Claudia Winkleman jokingly dismissed her new chat show as “awful” following a mixed reception from viewers. The debut episode of her self-titled program featured guests such as Jeff Goldblum, Vanessa Williams, Jennifer Saunders, and Tom Allen, with reactions on social media ranging from positive comments about her warmth and wit to criticisms of the episode being dull.

Ahead of the second episode airing, Claudia openly expressed her negative feelings about the project during an appearance on the Heart Radio Breakfast Show. When asked about the show by hosts Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston, Claudia avoided discussing it and attempted to change the subject, saying she didn’t want to talk about it and jokingly referred to the first episode as “awful.”

Addressing an embarrassing moment from the show, Claudia mentioned clapping for a man moving his ears, leading to further self-deprecating remarks. Despite attempts to steer the conversation away, she eventually acknowledged her involvement with Crufts before playfully warning against mentioning her chat show again.

The show, filling in for Graham Norton’s usual slot during his break, has garnered praise from Norton himself, who commended Claudia for being true to herself on her show. Claudia’s departure from Strictly Come Dancing last year paved the way for her new endeavor, with rumors circulating about potential successors for her and Tess Daly on the BBC show.

The Claudia Winkleman Show airs tonight on BBC One at 10.40pm.