Claudia Winkleman on making a second series of The Piano, being enthralled by “poetic” performances and why she’s not allowed to sing at home
WORDS: DANNI KING PHOTOS: LORNA ROACH
KEYS TO SUCCESS
Whether she’s covered in sequins on Strictly Come Dancing or hosting a funeral on The Traitors, Claudia Winkleman is the undisputed Queen of Television. So it’s no surprise that Channel 4’s unassuming reality show The Piano became a huge success with Claud at the helm – even though she claims not to have a scintilla of musical talent herself.
“I know nothing about music,” she insists. “I’m not allowed to sing Happy Birthday in my own house.”
The first series of The Piano saw undiscovered pianists showcase their talent on public pianos in locations across the UK, while Claudia looked on – with virtuoso classical pianist Lang Lang and musical whizz Mika judging from behind the scenes.
She’s the beating heart of the show but, for Claudia, her skills start and end with contestants and cameras.
“I’m not allowed to touch a piano,” she says, much to Mika and Lang’s amusement.
This doesn’t mean she hasn’t tried her hand at music in the past, though. Mum-of-three Claudia recalls, “I wanted to learn the trumpet because I thought it would be a good idea – but no.”
Mika, 40, agrees with Claudia’s claims that she is not musically gifted. Laughing, he brands her “the worst singer you’ve ever heard in your life” – a title Claudia does not object to. Lang, 41, attempts to soften the blow, insisting that, while Claudia may not have much musical talent, she does possess an “amazing sense of great music”.
Claudia, Mika and Lang are an unlikely trio, but it’s clear they make a great team. The three stars bounce off one another while chatting away about The Piano, which Mika brands a “beautiful little project”. And it’s obvious they’ve had great fun filming the second series together, which has seen them travel across the country in search of Britain’s most talented undiscovered pianists.
The heart-warming show first aired in February 2023 and proved to be a big hit with viewers, who quickly became invested in the talent search. The first series averaged 2.7 million viewers per episode, making it Channel 4’s best-rating new format since 2017.
It may seem like it was a no-brainer to recommission The Piano for another series, but the format of the show made it difficult to replicate. In the first series, Mika and Lang judg
