‘Flashbacks hit me like a tsunami’: Claudia Winkleman opens up about years of torment over her daughter Matilda’s Halloween costume blaze
- Claudia was discussing the blaze with child psychologist on their podcast
- She described the flashbacks as coming at her like a bull for the past six years
- The Strictly star has to stop herself being too overprotective towards her sons
Claudia Winkleman has opened up about the years of torment she has suffered over her daughter Matilda’s Halloween costume blaze.
She said that ‘flashbacks hit me like a tsunami’ as she recalled the horrific accident in 2014.
Matilda was eight when she caught fire as her outfit went up in flames due to a nearby candle.
Matilda (right, with her father Kris) was eight when she caught fire as her outfit went up in flames due to a nearby candle and Claudia (left) has revealed it still haunts her
The youngster suffered severe burns to her legs and her neighbour, Jamie Poulton was left with second degree burns after trying to tackle the fire with his bare hands.
Claudia revealed how the incident had scarred her mentally while speaking to child clinical psychologist Tanya Byron on their podcast How Did We Get Here?
The Strictly host said: ‘You helped me with flashbacks. I had flashbacks of when my daughter had an accident and they come at you like a bull.
She added: ‘Like a tsunami, it’s so enormous you think you’re going to drown. So you have to shove it to one side.’
The 48-year-old presenter also has sons Jake, 16, and Arthur, eight, with husband Kris Thykier.
She revealed that since the accident she has had to stop herself being too over-protective.
Tanya was one of the first people Claudia contacted after the blaze and they have been friends since they both worked on BBC3’s The House of Tiny Tearaways in 2005.
Their podcast features parents who have been through challenging or traumatic experiences.
Claudia’s neighbour Jamie said previously of the accident: ‘It was like a potential horror film in front of me.
‘This material just keeps reigniting and re-burning. And it is sticky, so it melts on the skin. It was horrific.’