The presenter launched The Claudia Winkleman Show in March following her departure from Strictly Come Dancing.

The show was well-received, achieving strong ratings, and Winkleman was offered a second series by the BBC.

However, she turned down the offer, saying that despite the positive feedback, she had not felt at ease in the host’s chair.

Claudia Winkleman quits BBC chat show after 1 series

“Sometimes you have to try something to see how it fits, and I realised I was just too nervous to enjoy it,” the TV star told the Mail.

“Maybe one day I will give it another try, but for now, I already have the best jobs in the world and absolutely love the shows I’m doing.

“I’m incredibly grateful to the BBC for giving me the opportunity, to the guests who agreed to come and chat to me, and the production team who were simply excellent.”

Claudia continues to present The Piano on Channel 4 and also took part in Channel 4’s Crufts coverage earlier this year.

She previously co-hosted Strictly Come Dancing with Tess Daly for nearly 20 years before both stepped down, insisting their departure had nothing to do with other opportunities.

Ed Havard, director of entertainment at the BBC, praised the TV star’s hosting style and confirmed she would continue working with the broadcaster.

Mr Havard said: “Claudia’s warmth and quick wit made The Claudia Winkleman Show an absolute joy.

“Whilst we loved the show, we fully respect her decision and would like to thank Claudia and the brilliant team at So Television for bringing the series to screen on the BBC.

“As the host of the country’s most-watched show, Claudia will be back on the BBC very soon when The Celebrity Traitors returns later this year, and we can’t wait to see what she has in store for the new band of celebs.”

The seven-episode chat show ran on Friday nights from March and was produced by So Television, the company behind The Graham Norton Show.

While Ms Winkleman’s guests included big names such as Jeff Goldblum, Vanessa Williams, Jennifer Saunders, and Dan Levy, some critics suggested the show struggled to match the star power of Mr Norton’s autumn and winter line-ups, which often feature award-season Hollywood A-listers.

There was also debate about the challenges faced by female chat show hosts in connecting with both guests and audiences, with reference made to short-lived shows by Davina McCall, Charlotte Church, and Ruby Wax.

Claudia has filmed a new series of Celebrity Traitors earlier this summer, which will return in the autumn.

She recalled feeling similarly anxious about hosting Traitors, saying: “I phoned my husband from the Scottish castle, holding ceremonial pouches and red leather fingerless gloves I’d got off Amazon, and said, ‘I’ve had a good run, this is where it comes to an end’.

“This is also how I feel about this show.”

Did you watch any of the Claudia Winkleman show? Let us know in the comments.

The Seattle-based coffee shop giant opened its 60-seat new cafe in the town’s market place in December 2021.

Now it is understood that the branch is expected to close in September.

READ MORE: Starbucks to open 60-seat cafe in Abingdon

One member of staff said : “Yes we are closing in September – it’s the talk of the town.

“I don’t know the reasons – there are a lot of independent cafes in Abingdon.”

Inside Starbucks in Abingdon (Image: Andy Ffrench)

When Starbucks opened in Abingdon, the branch manager at the time Wayne McHugh said he was delighted with the positive reception from people in the town.

He said: “It’s been amazing – people were queuing outside at 9am waiting to come in.

“I know it’s competitive here – I’ve been round all Abingdon’s coffee shops – but I do think Starbucks can add something very positive.

“It’s a big brand name but we do want to become part of the community.”

Wayne McHugh at Starbucks in Abingdon in 2021 (Image: Andy Ffrench)

The town’s Starbucks is surrounded by other cafes, including independents.

There is a branch of Costa in the market place, together with Java and R&R, and Missing Bean, a short distance away in Stert Street, recently celebrated its fifth birthday.

Throwing Buns is a cafe on the opposite side of the market place, close to the town museum and there are other cafes throughout the town including those in High Street and Bath Street.

Abingdon has a strong claim to being the oldest continuously inhabited town in England.

There are other Starbucks coffee shops across Oxfordshire.

