Television presenter Claudia Winkleman has announced her departure from the popular BBC dance show, Strictly Come Dancing, after 12 years. This surprising decision stems from her desire to dedicate more time to her family, as her schedule previously demanded filming every Saturday evening from September through to Christmas. This change is expected to be particularly welcomed by her daughter, Matilda Thykier, and her sons, Jake and Arthur, allowing Claudia a greater presence at home.

Matilda Thykier, the 19-year-old daughter of Claudia and Kris Thykier, is currently pursuing a chemistry degree at Bath University, having successfully completed her second year. According to reports, Matilda is thoroughly enjoying her university experience, which included a three-month residency in Copenhagen during a recent summer break. Despite her mother's prominent career in show business, Matilda reportedly has no aspirations to enter the entertainment world, instead focusing on her academic pursuits. Claudia has often praised Matilda's intelligence and dedication, once telling Grazia, "She's a very clever girl. She sends me some of the work she does. I'm like, 'What? How? Pardon?'".

However, Matilda's life has not been without significant adversity. In 2014, when she was just eight years old, she sustained severe burns during a terrifying Halloween accident. While out trick-or-treating, her witch costume tragically ignited after coming into contact with a candle. Claudia has described this incident as "life-changing," recounting the harrowing experience to BBC Watchdog: "I was talking to somebody, and then I just heard her scream. She just screamed 'Mummy' and I turned round and that was that, she was just on fire. Everyone was screaming. She was screaming, all the kids there were screaming... It feels like she was on fire for hours but the surgeon said that definitely wasn't the case and it was probably just seconds." She added, "It was definitely life-changing for me. I can't remember life before it."

Claudia's commitment to prioritizing family time has been evident for some time. Last year, she also stepped down from her BBC Radio 2 show, explaining her decision: "Time is going too fast, my daughter is getting ready to leave home and she was three about five minutes ago. I still have a little one who wants to be with me – I don't know how long that will last, and I just need to be at home more."

The announcement of her departure from Strictly Come Dancing was made jointly with co-presenter Tess Daly last week, surprising many fans. In a video addressing the news, Claudia stated, "There have been some rumblings and we want you to hear this from us." Tess added, "We have news, after 21 wonderfully joyful years on Strictly, we have decided that the time is right to step aside and pass over the baton. It's been a huge part of our lives since our children were literally babes in arms, and now they're adults, and I think genuinely we have cherished every second." Claudia concluded by expressing profound gratitude, saying, "We have, we're so lucky to have been part of this amazing show and we just want to thank the Strictly team, because Strictly is the people who make it."