Claudia Winkleman has lifted the lid on the deliberately "hideously mean" technique she uses to ratchet up the pressure during the crucial Traitor selection process on the BBC's smash-hit show, The Traitors.
The Secret Is In The Shoes
The presenter, who has fronted the psychological game show since its 2022 debut, confessed that a key part of the suspenseful walk around the table where she picks the secret villains is her choice of footwear. For the initial series, she wore brown Saint Laurent Theo Chelsea boots retailing at £975, before switching to a black pair which have become her signature.
"The walk around the table is very tense. I can't tell you how many times I walk around it, but I really try to build the tension, which is hideously mean but also quite addictive," Winkleman explained. She emphasised the need for "clumpy" and "incredibly loud" shoes to amplify the drama, even joking that comedian and Celebrity Traitors winner Alan Carr compared her ambling to that of a "cart horse".
A New Twisted Series Begins
The revelations come as fans prepare for the launch of the fourth series on BBC1 at 8pm on New Year’s Day. This season promises new, unseen twists dreamed up by executive producers Mike Cotton and Sarah Fay of Studio Lambert. "All I will say is there’s something new, and what happens in this series is truly extraordinary, with moments that made me gasp," teased Winkleman.
Mike Cotton hinted that this series would test the players more brutally than ever. "We test our Traitors harder than ever; we push them really hard. And you’ll see that later in the series. Also the Faithful as well, it becomes quite brutal," he said. Claudia added that this cast plays with "their entire hearts", creating a gameplay dynamic distinct from the more polite celebrity edition.
Wardrobe Secrets and Future Plans
While her dark, dramatic wardrobe maintains a "Cruella meets Princess Anne" aesthetic, Winkleman did switch her boots for The Celebrity Traitors, opting for a pair of £2000 Givenchy Shark Lock boots. Ever the provocateur, she is already planning future stylistic tweaks, suggesting a move towards a "full Oliver Twist" look with patches, though producers reportedly vetoed her idea for tea stains.
With the new series set to unveil the castle's secrets and push contestants to their limits, viewers can expect the same addictive, suspenseful formula—amplified by the deliberate, heavy tread of Claudia Winkleman's designer boots.
