With the conclusion of Halloween week on Strictly Come Dancing, viewers observed that hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly opted for their signature glamorous attire rather than embracing the spooky theme. In contrast, the celebrity contestants, paired with their professional dancers, fully embraced the spirit of Halloween with elaborate costumes. Even the judges—Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke—joined in, sporting eerie transformations.

The reason behind Claudia and Tess’s choice not to dress up is tied to a distressing incident in Claudia’s past. In 2015, Claudia’s daughter, Matilda Thykier, who was eight at the time, suffered severe burns when her Halloween costume caught fire. Matilda had been dressed as a witch for a neighborhood celebration when she accidentally brushed against a candle, igniting her flammable outfit.

The incident left Matilda with significant burn injuries on her legs, requiring a hospital stay of three weeks.

Reflecting on the terrifying experience, Claudia recounted the rapid escalation of events: “She ‘went up,’ is the only way I can describe it. A spark, and she cried out for me,” she recalled.

“It was like those trick birthday candles that relight after being blown out. It happened so quickly and was profoundly life-altering for me.”

The mum-of-three told Best magazine: “I was talking to someone and then I heard her shout and she was on fire.

“It feels like she was on fire for hours, but the surgeon said it was probably just seconds.”

During an episode of her How Did We Get Here? podcast with psychologist Professor Tanya Byron, Claudia admitted: “You helped me with flashbacks. I had flashbacks of when my daughter had an accident, and they come at you like a bull.

“Like a tsunami, it’s so enormous you think you’re going to drown. So you have to shove it to one side.”

Following the incident, the 53-year-old began campaigning for better safety standards in Halloween costumes’ materials.

In 2015, this prompted the UK Government to tighten the flame-retardant standards of Halloween costumes and toys.

As a result, they will be made from materials that won’t burn faster than 10mm per second, down from the previous standard of 30mm per second.