Claudia Winkleman admits Celebrity Traitors decision inspired by 'favourite' Royal Family

Claudia Winkleman's beloved Royal Family member helped shape her distinctive appearance on the Traitors. The murder-mystery programme has captivated audiences since its debut three years ago.

It has even spawned a celebrity version featuring stars such as comedian Alan Carr, Olympian Tom Daley, and television presenter Jonathan Ross. Claudia has also emerged as a viewer favourite on the programme as the tartan-wearing presenter. And she reveals Princess Anne was part of the inspiration behind her distinctive style.

The Princess Royal herself is regarded as a triumph with the British public, consistently ranking amongst the most beloved royals.

Speaking to Hello! Claudia revealed: "We went quite Miss Trunchbull and Morticia [Addams], with a nod to Princess Anne, who's our favourite."

Claudia's costume choices on The Traitors were curated by Sinead McKeefry. The star continued: "Sinead went: 'Are we going for a bit of taffeta?' and I'm going to be honest, I went overboard with that."

Claudia's fashion selections on the programme have been the desire of watchers. Blending high-end designer brands with independent labels, her aesthetic has been characterised as "gothic glam meets power dressing".

Sinead told Grazia magazine that she frequently has had people requesting a "Claudia in The Traitors look".

She continued: "I think because [Claudia and I] enjoyed being back in the process, we had our inspirations and knew what our look wanted to be... Ronnie Corbett meets Princess Anne meets Madonna (in the Guy Ritchie days!)"

Claudia's daring silhouettes and bold outer layers became a talking point during last year's series with fans keen to replicate the style. Her cape coat has become a wardrobe staple too, offering a perfect way to layer your outfit.

It isn't just Claudia's wardrobe that has been a hit on The Traitors either. Fans have been won over by her theatrical style, which led to her winning the BAFTA TV Award for Best Entertainment Performance in 2023.

Claudia recently admitted she was "scared" when the show landed a celebrity edition. Speaking to the BBC, she said: "I was scared. Only because I'm in love with this show and I wanted to keep it small. Once a year or maybe once every two years felt like enough. My bosses thank goodness ignored everything I said."

With the show boasting a plethora of famous faces, Claudia says there was one that had her "welling up". She added: "I could barely breathe when I saw them all in the Highlands. I'm such a fan of every single one of them.

"The whole team were just in awe, it was hard not to scream 'you're here!" When I talked to Stephen Fry I almost welled up, I told him "this was my dream". We're incredibly lucky to have the cast that we have. Each one of them is tremendous."