(4737,1,'2025-11-10 12:55:19','2025-11-10 12:55:19','<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4616 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc08c.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"the-concept-of-blended-wing-aircraft-–-where-fuselage-and-wing-are-all-one-structure-–-is-not-new.-but-this-radical-design-might-soon-be-a-credible-concept-for-airliners.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">The concept of blended-wing aircraft – where fuselage and wing are all one structure – is not new. But this radical design might soon be a credible concept for airliners.</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 2025</a>, a small V-shaped remote-controlled aircraft took off for the first time from the Pendleton UAS Range in eastern Oregon. Codenamed Steve (for Scaled Test Vehicle), the unmanned vehicle flew for <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">only 16 seconds</a> on its first flight, but that didn\'t matter.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s first and subsequent flights were the first steps on a path that its creator, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Outbound Aerospace</a>, hopes will <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lead to</a> the launch of a radical new <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">200 to 250-seat</a> blended-wing airliner in the 2030s. With a 171ft (52m) wingspan around eight times that of Steve – this airliner that has already been named the Olympic.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The idea that the wings and fuselage of an aircraft can be smoothly blended, with no clear dividing line, to increase aerodynamic efficiency dates back more than 100 years. In 1924, the first recorded blended-wing aircraft made its first flight – and then crashed.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, blended-wing technology has primarily been left to the US military to develop for their bombers. Now the aviation industry\'s pressing need to reduce emissions may mean the time has come for the first blended-wing commercial airliner. But can startups like Outbound Aerospace overcome the serious challenges that remain?</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4617 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0br.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s flights are intended to show the Seattle-based startup\'s innovative blended-wing aircraft design works, and that the company\'s \"novel\" manufacturing technology can deliver the new type of mid-market airliner faster and cheaper than the current big plane-makers like Airbus and Boeing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We went from a clean sheet design to a demonstrator in about 12 months,\" says Jake Armenta, a former Boeing engineer, and co-founder and chief technology officer of Outbound Aerospace. He believes his team has shown they can cut down the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/sres/aviation/index.php?idp=92#:~:text=A%20typical%20time%2Dhistory%20for,Aircraft%20lifetime%20=%2025%2D35%20years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5-10 years</a> or more it can take to develop a commercial aircraft. \"The aircraft flying for the first time was exactly nine months from the day we opened our factory doors for the first time.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Now their technology demonstrator is finding a new use as a cargo drone.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Now Steve has proved interesting to the US Department of Defense, and other, civilian customers, because it has a large cargo bay and could be cheaper than conventional designs. So that is the first product we\'re now bringing into market.\"</p>\r\n\"We believe we can drastically reduce the time and capital expense of the development of these aircraft but it\'s still going to be very expensive,\" adds Aaron Boysen, Outbound\'s director of business development. \"We have to earn revenue earlier than 10 years down the road.\"\r\n\r\nDespite scepticism from investors about the feasibility of their plans, Outbound has managed to raise around $1m (£765,000) in pre-seed funding so far. This money is the first investment a startup receives to turn ideas into reality, and it has allowed them to hire five full-time staff, contractors and part-timers as needed.\r\n\r\nOutbound isn\'t the only company going down this road. There are at least two other start-ups in the race to build the first blended-wing airliner, which has been \"a goal for so long that some people say it has become the \'holy grail of aviation\',\" says analyst and commentator Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4618 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0gw.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe gleaming computer-generated imagery of how the Olympic may look in the 2030s looks very different from the actual tube-and-wing airliners that Boeing and Airbus currently produce. Often called flying wings, these aircraft are more aerodynamically efficient than conventional airliners.\r\n\r\nIf a company can get a blended-wing design right then they argue that Nasa’s research suggests it might burn up to 50% less fuel by using the latest technology, reduce emissions by a similar amount, noise by a significant amount, do this with cabins that might be 40% larger, and, as a result, may conceivably open up new air routes. While seats near windows will be limited, there may be enough space for extra-large doors that would eliminate slow-moving queues of people waiting to board, as well as allow separate cabins for first-class, business and economy passengers.\r\n\r\nSome advocates for this radical rethinking of the commercial airliner have bigger ambitions. They hope that start-ups such as Outbound and its rivals like JetZero and Nautilus will open up the airliner market to new designs that don\'t come from Airbus or Boeing, blaming this duopoly for stifling new ideas in the industry.