Claudia Winkleman, known for her role as co-host of Strictly Come Dancing, has a surprising on-set snack preference, according to former contestant Harry Aikines-Aryeetey. The Gladiators star, who appeared on the show last year, revealed that Winkleman is particularly fond of a certain type of crisp.
Surprising Snack Revelation
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Express, Aikines-Aryeetey shared his shock at discovering Winkleman's love for Skips. "I didn't realise Claudia loves skips so much. She actually loves a packet of skips. That shocked me," he confessed.
The 37-year-old also praised Winkleman and her co-host Tess Daly for their supportive nature towards contestants during what was their final series together. The presenters announced their departure from the show after 11 years of co-hosting, making the 2025 series their last.
Supportive Presenters
"Claudia's general demeanour is just amazing, same with Tess. The energy that she provides and the support, they were both so supportive. They're just awesome people and it was so nice to have been able to have that with them," he said.
Aikines-Aryeetey, who was partnered with professional dancer Karen Hauer, reflected on her departure from the show after 13 years. "She's been a great servant to the show. I'm very fortunate and lucky to have been her last partner. For me, I've got nothing but respect and admiration for her," he stated.
Strictly Journey and Tour
The pair reached week seven of the competition, with the Rumba proving to be their biggest challenge. "Trying to put on a serious face was tough. It gave me and Karen the ick having to perform something fairly dramatic," he laughed.
Despite the challenges, Aikines-Aryeetey, also known as Nitro on Gladiators, looked back on his Strictly experience fondly, particularly enjoying the tour after the main show concluded. "That experience was amazing. It was a learning lesson in terms of understanding a different craft and making yourself vulnerable. The tour for me was amazing, I really enjoyed the tour because you got to spend time with the whole cast and actually get to know more about them," he explained.
"When you do the main show, you don't get the opportunity to talk as much because you're never actually with them. The glitz and glam was lovely. It's a great show," he added. Aikines-Aryeetey was recently named the UK's first-ever 'Personal Drainer'.
