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Strictly Come Dancing enthusiasts received a double shock recently, as both Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly revealed they would be departing from the beloved BBC dancing show after over a decade at the helm. Whilst this signals the conclusion of an era for countless viewers, one individual may not be mourning the news quite so much. Claudia's eldest child, Jake Thykier, has reportedly never been keen on Strictly and has previously urged his celebrity mum to abandon what he considers a cringe-worthy role. Read more Strictly's Claudia Winkleman's real reason for trademark fringe as she looks unrecognisable at 18 Now aged 22, Jake's aversion to the sparkly Saturday evening programme stretches back to his adolescent years, when he would earnestly implore Claudia to reconsider her highly successful career path. During a 2018 appearance on The Dan Wootton Interview podcast, Claudia, now 53, disclosed: "My eldest son has got a buzzcut. He's 15 and he thinks his mum's a loser. "It's heartbreaking. The main thing he wants me to do is just not do Strictly." Repeating her mortified son's plea, Claudia continued: "Mum, if you really love me, you'd stop.' He's just embarrassed.", reports the Mirror . Rather than taking offence, Claudia remained resolute and declined to exit the ballroom prematurely, stating: "But that's the whole point. "My job is to embarrass him, so I just follow him around trying to lick his ear. He's the cutest thing ever." Regrettably, Jake's mortification regarding his mother's flagship presenting role didn't diminish over time. During 2023's Edinburgh TV Festival, where she received an Outstanding Achievement Award, the mother of three revealed: "My son said to me, 'Mum, you have got to stop doing Strictly, it's so embarrassing and my teacher has mentioned it'. "I just went, 'See those trainers, Jake?' He was like, 'OK, sorry'.'". It seems Jake has offered several recommendations about where his mum ought to be submitting her application. During a 2024 Waitrose podcast appearance, Claudia disclosed: "My son, about four years ago, went, 'You have to stop doing that show... can you just work on Match Of The Day?' I was like, 'I can't spell football!'". Claudia, who is presently entertaining audiences with her distinctive wardrobe selections on Celebrity Traitors, is additionally mother to daughter Matilda, 19, born in 2006, and son Arthur, 14, born in 2011. The popular television personality shares her three youngsters with Danish film producer husband Kris Thykier, whom she wed during summer 2000. Fortunately for Jake, he'll no longer need to endure the embarrassment of watching his mum host Strictly - though whether she'll subsequently pursue Match of the Day remains uncertain. On Thursday morning, 23rd October, Claudia and Tess shared news via Instagram, stating: "We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together, and now feels like the right time." They continued: "We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series, and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show." Reports have since emerged that Claudia is in advanced discussions to secure an agreement with the production company responsible for The Graham Norton Show, with plans to develop her own chat programme. Jake will undoubtedly have views on this development. Little is publicly known about the private Jake, who maintains a low profile, though he seems to have adopted his parents' dedicated approach to work. In 2021, he began his studies at the EHL Hospitality Business School, previously known as École hôtelière de Lausanne, in Switzerland, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management. His career has included an internship at Copenhagen's Absalon Hotel, and during 2023 and 2024, he held positions at the prestigious Soho House, serving in Oxford and Mexico as both a bartender and membership representative. Most recently, Jake has been working as a bar manager in Lausanne whilst completing his essential qualifications.