\r\n\r\nJetZero appears to have one of the highest profiles out of all the start-ups in the race to develop the first full-size blended-wing commercial airliner from a small-scale technology demonstrator. Based in Long Beach, California, it was awarded $235m (£74m) in funding from the United States Air Force (USAF) and further investment from United Airlines and Alaska Airlines to fund the development of its Z4. In addition, United Airlines has a\"path\" to ordering up to 200 Z4s if it meets the airlines requirements.\r\n\r\nJetZero has also partnered with prominent aerospace companies including BAE, Northrup Grumman and engine makers Pratt &amp; Whitney to develop the Z4. It has already flown its own small-scale Pathfinder I demonstrator and completed a critical design review. These are a formal evaluation of the final design to assess whether it is ready to manufacture.\r\n\r\nJust before the Paris Airshow in June 2025, JetZero announced that it had chosen the site for its factory to build the Z4. It is in Greensboro, North Carolina, next door to the factory where another aviation startup, Boom, is building its supersonic airliner, which United plans to order if it meets its requirements. JetZero ambitiously plans to start flights with a full-size demonstrator as-early-as 2027.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4619 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0p4.png-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOutbound Aerospace\'s Boysen isn\'t fazed by his rivals\' apparent progress. \"The publicity around JetZero and their pre-orders helps us all because it gets blended-wing bodies into the conversation of airlines and industry,\" he says. \"It means that they will face the two enormous costs of certification and public acceptance before us, and we will not have to incur those costs as steeply as they will.\"\r\n\r\nBlended wing designs have been an ambition of many aircraft designers since the earliest days of aviation. \"There is a great deal of interest now because there is a fever among the venture capitalists and tech bros to go out and disrupt as many fuddy-duddy old industries as they can find, and aviation is the next target,\" says Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n\"Advanced materials, computer aided design (CAD) and three-dimensional aerodynamics have all helped this new interest in blended-wing bodies.\r\n\r\n\"There are people who would like to see a new competitor to Airbus and Boeing…the problem is the huge expense of getting this thing into production, and starting a new commercial aircraft company is such an enormous task.\"\r\n\r\nBut he is sceptical over the value of airline support for these projects, despite the funding announced so far. \"The money these airlines are risking is change down the back of the sofa at this moment,\" adds Sweetman. \"The orders they have made are contingent on these start-ups being able to deliver something they want. This is like a green halo effect; it\'s more about the airlines advertising their new thinking.\"\r\n\r\nThat said, starting with a small-scale flight demonstrator and going to a full-size demonstrator may be a good idea. \"It will build a lot of confidence. But you can\'t build a production line for these things and just go into service with the small amount of testing that\'s been done now.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4620 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0q5.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The first recorded blended-wing aircraft to fly is the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"http://www.yeovilhistory.info/westland-dreadnought.htm#:~:text=Table_title:%20An%20experimental%20fixed%2Dwing%20monoplane%20Table_content:%20header:,flight:%20%7C%20:%209%20May%201924%20%7C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Westland Dreadnought</a> in <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-westland-dreadnought-yeovil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1924.</a> Based on the futuristic design ideas of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.aerosociety.com/media/21941/aerospace-october-2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Russian inventor Nicolas Woyevodsky</a>, the eight-passenger Dreadnought <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/139472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crashed on its first flight</a> due to instability and loss of control, badly injuring its pilot, and it was abandoned.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, the complexity of the blended-wing design has meant this configuration has largely been left for the military to pioneer, with successful designs such as the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104500/b-1b-lancer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rockwell B1-B Lancer</a> and <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/aircraft/b-21-raider\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northrop\'s new B-21 Raider</a>.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s quite complicated to get the design right because of the complex air flow around blended-wing aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"But it is relatively easy to do so if you are designing a bomber because they aren\'t large, pressurised spaces in there. The same is true for an air-refuelling tanker.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Over the past 30 years</a>, Nasa, Boeing, Airbus, Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac and even Canadian business jet manufacturer Bombardier have all explored blended-wing layouts for commercial aviation. Their research teams have often done this by building small-scale test aircraft like Steve, testing them in wind tunnels and then flying them out in the real world.