Homeschooling struggles led to Claudia Winkleman's lockdown book
Claudia Winkleman has revealed she only wrote her new book because she was “so bad” at home-schooling during lockdown.
The Strictly presenter said she turned to writing because she struggled so much with teaching her three children when schools closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Her book – entitled Quite: Love, Life And Eyeliner – was the result.
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However, the 48-year-old admitted on The Graham Norton Show that she never thought it would be published.
“I wrote it during lockdown because I was chronic at home schooling – I was very bad,” she said.
“Six minutes into lessons I would be shouting at the children. I always thought I was patient but I was terrible so I went upstairs and thought I would write something important.
“Instead I wrote about melted cheese, why I wear black and how a fringe has given me a career!”
Winkleman then sent the book to her publisher with a note that said in capitals: “DO NOT PUBLISH BUT THANK YOU ANYWAY.”
“But they did it and no one is more surprised than me!” she said.
Winkleman is married to film producer Kris Thykier and has three children - Jake, 17, Matilda, 14, and Arthur, nine.
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Before she made her name on the small screen, the TV star worked as a travel writer, and between 2005 and 2008 she penned a weekly column for The Independent.
The Graham Norton Show is on BBC One on Friday 11 December at 10.45pm. Also available on BBC iPlayer.
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