
Claudia Winkleman
- English
- Presenter
Press clippings Page 5
Following 8 Out Of 10 Cats was brand new panel show King Of... hosted by the enormously pregnant Claudia Winkleman, who looked ready to pop if she so much as sneezed. Winkleman's become something of a cult in recent years, primarily thanks to her hosting of Strictly Come Dancing's irreverent sister show It Takes Two, where her brand of scatterbrained madness has endeared her to many. She's still very much a love/hate personality, similar to nutty face-puller Davina McCall, but King proves she's incapable of hosting what amounts to an optimistic version of Room 101.
The premise is very simple and, unfortunately, incredibly pointless and uninteresting. Winkleman's joined by two celebrity guests over the course of the show, who debate what the "king" (read "best") of any given topic is. King of snacks? King of holidays? King of music? King of pets? King of cities? You name. It's so trifling and inane that it would barely cover a column in Heat, and Winkleman's unable to spin any gold from the discussion.
The opener's guests were Geordie comedian Sarah Millican and presenter/DJ Chris Evans: the former a likable enough person who's extremely overexposed right now; the latter nowhere near funny enough to turn a tedious "what's the king of cheese?" question into comedy dynamite. Maybe it's my cynical British attitude, but there's nothing especially funny or interesting about listening to celebs state a case for something they adore, and essentially list favourites. It's radio's Desert Island Discs with wider topics of discussion, but without an soul. I'd much rather they bitch and moan about something they hate.
Winkleman's on record saying the show's "shit", thanks to a moment of candor a few weeks ago, and it's hard to disagree with her. What's the king of panel shows? Anything but this. I can only assume Winkleman needed the money to decorate her nursery.
Dan Owen, Dan's Media Digest, 20th June 2011This new chat show hosted by Claudia Winkleman has already been called by most critics a "reverse Room 101", in that Winkleman attempts to decide which are the best things in a certain category, with the help of guests.
In this case, Sarah Millican and Chris Evans helped Winkleman choose the king of holidays, jobs and cheese - a somewhat broad choice of subjects, but Winkleman claims she was to cover everything, and put it down in a book she intends to give to her children.
This made for an interesting watch. Seeing Winkleman and Millican talk was like watching a funny Loose Women, or to put it another way, a good Loose Women that I might be tempted to actually watch. I especially enjoyed Millican's line about her attempt to discuss the future with her boyfriend at Euro Disney.
There were some turn offs, though, for me. The audience were a bit annoying, seemingly cheering at any point, and I would disagree with some of Winkleman's choices (surely the king of jobs would by king?) - but it was an interesting first watch and I'll probably take a look at next week's offering, too.
Ian Wolf, Giggle Beats, 20th June 2011Channel 4's new Friday night unspectacular King Of... a sizzling search for the best of everything. Twenty-five minutes of twee tellyfilla featuring ubiquitous guest Sarah Millican, Chris Evans and a penguin chasing host Claudia Winkleman round the studio. Truly hilarious. "King of ways to end a TV show," giggled Claudia. "I'm going with the salute." I'm going with the axe.
Kevin O'Sullivan, The Mirror, 19th June 2011Claudia Winkleman enters the overcrowded Friday night chat show fray with a new six-part "high concept" show that invites celebrities to debate the relative merits of their favourite things (a reverse of the BBC's Room 101 format). As that could encompass choosing between Stinking Bishop and Manchego as the king of cheeses, its success will depend not only on the quality of her guests, but also their peculiarities. Tonight's guests are broadcaster Chris Evans and South Shields stand-up Sarah Millican.
Gerald O'Donovan, The Telegraph, 17th June 2011Claudia Winkleman to host new Channel 4 comedy series
Channel 4 have announced a six-part series for 'King Of...', a new comedy format hosted by Claudia Winkleman.
British Comedy Guide, 12th April 2011Comedy, music and good causes - it can only be the show that makes you laugh until you give.
Harry Hill, Steve Coogan, Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Ant and Dec and Armstrong and Miller are all doing something funny for money this year, along with the casts of The Inbetweeners, Outnumbered and Miranda.
We can also look forward to a specially shot mini-episode of Doctor Who, and James Corden will be back with the third instalment of his iconic Smithy trilogy - calling in favours from some very big names in showbiz.
Corden will also be one fifth of Fake That - a tribute band which boasts the talents of David Walliams, Alan Carr, Catherine Tate and John Bishop.
Never fear, though, the real Take That will be performing too. In fact, the night's going to be awash with boy-bands, as JLS are in the studio and it's The Wanted's turn to do the official Comic Relief single, Gold Forever.
The music line-up also includes chart-busting Adele, Annie Lennox, Elbow and Gareth Malone, who will be trying to turn some TV chefs into a Comic Relief choir.
Your hosts through this comedy marathon will be Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Michael McIntyre, Graham Norton, Claudia Winkleman and Fearne Cotton.
There have been 12 Red Nose Days since 1988, helping to raise more than £500million to help needy people in the UK and abroad.
There'll also be films from David Tennant, Jack Dee, Ruth Jones and Comic Relief stalwart Lenny Henry, each providing frequent reminders of how your money can help change people's lives for the better.
Jane Simon, The Mirror, 18th March 2011It's Red Nose Day, which means only one thing: rip-roaring laughter and top telly treats, presented by TV favourites Lenny Henry, Fearne Cotton, Graham Norton, Jonathan Ross and Claudia Winkleman.
Highlights include a feast of unmissable sketches from the likes of James Corden, the cast of Outnumbered, Miranda Hart, Harry Hill, Steve Coogan and Armstrong & Miller.
There are also Comic Relief specials of Masterchef and The Choir and unforgettable music performances from some of the biggest names in the industry. The night is sprinkled with plenty of reminders of why it's all happening: to raise money to change the lives of extremely vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the UK and Africa.
The Daily Express, 18th March 2011Get your credit card out, make the phone call, pledge the money. Then you can sit back, guilt-free, and enjoy the funniest evening on telly since oooh, probably the last Red Nose Day. Anyone who's anyone from the world of comedy is on BBC TV tonight. There's funny stuff by Lenny Henry, Graham Norton, Peter Kay, Harry Hill and James Corden, and a road trip in the company of The Inbetweeners around the rudest places in Britain. There's also a mini episode of Doctor Who featuring two Amy Ponds, a special edition of Outnumbered and a Downton Abbey spoof. Adele sings live, and in a celebrity MasterChef Miranda Hart and Claudia Winkleman go head to head, which ought to be a physical impossibility. We also get a special version of The Choir, Gareth Malone's foolhardy bid to get celebrity chefs to sing Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up. In between all this are sobering film clips reminding us what it's all about and a ten-minute edition of EastEnders resolving the disturbing story about teenage prostitution.
Jane Rackham, Comic Relief, 18th March 2011Possible chat show War between Norton and Winkleman
A chat show war is looming between Graham Norton and new rival Claudia Winkleman.
Leigh Holmwood, The Sun, 10th March 2011Claudia Winkleman to host C4 comedy chat show pilot
Claudia Winkleman is to host the pilot episode of a new Channel 4 comedy chat show format.
British Comedy Guide, 11th January 2011