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Much of the current wave of designs stems from <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nasa\'s call in 1988 for revolutionary aircraft designs</a>. One team that responded included <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://sandiegoairandspace.org/hall-of-fame/honoree/robert-liebeck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robert Lieback</a> who later became co-developer and project manager for Boeing\'s blended wing programmes. Their work on a futuristic blended-wing airliner eventually led to a remote-controlled aircraft designated the Boeing/Nasa X-48, which was named one of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/robert-liebeck#:~:text=He%2520attained%2520world%2520recognition%2520starting,(BWB)%2520subsonic%2520transport%2520airplane.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Time Magazine\'s top inventions in 2007.</a> The X-48 may have been tiny, but it was <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/x-48b/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">designed to fly like a full-size plane.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The two X-48s built then embarked on a remarkable series of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/armstrong/x-48-research-all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">120 flights over six years</a>. These fights tested how blended-wing aircraft responded to problems such as the engines failing or stalling, as well as exploring ways to reduce fuel consumption and noise levels.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4621 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc14g.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Back in the day, Bob Liebeck was trying, very diligently, to overcome the practical problems of blended-wing bodied aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"Probably the biggest one is having to put a pressurised passenger cabin in there.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Pressurised vessels tend to have circular cross-sections because flat surfaces experience very high loads under pressure, causing structural complications for any more box-like design. Then trying to design this around an appealing cabin was a further challenge.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"After McDonnell Douglas were taken over by Boeing, Liebeck started thinking that Boeing\'s next plane should be a blended-wing design instead of a 787,\" he adds. \"Then the inquisition came down from Seattle to put a stop to this heresy.\"</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 dmRQnh\" data-component=\"layout-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 jtOVxN\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-85f9acf9-0 kfxpiP\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound\'s Steve is intentionally the same size and dimensions as the X-48. \"The X-48 programme proved that modern flight control systems could effectively manage a blended wing design,\" says Boysen. \"But it was still expensive to build due to the complexities.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 kPoSwK\" data-component=\"advertisement-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 bNXmwq\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-1 iwgJVV\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_9\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_9\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We were able to build and fly Steve, an aircraft that matches the X-48, but on a fraction of that programme\'s budget and in only nine months,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">He admits he has felt \"attacked\" by some investors when presenting Outbound\'s radical plans to them. But Boysen says the team \"truly believe\" that the only way to successfully develop and launch a radical new airliner like Olympic is not to become a Boeing 2.0 or Airbus 2.0.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We are questioning this status quo,\" he says. \"We have decided that to successfully build an entirely new aircraft we need to look at what we outsource and what we bring inside.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"more-like-this:\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">More like this:</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250729-windrunner-the-company-that-wants-to-build-the-worlds-largest-aircraft\" target=\"_self\">The aviation giant that doesn\'t yet exist</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250214-pathfinder-1-the-airship-that-could-usher-in-a-new-age\" target=\"_self\">The airship that may usher in a new age</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231201-can-we-really-fuel-planes-with-fat-and-sugar\" target=\"_self\">Can we really fuel planes with fat and sugar?</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">To this end they used advanced 3-D printing to make their own tooling and \"prove\" they could build a flyable aircraft out of carbon fibre and their demonstrator \"way cheaper than anyone else,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I think these are praiseworthy and sincere ventures,\" says Sweetman. \"But what I see in a lot of these new projects is a sort of airy, \'We can do this, we are a new generation. Stop being negative grandpa.\'</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Sure, you can be optimistic, but you really must look at where the obstacles are, how much money is it really going to take you to get a product that you can offer to an airline, how to deliver it and then how much to be able to deliver it at a profit.