Claudia Winkleman has explained why her podcast co-host and child therapist Tanya Byron once called her “the worst parent alive”.
Winkleman is married to producer Kris Thrykier, and the couple share three children together.
The Strictly Come Dancing co-presenter also hosts How Did We Get Here?, a podcast about parenting and family life, with Byron.
Winkleman opened up about her parenting approach in a new interview with The Times, recalling an interaction she previously had with the psychologist.
The 50-year-old TV personality said Byron overheard a conversation with her son Jake, who was 15 at the time, during which she promised to record an Arsenal football match so he wouldn’t miss it. She also transferred money to his phone so Jake could buy himself a sandwich.
This prompted Byron to call her the “worst parent alive” for “smoothing everything in his path”.
Winkleman shared: “[Byron] said, ‘You’re curling, smoothing everything in his path. You’re not teaching him any form of resilience.
“What he needs to do is be caught in the rain, not be able to afford Subway. He needs to work out, ‘Oh, I bought McDonald’s fries yesterday.’ He needs to miss the Arsenal match. Then he’ll learn. And you’re not helping him.’”
Elsewhere, Winkleman responded to journalist Andrew Billen’s question about celebrity romances spawned from Strictly.
“There are no romances, Andrew. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I can’t imagine,” she said.
Earlier this year, Winkleman allegedly apologised to former Strictly professional Kristina Rihanoff for comments made about her relationship with Ben Cohen.
During her appearance on The Lateish Show with Joe Mulligan in June, she suggested Rihanoff started a romance with Cohen during the 2013 series, while he was still married.
However, Rihanoff and Cohen began dating the following year, after his marriage to his then-wife had ended.
Shortly after, Winkleman is said to have apologised to Rihanoff in a message obtained by MailOnline, allegedly clarifying: “[I] am so, so sorry. I thought the question was about who has found long-time love [via Strictly].”
Earlier this month, it was announced that Winkleman will host a new BBC One reality competition called The Traitors.
The show is based on a Dutch show called De Verraders and follows 22 strangers as they arrive in the Scottish Highlands to play “the ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust” in a bid to win £120,000.
