Claudia Winkleman ditches her trademark eyeliner as she recovers from surgery

TV presenter Claudia Winkleman has revealed she has undergone eye surgery - and she can't don her trademark heavy eyeliner for weeks as she recovers. The Strictly Come Dancing co-host was flooded with support as she shared a candid update with her fans on Friday night.

Posing next to a medical professional, Claudia, 53, looked unrecognisable without her usual heavy fake tan and smokey eye make-up as she donned a hospital gown for the picture.

Captioning the image, The Traitors host told her Instagram followers: "This amazing human makes me see. He’s operated on my eyes before and he did it again today. No eyeliner for weeks and I sleep in goggles (no words) but I’m eternally grateful.

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"Do NOT zoom in on my left eye - it’s wonky. Thank you Julian. I paid for the treatment, this isn’t an ad. I just love him. It’s very possible I’m still a bit sedated. Night, night."

Gogglebox star Izzi Warner was one of the first comment on Claudia's post, writing: "We still have the costume and Bobby is willing to wear the eye liner for you if you need a stand in Claudia! Happy healing."

"You look beautiful Claudia," Drag Race UK star Baga Chipz told the TV star, with a fan adding: "He did my eye surgery about 8 years ago! Played rock music as he did it. He told me it would be life changing and he was right. Amazing man!"

Claudia's health update comes just days on from the popular star being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the King’s Birthday Honours.

The mum-of-three presenter was honoured on last week alongside her Strictly Come Dancing co-host, Tess Daly, for services to broadcasting. Claudia said: "I am incredibly grateful to receive this honour. It’s a real privilege to work with extraordinarily talented people and I have only got this because of them.

"So this is for the BBC, the traitors and the faithful, for pianos and for the cha cha. I will buy a hat and am taking my mum. I am ridiculously lucky and will celebrate with Tess by doing a paso doble."

Born and raised in London, she studied history of art at Cambridge University and after graduating began her career as a TV and radio presenter, fronting a range of BBC TV shows including Comic Relief and The Great British Sewing Bee.

She also presented on BBC Radio 2 until 2024, hosting different programmes on the station including the comedy quiz series Hot Gossip, the Claudia Winkleman Arts Show and Claudia On Sunday.

In 2004, she joined BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing, presenting its weekday companion show It Takes Two until she passed it to broadcaster Zoe Ball, with her taking on the Sunday night results show alongside Tess Daly.

The presenter joined Tess for the main show every Saturday from 2014, after Sir Bruce Forsyth stepped down. The Bafta-winning presenter is also behind the hit BBC game show The Traitors and won best entertainment performance at the 2023 awards.

She will be fronting its charity spin-off series, The Celebrity Traitors, in which 19 famous faces will enter the castle in the Highlands, including comedian Alan Carr, actor and broadcaster Sir Stephen Fry and retired diver Tom Daley.

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