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound is now busy turning Steve into the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gateway drone</a> which it can sell in the meantime. After that, it has plans for an upgraded version with double the wingspan, an ultra-long-range business jet, and the Olympic, as well as even bigger airliner planned for the 2040s. But there will be plenty of challenges to overcome before then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"There is a vast talent pool of aerospace engineers, managers and leaders here in Seattle who are, quite honestly, hungry for something new,\" says Boysen, \"and that is why we are here.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"if-you-liked-this-story,\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">If you liked this story,</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://cloud.email.bbc.com/SignUp10_08?&amp;at_bbc_team=studios&amp;at_medium=Onsite&amp;at_objective=acquisition&amp;at_ptr_name=bbc.com&amp;at_link_origin=featuresarticle&amp;at_campaign=essentiallist&amp;at_campaign_type=owned\" target=\"_self\"><i id=\"sign-up-for-the-essential-list-newsletter\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">sign up for The Essential List newsletter</i></a><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><i id=\"–-a-handpicked-selection-of-features,-videos-and-can\'t-miss-news,-delivered-to-your-inbox-twice-a-week.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">– a handpicked selection of features, videos and can\'t-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week.</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"for-more-science,-technology,-environment-and-health-stories-from-the-bbc,-follow-us-on\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BBCFuture/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"facebook\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Facebook</i></a><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><i id=\"and\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">and</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bbcfuture_official/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"instagram\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Instagram</i></a><i id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">.</b></i></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Blended wings: The sci-fi aircraft concept that could appear at an airport near you 1','','publish','closed','closed','','blended-wings-the-sci-fi-aircraft-concept-that-could-appear-at-an-airport-near-you-1','','','2025-11-10 12:55:19','2025-11-10 12:55:19','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4737',0,'news','',0),(4738,1,'2025-11-10 12:55:16','2025-11-10 12:55:16','<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4616 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc08c.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"the-concept-of-blended-wing-aircraft-–-where-fuselage-and-wing-are-all-one-structure-–-is-not-new.-but-this-radical-design-might-soon-be-a-credible-concept-for-airliners.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">The concept of blended-wing aircraft – where fuselage and wing are all one structure – is not new. But this radical design might soon be a credible concept for airliners.</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 2025</a>, a small V-shaped remote-controlled aircraft took off for the first time from the Pendleton UAS Range in eastern Oregon. Codenamed Steve (for Scaled Test Vehicle), the unmanned vehicle flew for <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">only 16 seconds</a> on its first flight, but that didn\'t matter.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s first and subsequent flights were the first steps on a path that its creator, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Outbound Aerospace</a>, hopes will <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lead to</a> the launch of a radical new <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">200 to 250-seat</a> blended-wing airliner in the 2030s. With a 171ft (52m) wingspan around eight times that of Steve – this airliner that has already been named the Olympic.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The idea that the wings and fuselage of an aircraft can be smoothly blended, with no clear dividing line, to increase aerodynamic efficiency dates back more than 100 years. In 1924, the first recorded blended-wing aircraft made its first flight – and then crashed.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, blended-wing technology has primarily been left to the US military to develop for their bombers. Now the aviation industry\'s pressing need to reduce emissions may mean the time has come for the first blended-wing commercial airliner. But can startups like Outbound Aerospace overcome the serious challenges that remain?</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4617 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0br.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s flights are intended to show the Seattle-based startup\'s innovative blended-wing aircraft design works, and that the company\'s \"novel\" manufacturing technology can deliver the new type of mid-market airliner faster and cheaper than the current big plane-makers like Airbus and Boeing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We went from a clean sheet design to a demonstrator in about 12 months,\" says Jake Armenta, a former Boeing engineer, and co-founder and chief technology officer of Outbound Aerospace. He believes his team has shown they can cut down the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/sres/aviation/index.php?idp=92#:~:text=A%20typical%20time%2Dhistory%20for,Aircraft%20lifetime%20=%2025%2D35%20years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5-10 years</a> or more it can take to develop a commercial aircraft. \"The aircraft flying for the first time was exactly nine months from the day we opened our factory doors for the first time.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Now their technology demonstrator is finding a new use as a cargo drone.