knew she was in for a challenge getting Claudia on board, though, quipping: “I rang Claudia and said ‘before you say anything, it’s the two things you hate: You’ve got to leave your home and it’s in the countryside’.”Fortunately, Claudia did end up leaving her home and making the trek to the Scottish countryside, after being sent a copy of the original Dutch version of The Traitors and immediately falling in love with the format.The host has previously joked about the “lazy” reason she almost turned down the show, saying: “They asked me to do it, and because of my innate laziness, I was like, ‘I’m really sorry, I can’t go to Scotland for three and a half weeks’.”Elsewhere on the podcast Kate also dropped the bombshell that Celebrity Traitors winner Alan Carroriginally said “no” to being on the show and had to be cajoled into appearing because of his aversion to reality shows.Claudia was also sceptical about a Celebrity version of The Traitors, feeling “protective” over the show and wanting to keep it small to retain its magic.They needn’t have worried, though, as The Celebrity Traitors was a runaway success, with its opening episode becoming the biggest single episode on TV so far this year. Fans have been rejoicing at the news there will officially be a second series, with rumours already abound at who will be donning a cloak for the next line-up.MORE TRAITORS:Alan Cumming: 'People Are Terrified To Speak Out, But I Feel Like It's My Duty'Alan Carr Shares Funniest Celebrity Traitors Moment We Never Got To SeeJonathan Ross Says Ricky Gervais' Reason For Turning Down Traitors Was 'Right'

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