Strictly Come Dancing fans can't wait to find out this year's celebrity pairings, and we can assure you, not even Claudia Winkleman knows. The presenter has admitted she is always the last to find out anything related to the show, because she has a bit of a reputation of letting things slip.
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During an appearance on The One Show on Monday night, host Alex Jones queried: "Is it true, that you are one of the last people to know who the contestants are?"
WATCH: The hilarious reason Claudia Winkleman isn't let in on any Strictly secrets
"I am the last person," Claudia insisted. "Because in 2006, when you two weren't born, I was doing It Takes Two, the sister show, and they brought me in and they said, 'We're going to give you the list. We're going to give it to you, and we're going to give it to you quite early, but you can't tell a single soul.'
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"And I was like, 'Of course I won't.' And it was very important and we passed around crisps and they told me the names and then I went off with my little backpack and I got in the lift, and somebody said, 'Oh yeah, don't you do the sister show? Who's taking part?'
© Photo: Getty ImagesClaudia with the Strictly 2019 contestants and dancers
"And I told them the whole… I said, 'Yeah, this, this, this and this, and won't they be good if they danced with so and so?' It was not his fault, it was mine. And then the next day he said, 'Oh by the way, she's a bit leaky' and so now they tell me nothing."
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Claudia added that her co-host Tess Daly is often told the line-up early on, laughing: "They tell me pretty much after the press."
© Photo: Getty ImagesClaudia revealed that Tess finds out the line-up before her
The new series of Strictly is launching this month, although there will be a few changes given the pandemic. Bruno Tonioli will only be judging on the Sunday night episodes, virtually, as he is currently based in the US. The contestants will also not travel to Blackpool for the beloved milestone episode that happens halfway through the competition.
This year's line up comprises TV star HRVY, EastEnders favourite Maisie Smith, actress Caroline Quentin, NFL sportsman Jason Bell, The Wanted's Max George, Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir Singh, DJ Clara Amfo, boxer Nicola Adams OBE, comedian Bill Bailey, TV presenter JJ Chalmers, Made in Chelsea's Jamie Laing, and former Labour MP and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
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