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Now Steve has proved interesting to the US Department of Defense, and other, civilian customers, because it has a large cargo bay and could be cheaper than conventional designs. So that is the first product we\'re now bringing into market.\"</p>\r\n\"We believe we can drastically reduce the time and capital expense of the development of these aircraft but it\'s still going to be very expensive,\" adds Aaron Boysen, Outbound\'s director of business development. \"We have to earn revenue earlier than 10 years down the road.\"\r\n\r\nDespite scepticism from investors about the feasibility of their plans, Outbound has managed to raise around $1m (£765,000) in pre-seed funding so far. This money is the first investment a startup receives to turn ideas into reality, and it has allowed them to hire five full-time staff, contractors and part-timers as needed.\r\n\r\nOutbound isn\'t the only company going down this road. There are at least two other start-ups in the race to build the first blended-wing airliner, which has been \"a goal for so long that some people say it has become the \'holy grail of aviation\',\" says analyst and commentator Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4618 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0gw.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe gleaming computer-generated imagery of how the Olympic may look in the 2030s looks very different from the actual tube-and-wing airliners that Boeing and Airbus currently produce. Often called flying wings, these aircraft are more aerodynamically efficient than conventional airliners.\r\n\r\nIf a company can get a blended-wing design right then they argue that Nasa’s research suggests it might burn up to 50% less fuel by using the latest technology, reduce emissions by a similar amount, noise by a significant amount, do this with cabins that might be 40% larger, and, as a result, may conceivably open up new air routes. While seats near windows will be limited, there may be enough space for extra-large doors that would eliminate slow-moving queues of people waiting to board, as well as allow separate cabins for first-class, business and economy passengers.\r\n\r\nSome advocates for this radical rethinking of the commercial airliner have bigger ambitions. They hope that start-ups such as Outbound and its rivals like JetZero and Nautilus will open up the airliner market to new designs that don\'t come from Airbus or Boeing, blaming this duopoly for stifling new ideas in the industry.\r\n\r\nJetZero appears to have one of the highest profiles out of all the start-ups in the race to develop the first full-size blended-wing commercial airliner from a small-scale technology demonstrator. Based in Long Beach, California, it was awarded $235m (£74m) in funding from the United States Air Force (USAF) and further investment from United Airlines and Alaska Airlines to fund the development of its Z4. In addition, United Airlines has a\"path\" to ordering up to 200 Z4s if it meets the airlines requirements.\r\n\r\nJetZero has also partnered with prominent aerospace companies including BAE, Northrup Grumman and engine makers Pratt &amp; Whitney to develop the Z4. It has already flown its own small-scale Pathfinder I demonstrator and completed a critical design review. These are a formal evaluation of the final design to assess whether it is ready to manufacture.\r\n\r\nJust before the Paris Airshow in June 2025, JetZero announced that it had chosen the site for its factory to build the Z4. It is in Greensboro, North Carolina, next door to the factory where another aviation startup, Boom, is building its supersonic airliner, which United plans to order if it meets its requirements. JetZero ambitiously plans to start flights with a full-size demonstrator as-early-as 2027.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4619 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0p4.png-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOutbound Aerospace\'s Boysen isn\'t fazed by his rivals\' apparent progress. \"The publicity around JetZero and their pre-orders helps us all because it gets blended-wing bodies into the conversation of airlines and industry,\" he says. \"It means that they will face the two enormous costs of certification and public acceptance before us, and we will not have to incur those costs as steeply as they will.\"\r\n\r\nBlended wing designs have been an ambition of many aircraft designers since the earliest days of aviation. \"There is a great deal of interest now because there is a fever among the venture capitalists and tech bros to go out and disrupt as many fuddy-duddy old industries as they can find, and aviation is the next target,\" says Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n\"Advanced materials, computer aided design (CAD) and three-dimensional aerodynamics have all helped this new interest in blended-wing bodies.\r\n\r\n\"There are people who would like to see a new competitor to Airbus and Boeing…the problem is the huge expense of getting this thing into production, and starting a new commercial aircraft company is such an enormous task.\"\r\n\r\nBut he is sceptical over the value of airline support for these projects, despite the funding announced so far. \"The money these airlines are risking is change down the back of the sofa at this moment,\" adds Sweetman. \"The orders they have made are contingent on these start-ups being able to deliver something they want. This is like a green halo effect; it\'s more about the airlines advertising their new thinking.\"\r\n\r\nThat said, starting with a small-scale flight demonstrator and going to a full-size demonstrator may be a good idea. \"It will build a lot of confidence. But you can\'t build a production line for these things and just go into service with the small amount of testing that\'s been done now.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4620 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0q5.