Claudia Winkleman Husband: Meet Film Producer Kris Thykier

Claudia Winkleman is on our TV screens almost every weekend. Most people know her as the co-host of Strictly Come Dancing with Tess Daly, or as the cape-wearing traitors host up in the Scottish Highlands.

While millions watch her on BBC One, she keeps her family life away from the cameras. She has been married for over 24 years to a British film producer named Kris Thykier.

Here is what you need to know about who he is, what films he has made, their family life in London, their money, and the truth behind Claudia’s famous hair.

Who Is Kris Thykier?

Claudia Winkleman’s husband is Kris Thykier. He was born in 1972 and works as a film and television producer.

He does not appear on screen. Instead, he puts film projects together, sorts out financing, and hires directors and cast.

Before getting into the movie business, Kris worked for about 15 years in public relations in London. He worked at Freud Communications, where he handled press and media work for large companies and film studios.

In the mid-2000s, he switched completely to producing films. He worked with director Matthew Vaughn for a while, and then started his own London film company called Archery Pictures.

Over the last 20 years, Kris has produced some very well-known films:

Kick-Ass (2010): The hit superhero comedy with Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Nicolas Cage.
Operation Mincemeat (2021): The wartime film starring Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen.
Woman in Gold (2015): The drama starring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds.
The Debt (2010): The spy thriller starring Jessica Chastain.
Riviera: The Sky Atlantic drama series starring Julia Stiles.

While Claudia does the public presenting jobs, Kris works behind the scenes on scripts and film sets.

Their 24-Year Marriage and Children

Claudia and Kris met through mutual friends in London in the late 1990s. At the time, Claudia was starting out on small TV jobs and holiday programmes, while Kris was working in London PR.

They got married on 24 June 2000 at Marylebone Town Hall in central London. They did not sell any wedding pictures to magazines and kept the day small with just close family and friends.

They have three children together:

Jake (born in 2003)
Matilda (born in 2006)
Arthur (born in 2011)

The family live in a Georgian townhouse in Connaught Square in central London.

Both parents keep the children off social media. In 2014, when Matilda was eight years old, her supermarket Halloween outfit caught fire on a candle. She had to spend a lot of time in hospital with burns, and Claudia took time off Strictly. After that, Claudia campaigned on BBC television to make shops and manufacturers use safer, fire-resistant materials in children’s fancy dress clothes in the UK.

Claudia Winkleman and Kris Thykier Net Worth

Between BBC contracts and Hollywood film budgets, Claudia and her husband are worth a lot of money.

Person	Net Worth Estimate	Main Income
Claudia Winkleman	£9m – £12m	BBC shows (Strictly, The Traitors), Head & Shoulders ads, books
Kris Thykier	£5m – £10m	Film producer fees, Archery Pictures profits, TV rights
Combined Household	£15m – £20m	Central London property and company assets

How Much Is Claudia Winkleman Worth?

If you are asking how much is claudia winkleman worth, financial reports put claudia winkleman net worth between £9 million and £12 million.

Every year, the BBC publishes what its top stars earn. Those reports show Claudia gets £250,000 to £350,000 a year for presenting Strictly Come Dancing and The Traitors. She also hosted a Saturday morning show on BBC Radio 2 for years, before stepping down in 2024 to spend weekends with her family.

Outside of the BBC, Claudia makes good money from brand deals. She has been the face of Head & Shoulders shampoo adverts in the UK for years, has written books, and hosts corporate events.

For another look at what top British TV stars make, see our breakdown of Danny Dyer’s age, family and net worth.

Claudia Winkleman Husband Net Worth

Because Kris runs Archery Pictures as a private company, his bank account is not public. However, entertainment industry estimates put claudia winkleman husband net worth at around £5 million to £10 million.

His money comes from producer fees, his share of box office ticket sales, and sales to streaming platforms.

Together, their combined household wealth is estimated at £15 million to £20 million.

Popular TV Shows with Claudia Winkleman

Here are the main tv shows with claudia winkleman that made her famous:

1. The Traitors (BBC One)

Filmed at Ardross Castle in Scotland, Claudia hosts the BBC reality game show where players try to work out who the liars are. Her performance as traitors host won her a BAFTA award.

2. Strictly Come Dancing (BBC One)

Claudia took over co-hosting the main Saturday night show with Tess Daly in 2014 after Sir Bruce Forsyth left. Before that, she hosted the weekday spin-off show, Strictly: It Takes Two.

3. The Piano (Channel 4)

Claudia hosts this Channel 4 show, finding talented street piano players in train stations across the UK alongside musicians Lang Lang and Mika.

4. The Great British Sewing Bee (BBC Two)

She hosted the first four series of this sewing competition between 2013 and 2016.

5. Film… (BBC One)

Between 2010 and 2016, she presented the BBC’s weekly cinema review show.

Does Claudia Winkleman Wear a Wig?

Because her thick black fringe sits right down across her eyes, people often type into Google: does claudia winkleman wear a wig?

The answer is no, she does not wear a wig.

The famous claudia winkleman hair is 100% real. She has said in interviews that she first cut her heavy fringe when she was 14 and never changed it.

She often laughs about it, saying the fringe means she never has to worry about getting her eyebrows done or having forehead wrinkles showing. To keep the claudia winkleman hairstyle looking neat, she gets it trimmed by her hairdresser every few weeks so it does not completely cover her eyes.

Inside Claudia Winkleman’s Traitors Outfits

When claudia winkleman traitors came out on BBC One, people talked about her clothes just as much as the game itself.

All the claudia winkleman traitors outfits were put together by her stylist, Sinead McKeefry. Instead of putting her in dresses, her stylist gave her an outdoor country look:

Chunky wool roll-neck jumpers from Scottish brands like Brora and Johnstons of Elgin.
Heavy green Barbour waxed jackets and tweed coats.
Hunter wellington boots and Dr. Martens boots.
Thick fingerless gloves and big scarves.

Viewers loved the clothes because they looked warm, comfortable, and made sense for the damp Scottish weather.

Her Royal Family Link

Claudia’s mother is Eve Pollard, who was one of the first female newspaper editors in the UK, and her father is Barry Winkleman, who published books.

A lot of people do not know that Claudia also has a link to the Royal Family.

Her half-sister on her dad’s side is the actress Sophie Winkleman (who played Big Suze in the comedy Peep Show). In 2009, Sophie married Lord Frederick Windsor, who is the son of Prince Michael of Kent. That makes Sophie a member of the Royal Family, with the official title Lady Frederick Windsor.