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Inside Claudia Winkleman's new BBC chat dubbed 'Question Time for drunk celebs'

The star of The Traitors and Strictly Come Dancing is now sharing Graham Norton's Friday evening talk slot, with her own brand new series

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(Image: PA)

The opening instalment of Claudia Winklemans new chat show sees Jennifer Saunders confess that she and Dawn French once mada plan to take ecstasy together - but were thwarted.

Saunders, who is promoting her new film The Magic Faraway Tree, revealed: Dawn and I once thought wed be really daring, and we got an ecstasy tablet. We thought one day when were alone - we could take half an ecstasy tablet. We kept it on Dawns mantlepiece and one day, about six months later, we thought OK, were ready.

"We had water, we didnt know what to expect at all and - the pill had gone! It was quite a relief. No drugs for us. Fellow guest comedian Tom Allen joked that he knew whod taken it, quipping: The dog was outside jumping up and down.

Jennifer, 67, shared her story after hearing that Tom, 42, has written a book in which one of the characters, Miranda, had a similar plan even though shes in her 80s. Shes had a bucket list and now she has a f*** it list, he explains to Claudia. That includes taking acid.

[Claudia Winkleman and her guests]

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Claudia has claimed that her talk show could be 'excruciating' but it's a lot of fun(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/So Television/PA Media)

Looking forward to the release of The Magic Faraway Tree on March 27, the Absolutely Fabulous favourite also revealed that bringing her character Grandma Thomson to life had not been straightforward.

Going into her first rehearsal with co-stars Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy, she suddenly had the idea of making the role a little bit Danish. But after delivering the lines in her best Danish accent, she was informed: We love the German! and so German it became.

Jennifer also has words of advice for Hollywood star Jeff Goldblum, who is embarking on a UK tour with his band, the Night Blooms. I love going round Britain on tour, she told him. Theres always a little museum - a pencil museum, a moss museum

[Jennifer Saunders]

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Jennifer Saunders tells a funny story about trying to take drugs with Dawn French(Image: PA)

[Jeff Goldblum turns out to be a big fan of pencils]

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Jeff Goldblum turns out to be a big fan of pencils(Image: PA)

It turns out that the actor, 73, is particularly interested in pencils. My criminal period when I was eight or nine, I stole other kids pencils, he admits. And asked if hes going to the Lake District, home of the UKs actual pencil museum, he laughs: I am now.

Claudias other guest is actress Vanessa Williams, who told of her unusual first meeting with the composer of The Devil Wears Prada musical, Sir Elton John. The first time I met him he had just had his first knee surgery, she explains. I walked into the rehearsal room; his sweats were down by his ankles, and he was showing everybody his scar, but all I saw was his bum.

In the trailer for the new series, Claudia tells viewers: Theyve given me a talk show. Agreed, an error. It might be excruciating. But after taking part in the debut episode, comedian Tom said hed enjoyed the audience interaction along with the chat from the sofa. Its like Question Time for drunk celebrities.

The Claudia Winkleman Show is on Friday 13th March at 10.40pm, BBC1

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