The Celebrity Traitors star Claudia Winkleman 'extremely unlikeable' in series

Nineteen huge stars are taking part inThe Celebrity Traitors – but all eyes will be onClaudia Winkleman’s fierce fashion choices. Wearing faux fur coats, structured layers and statement knitwear, Claudia has honed a look that’s all her own, and reinvented

it for the celebrity version. “It’s absolutely nuts,” says Claudia. “Unhinged in taffeta was where we went.”

Alan Carr, Cat Burns, Celia Imrie,Charlotte Church, Clare Balding, David Olusoga, Joe Marler, Joe Wilkinson, Jonathan Ross, Kate Garraway, Lucy Beaumont, Mark Bonnar, Nick Mohammed, Niko Omilana,Paloma Faith, Ruth Codd, Stephen Fry, Tameka Empson and Tom Daley are all signed up for the gothic game show, each vying to win £100,000 for their chosen charity.

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It’s the spin-off fans have been begging for – but at first Strictly host Claudia was against the idea of yet another celebrity format. “I was scared,” she admits. “Only because I’m in love with this show and I wanted to keep it small. Once a year or maybe once every two years felt like enough. My bosses, thank goodness, ignored everything I said.”

When she saw the calibre of celebrity queuing up to play traitors and faithfuls, even Claudia had to agree the show was a good idea. Working with Stephen Fry was a dream come true for Claudia and bearded comic Joe Wilkinson left her especially starstruck. “I could barely breathe when I saw them all in the Highlands. I’m such a fan of every single one of them,” shares Claudia, 53.

“The whole team were just in awe, it was hard not to scream, ‘You’re here!’ When I talked to Stephen Fry I almost welled up, I told him this was my dream. We’re incredibly lucky to have the cast that we have. Each one of them is tremendous. My family and I are obsessed with Joe Wilkinson, I had to stop myself getting his autograph for my son.”

Claudia oversees the games on the show but admits she finds it a challenge not to get too chummy with the players. “The biggest challenge was being strict,” says Claudia. “All I wanted to do was chat and be friendly but my role is aloof and grumpy. I found it hard not to just sit down with them and have a cup of tea.”

And she finds the urge to help them with the missions overwhelming. “Sometimes I try and drop big clues, but my producer tells me off,” Claudia confesses.

To help her maintain her distance from the stars, Claudia channels two classic villains. “[I’m] Cruella de Vil with a touch of Miss Trunchbull!” she laughs.

Hosting such a huge show is a dream come true for Claudia, but she admits she found the celebrity version tougher than the main show. “It was scarier, because all I wanted to do was chat to them and make them like me,” she says. “But of course, I have to be extremely unlikeable. It was tricky!”

Claudia can’t praise the celebrity contestants enough for the energy they put into the show. “They’re incredibly smart and kind,” she says. “They play the game beautifully and were fully engulfed in it. It was an extraordinary experience and we’re so so lucky this 19 said yes. It’s something we never take for granted and are so grateful for.”