The chain has cafes in Oxford, Bicester and Banbury, and at Welcome Break Oxford services at junction 8A of the M40 at Waterstock, and at the Peartree interchange in north Oxford.

A year ago, Pablo Lounge, a restaurant and bar on the corner of Bury Street precinct close to Market Place, closed and so far nothing has replaced.

The town’s Nat West bank branch in Market Place also closed last year.

The Starbucks chain operates more than 1,300 cafes across the UK.

The chain pledged to open another 500 coffeehouses in the UK in the next five years, with 75 new cafes opening this year.

Starbucks has been asked to comment.

Under current law, the State Pension age is due to rise from 67 to 68 between 2044 and 2046.

However, it’s been shown that new Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) documents assume the increase will instead happen between 2037 and 2039 as part of the Government’s current policy position for its economic forecasts.

If that timetable were ultimately adopted, the increase would come around seven years earlier than current legislation provides.

Who could be affected?

An earlier increase could affect around five million people, particularly those who are currently aged between 49 and 55.

Instead of becoming eligible for their State Pension at 67, they could have to wait until they turn 68.

For many people, that would mean working for another year or relying on other sources of income before becoming eligible for the State Pension.

Why is an earlier rise being discussed?

The OBR says delaying the increase would add significantly to Government spending.

Its latest documents state: “If the state pension age were to rise to 68 in 2044-45 in line with legislation, rather than the Government’s stated policy that the rise to 68 will happen in 2037-39, this would cost an average additional £6 billion in today’s terms in each of the years the state pension age rise is delayed.”

Ministers say no decision has been made

Despite the OBR’s assumption, ministers have stressed that the Government has not announced any change to the law.

Responding to reports about the OBR documents, Pensions Minister Torsten Bell said on X that the reports were ‘just wrong’. He added: “We have not announced any change of policy – and certainly not this specific one. There is currently a review of the State Pension age underway – that is simply because legislation (the 2014 Act) requires the Secretary of State to conduct such reviews on a fairly regular basis.”

He also referred to previous changes to the State Pension age, saying: “If you want to see what we’ve actually said – not least about the 2011 disaster of raising the State Pension age in a rush that gave some people only 5yrs notice – you can read the (long) evidence I gave to the Select Committee recently.”

This story is just wrong https://t.co/RJkBkgcf98

— Torsten Bell (@TorstenBell) July 14, 2026

Experts urge caution

The prospect of bringing forward the increase has prompted concern from experts, who warn many older people are already struggling to remain in work until they reach State Pension age.

Dr Carole Easton OBE, Chief Executive of the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “It is extremely worrying if the Treasury is thinking of making the next rise in state pension age in just over a decade’s time.

“The government needs to be very careful about making this change.

“During the rise to 66, it doubled the poverty rates for 64-year-olds.

“A recent parliamentary committee report warned the impact is likely to be even bigger now for the current rise to 67.”

She said it was difficult to see the case for accelerating the timetable: “Other than the substantial savings the Treasury will make from making people wait longer for their State Pension, it is hard to see what evidence could be used to justify introducing the next rise sooner.”

Can everyone work until 68?

Dr Easton said many people already face significant barriers to working later in life.

She said: “Working until you are 68 is very far from the norm. Only one in five people currently do so.

“It is not viable for everyone to work this long for a range of reasons – health, ageism, caring responsibilities, inflexible employers freezing many people out of work.”

She also highlighted differences in healthy life expectancy across the country.

“There are places in this country where the healthy life expectancy is more than a decade below the current state pension age.

“Progress on this issue has stalled, we cannot just assume we are all going to be living longer and healthier lives.”

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What happens next?

No legislation has yet been introduced to bring forward the increase in the State Pension age.

The Government is carrying out the latest statutory review of the State Pension age, which is required under existing legislation.

Once that review concludes, ministers will decide whether to recommend changes to the timetable before any proposal is put before Parliament.

For now, the legal position remains that the State Pension age will rise to 68 between 2044 and 2046, unless Parliament approves a change.