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The first recorded blended-wing aircraft to fly is the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"http://www.yeovilhistory.info/westland-dreadnought.htm#:~:text=Table_title:%20An%20experimental%20fixed%2Dwing%20monoplane%20Table_content:%20header:,flight:%20%7C%20:%209%20May%201924%20%7C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Westland Dreadnought</a> in <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-westland-dreadnought-yeovil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1924.</a> Based on the futuristic design ideas of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.aerosociety.com/media/21941/aerospace-october-2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Russian inventor Nicolas Woyevodsky</a>, the eight-passenger Dreadnought <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/139472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crashed on its first flight</a> due to instability and loss of control, badly injuring its pilot, and it was abandoned.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, the complexity of the blended-wing design has meant this configuration has largely been left for the military to pioneer, with successful designs such as the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104500/b-1b-lancer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rockwell B1-B Lancer</a> and <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/aircraft/b-21-raider\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northrop\'s new B-21 Raider</a>.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s quite complicated to get the design right because of the complex air flow around blended-wing aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"But it is relatively easy to do so if you are designing a bomber because they aren\'t large, pressurised spaces in there. The same is true for an air-refuelling tanker.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Over the past 30 years</a>, Nasa, Boeing, Airbus, Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac and even Canadian business jet manufacturer Bombardier have all explored blended-wing layouts for commercial aviation. Their research teams have often done this by building small-scale test aircraft like Steve, testing them in wind tunnels and then flying them out in the real world.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Much of the current wave of designs stems from <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nasa\'s call in 1988 for revolutionary aircraft designs</a>. One team that responded included <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://sandiegoairandspace.org/hall-of-fame/honoree/robert-liebeck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robert Lieback</a> who later became co-developer and project manager for Boeing\'s blended wing programmes. Their work on a futuristic blended-wing airliner eventually led to a remote-controlled aircraft designated the Boeing/Nasa X-48, which was named one of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/robert-liebeck#:~:text=He%2520attained%2520world%2520recognition%2520starting,(BWB)%2520subsonic%2520transport%2520airplane.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Time Magazine\'s top inventions in 2007.</a> The X-48 may have been tiny, but it was <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/x-48b/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">designed to fly like a full-size plane.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The two X-48s built then embarked on a remarkable series of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/armstrong/x-48-research-all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">120 flights over six years</a>. These fights tested how blended-wing aircraft responded to problems such as the engines failing or stalling, as well as exploring ways to reduce fuel consumption and noise levels.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4621 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc14g.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Back in the day, Bob Liebeck was trying, very diligently, to overcome the practical problems of blended-wing bodied aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"Probably the biggest one is having to put a pressurised passenger cabin in there.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Pressurised vessels tend to have circular cross-sections because flat surfaces experience very high loads under pressure, causing structural complications for any more box-like design. Then trying to design this around an appealing cabin was a further challenge.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"After McDonnell Douglas were taken over by Boeing, Liebeck started thinking that Boeing\'s next plane should be a blended-wing design instead of a 787,\" he adds. \"Then the inquisition came down from Seattle to put a stop to this heresy.\"</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 dmRQnh\" data-component=\"layout-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 jtOVxN\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-85f9acf9-0 kfxpiP\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound\'s Steve is intentionally the same size and dimensions as the X-48. \"The X-48 programme proved that modern flight control systems could effectively manage a blended wing design,\" says Boysen. \"But it was still expensive to build due to the complexities.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 kPoSwK\" data-component=\"advertisement-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 bNXmwq\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-1 iwgJVV\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_9\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_9\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We were able to build and fly Steve, an aircraft that matches the X-48, but on a fraction of that programme\'s budget and in only nine months,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">He admits he has felt \"attacked\" by some investors when presenting Outbound\'s radical plans to them. But Boysen says the team \"truly believe\" that the only way to successfully develop and launch a radical new airliner like Olympic is not to become a Boeing 2.0 or Airbus 2.0.