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Claudia Winkleman could have her chat show renewed for a second series after impressing BBC bosses with her viewing figures.
The Claudia Winkleman show launched earlier this month following her departure from Strictly Come Dancing.
While the programme was met with mixed reviews, 2.5million watched the first episode in the first seven days, beating rival Graham Norton’s first episode which saw 2.3million viewers tune in.
Last week 1.4million watched the show on the night, compared to 1.3million the week before.
Three episodes have aired so far, with two more in the pipeline. The BBC are said to be ‘thrilled’ that the show’s overnight viewing figure rose by almost 50 per cent when it went on iPlayer.
A source told The Sun: ‘That’s a particular bonus for them because it shows that the younger, more online-friendly market are interested in the show.
Claudia Winkleman could have her chat show renewed for a second series after impressing BBC bosses with her viewing figures
‘And that looks like she’s brought them across from her time fronting The Traitors which had a very broad market. That kind of shift really matters to the execs as that’s where they see the future of telly lying.
‘So it’s understood that Beeb chiefs are poised to rubber stamp another series if that’s what Claudia wants.’
Daily Mail has contacted BBC and Claudia’s representative for comment.
Claudia has to film Celebrity Traitors and the civilian version and so if a second series was to be commissioned, it may have to take place to take place in the autumn.
While the show fell flat with some viewers, who claimed Claudia could ‘never replace’ Graham Norton, there were a mixture of feelings from the critics.
Nick Hilton of the Independent gave the show three stars for the ‘classy, witty affair that has brilliant potential’ but added it ‘might need a few tweaks’.
Making clear they ‘love Claudia’, The Guardian‘s critic said Graham is just too difficult to replace before branding the chat show ‘a mess’.
While the programme was met with mixed reviews, 2.5million watched the first episode in the first seven days, beating rival Graham Norton’s first episode which got 2.3million views
Giving the show a poor two stars, Lucy Mangan wrote: ‘Claudia has been faster and wittier than at least three fifths of her guests’.
Carol Midgley for The Times penned: ‘Claudia is not a comedian but she is funny (she made a joke about breastfeeding her dog). She should relax more and have the confidence to be herself. And, dare I say it, be a bit less nice.
‘This is a job that is more difficult than it looks. Claudia, despite her self-mockery and nerves, put in a respectable first shift’.
Anita Singh at The Telegraph said the show was ‘quite random, reassuringly nice. A lovely way to end the week, but not yet appointment-to-view TV’.
Meanwhile, viewers claimed the chat show is ‘nowhere near as good as Graham Norton’ – and even Claudia’s charisma can’t save it.
