claudia winkleman is launching a new chat show that will air at 10: 40pm ET on Friday 13 March 2026; the series will bring major names from film, television and music to a studio-sofa format with a live audience. The show is produced by So Television, part of ITV Studios, and will fill a high-profile Friday night slot. The first episode’s starry lineup and production details were confirmed by the broadcasters and production team.
Claudia Winkleman: format and first-night guests
The format is straightforward and star-driven: each episode will see the host welcome the biggest names from the worlds of film, television and music to her sofa for lively conversation, supported by a studio audience. For the opening night, the confirmed guests include Hollywood actor Jeff Goldblum, who will appear to talk about his band The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra; Vanessa Williams, appearing to discuss her turn in The Devil Wears Prada on the West End; national treasure Jennifer Saunders, who will be promoting her new family film The Magic Faraway Tree; and comedian Tom Allen, who will discuss his debut novel Common Decency. The production company behind the new talk show is So Television, part of ITV Studios, the same team that produced The Graham Norton Show.
What the presenters and executives are saying
claudia winkleman spoke directly about the opportunity, saying: “I can’t quite believe it and I’m incredibly grateful to the for this amazing opportunity. I’m obviously going to be awful, that goes without saying, but I’m over the moon they’re letting me try. ” The comment frames the programme as warm and self-aware. Kalpna Patel-Knight, head of entertainment commissioning at the, added a commissioning perspective, saying Claudia is a true national treasure and highlighting her ability to put people at ease and bring out the best in guests.
Production, scheduling and context
The series will be available on One and on iPlayer at the scheduled time of 10: 40pm ET on Friday 13 March 2026. The new show was confirmed following announcements about the presenter’s departure from her previous hosting role on Strictly Come Dancing. The production links to an experienced team: So Television, part of ITV Studios, is listed as the producing company and is noted for its past work on high-profile talk programmes.
Mid-run, viewers should expect the programme to lean on conversation and on guest-led moments rather than large studio games, with the production known for sofa-based interview formats. The line-up for the opening episode underlines that approach, mixing established film and stage names with musical and literary guests.
Forward-looking, the series will be watched closely for how it reshapes the Friday night slot and how claudia winkleman’s interview style settles into a regular weekly show. Early audience reaction and subsequent guest bookings will determine whether the format becomes a fixture on the schedule; the first episode’s mix of international and national stars gives producers an immediate sense of the show’s reach and tone.
Expect coverage of the debut as it airs at 10: 40pm ET on Friday 13 March 2026 and reaction in the hours that follow, with attention on how claudia winkleman handles the sofa and the live audience atmosphere.
