Look, I get it. You’ve likely heard somebody say that Claudia Winkleman and Michael McIntyre are brother and sister. Perhaps it was something you heard at work, or somebody (well) swears blind it’s the case down the pub. The thing is, they’re not. Never have been. It’s all just a complete load of nonsense, the Claudia Winkleman, brother Michael McIntyre stuff.
But loads of people are still prepared to accept that, which is kind of mental when you think about it. So, how did this strange rumour emerge in the first place?
How This Whole Thing Kicked Off
Jimmy Carr joked that they were related on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year years ago. That’s literally it. He was only taking the mick, as they both have that fabulous dark fringe, and well, people just ran with it. Before you knew it, half the country thought of them as family.
They’re not remotely related. Michael has a sister, Lucy. She’s two years younger than him, has a non-showbiz job, and has absolutely nothing to do with Claudia Winkleman. Meanwhile, Claudia’s family tree looks completely different.
Claudia’s Actual Family (And It’s Quite Interesting)
Claudia was born in Westminster in January 1972. Her mum is Eve Pollard, who once edited the Sunday Express. A real Fleet Street heavyweight, that one. Her dad, Barry Winkleman, was the author of enormous reference books such as that huge Times Atlas of World History that you’ve probably seen in a library.
When Claudia was 3 years old, her parents broke up. Both of them remarried, which gave her a few half-siblings. Now here’s where it gets properly interesting.
Who is Claudia Winkleman related to that actually matters? Well, her half-sister Sophie Winkleman wed Lord Frederick Windsor in 2009. Yeah, actual royalty.
Sophie, now Lady Frederick Windsor, goes to Royal Ascot and has appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace. She was in Peep Show and Two and a Half Men before the whole royal thing.
She also has a half-brother, called Oliver, the child of her mum’s second marriage to Nicholas Lloyd (another newspaper editor). So her actual family connections are far more fascinating than some made-up link to a comedian with similar hair.
Claudia’s Marriage and Kids
Claudia Winkleman husband is Kris Thykier. The couple married in June 2000. They were hitched at Marylebone Town Hall amid relatively little fuss. ” Kris is a film producer, and she’s worked on some brilliant stuff, such as Kick-Ass, The Woman in Gold, and Operation Mincemeat. He’s also done telly, such as Riviera and Hijack.
The couple purchased a townhouse near Marble Arch in 2006, and they’re still there. As Claudia said before, Kris never walks in and says, “What’s for dinner?” like some 1950s stereotype. Instead, he will say, “What are we having for dinner?” which sounds trivial but apparently makes their marriage function better.
Claudia Winkleman children are Jake (now 21), Matilda (18, and Arthur, aged 13. She protects them from cameras and social media, which is probably good considering how aggressive the press can be.
This family also had something so unimaginable happen to them in 2014. Matilda’s costume caught fire after they brushed against a lit candle during Halloween trick-or-treating. She was only eight. It was serious burns; the whole thing was traumatic for everyone.
Claudia went on to lead a campaign for changing fire safety laws for fancy dress costumes, and, incredibly, the government listened. New rules were introduced mandating the right flame-retardant standards.
She has pretty strong rules about technology at home. The kids weren’t allowed to see her programmes for years, although they did relax that rule when she took on The Traitors. Claudia said she was “appalled” they were watching, but you could see she was secretly quite chuffed.
How Much Has Claudia Earned?
Claudia Winkleman’s net worth is estimated at £9 million, and she’s reportedly one of the highest-paid women at the BBC. Since 2010, she’s been co-hosting Strictly Come Dancing. First came the results show, and then in 2014 she was made the main co-host alongside Tess Daly.
The Traitors was huge for her. That show has become a real cultural phenomenon and earned her a BAFTA in 2023. She also presents The Piano on Channel 4 and has done all sorts of bits over the years.
The BBC does not make her salary public, since the majority of her work is through external production companies. But she reportedly does earn around £150,000 a year for Strictly. Kris himself is said to be worth around £2 million, so they’re not doing too badly.
Claudia’s Style and Early Career
Claudia Winkleman young photos are brilliant because she’s looked basically the same for decades. That great big fringe, that smoky eye makeup, the tan — it’s long been her signature look. She has said she wants to look like “a male, mature, French student in Lyon on his way to a lecture who’s walked past a small pirate fancy dress shop.” Truly one of the best descriptions of style I have ever heard.
She began on the BBC travel programme Holiday in 1992, hosting during the mid-90s. From here, she slowly grew her career, working on different shows before finally becoming the household name that she is now.
This fringe has become so cherished, in fact, that, during his 2024 satirical run for London mayor, Count Binface pledged to get it Grade I listed. Dawn French did a Comic Relief sketch where she pulled back Claudia’s fringe like it was a curtain. It’s practically a British institution in its own right.
What’s the Real Connection Between Them?
So, is there any genuine Claudia Winkleman brother Michael McIntyre link? Only that they’re both successful British entertainers who’ve probably bumped into each other at industry dos.
In 2019, there were photos of them having dinner together in Mayfair with their respective partners, which some people took as “proof” they were family. But mates having dinner doesn’t make them siblings, does it?
Michael’s still touring and hosting The Wheel. Claudia’s juggling Strictly, The Trailers, and everything else. Both are excellent at their jobs. Both make people laugh. Both seem like genuinely sound people. But family? Absolutely not.
Why Do People Still Believe This?
The rumour persists because we want celebrities to be connected somehow. It makes them more interesting, more relatable, maybe. The similar hairstyles don’t help either.
Put Claudia and Michael side by side, and yeah, they’ve both got that dark, floppy fringe thing happening. But so do thousands of other people in Britain.
Jimmy Carr’s joke worked because it was just plausible enough to sound true if you weren’t paying attention. Once it got onto social media, it took on a life of its own. These things happen.
Remember when everyone thought Jamie Lee Curtis was born as both male and female? Or that Richard Gere had that unfortunate accident with a gerbil? Celebrity rumours spread like wildfire, even when they’re complete rubbish.
Wrapping This Up
In fact, the reality is even more amazing than the rumour. In fact, Claudia’s actual family history, which includes a royal linkup via her half-sister, an apparently rock-solid marriage to a successful film producer, and her campaigning work for child safety in the wake of her daughter’s accident, is rather more interesting than being related to Michael McIntyre.
Michael has his own brilliant career and family. Just because they cohabit the same pack of entertainers doesn’t make them kin. So next time somebody fobs you off by saying they’re brother and sister, just say it to them straight: they’re not.
They never were. This entire thing began as a joke on a television panel show and has since been adopted as fact by hordes of people who really should know better.
Though honestly? This rumour will probably pop up again in a few years, regardless. The internet never forgets, even when it’s remembering things that never actually happened in the first place.
