The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman shares 'horrible' aspect of parenting

Renowned TV star Claudia Winkleman has candidly disclosed the parenting challenge that has hit her hard.

The influential Traitors presenter, aged 52, shares three children with her spouse Kris Thykier, a distinguished film producer also 52.

The couple tied the knot back in 2000 and are the proud parents of Jake, 21, Matilda, 18, and Arthur, 13.

Although they often keep their personal life away from the spotlight, Claudia occasionally opens up about her brood and recently offered some insights.

During a fresh interview, she opened up the lives of her two oldest, now university students, and declared a personal stipulation regarding her television work.

In an enlightening conversation with Grazia the Strictly Come Dancing host dished on the toughest bit of parenthood and labelled "them leaving" as "horrendous".

Jack and Matilda, her elder pair, have left home and for university a transition Claudia has confessed to finding heart-wrenching.

She stated: "It's horrendous. I don't understand why they don't have that in the baby books, along with all the advice about breastfeeding and how to steam a butternut squash."

Claudia urged for the preparation of parents for this inevitability in those very books.

She elaborated: "Why can't there be a chapter saying, 'You're going to have these little puffins that you'll love more than life - and then one day, they're off.'"

The BAFTA winner later confessed to that her children are not "allowed" to watch her on TV and that "nobody" in her household watches "anything" she does, underlining that it's "under strict instructions."

However, she did reveal that they "broke rank" and watched the Traitors - which premiered in 2022 and returned for its third series last week - at one point. Claudia hinted during the interview that as a result she was "appalled".

This isn't the first time Claudia has expressed concern about her children growing up too quickly. She previously mentioned that their influence played a part in her decision to leave her BBC Radio 2 show last year as she desired to spend more time with her children before they permanently leave home as they are "growing up inordinately fast."

At the time, she told listeners: "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, don't know how long that will last, and I just need to be at home more."