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We are questioning this status quo,\" he says. \"We have decided that to successfully build an entirely new aircraft we need to look at what we outsource and what we bring inside.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"more-like-this:\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">More like this:</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250729-windrunner-the-company-that-wants-to-build-the-worlds-largest-aircraft\" target=\"_self\">The aviation giant that doesn\'t yet exist</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250214-pathfinder-1-the-airship-that-could-usher-in-a-new-age\" target=\"_self\">The airship that may usher in a new age</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231201-can-we-really-fuel-planes-with-fat-and-sugar\" target=\"_self\">Can we really fuel planes with fat and sugar?</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">To this end they used advanced 3-D printing to make their own tooling and \"prove\" they could build a flyable aircraft out of carbon fibre and their demonstrator \"way cheaper than anyone else,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I think these are praiseworthy and sincere ventures,\" says Sweetman. \"But what I see in a lot of these new projects is a sort of airy, \'We can do this, we are a new generation. Stop being negative grandpa.\'</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Sure, you can be optimistic, but you really must look at where the obstacles are, how much money is it really going to take you to get a product that you can offer to an airline, how to deliver it and then how much to be able to deliver it at a profit.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound is now busy turning Steve into the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gateway drone</a> which it can sell in the meantime. After that, it has plans for an upgraded version with double the wingspan, an ultra-long-range business jet, and the Olympic, as well as even bigger airliner planned for the 2040s. But there will be plenty of challenges to overcome before then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"There is a vast talent pool of aerospace engineers, managers and leaders here in Seattle who are, quite honestly, hungry for something new,\" says Boysen, \"and that is why we are here.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"if-you-liked-this-story,\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">If you liked this story,</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://cloud.email.bbc.com/SignUp10_08?&amp;at_bbc_team=studios&amp;at_medium=Onsite&amp;at_objective=acquisition&amp;at_ptr_name=bbc.com&amp;at_link_origin=featuresarticle&amp;at_campaign=essentiallist&amp;at_campaign_type=owned\" target=\"_self\"><i id=\"sign-up-for-the-essential-list-newsletter\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">sign up for The Essential List newsletter</i></a><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><i id=\"–-a-handpicked-selection-of-features,-videos-and-can\'t-miss-news,-delivered-to-your-inbox-twice-a-week.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">– a handpicked selection of features, videos and can\'t-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week.</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"for-more-science,-technology,-environment-and-health-stories-from-the-bbc,-follow-us-on\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BBCFuture/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"facebook\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Facebook</i></a><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><i id=\"and\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">and</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bbcfuture_official/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"instagram\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Instagram</i></a><i id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">.</b></i></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Blended wings: The sci-fi aircraft concept that could appear at an airport near you 2','','publish','closed','closed','','blended-wings-the-sci-fi-aircraft-concept-that-could-appear-at-an-airport-near-you-2','','','2025-11-10 12:55:16','2025-11-10 12:55:16','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4738',0,'news','',0),(4739,1,'2025-11-10 12:55:14','2025-11-10 12:55:14','<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4616 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc08c.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"the-concept-of-blended-wing-aircraft-–-where-fuselage-and-wing-are-all-one-structure-–-is-not-new.-but-this-radical-design-might-soon-be-a-credible-concept-for-airliners.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">The concept of blended-wing aircraft – where fuselage and wing are all one structure – is not new. But this radical design might soon be a credible concept for airliners.</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 2025</a>, a small V-shaped remote-controlled aircraft took off for the first time from the Pendleton UAS Range in eastern Oregon. Codenamed Steve (for Scaled Test Vehicle), the unmanned vehicle flew for <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">only 16 seconds</a> on its first flight, but that didn\'t matter.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s first and subsequent flights were the first steps on a path that its creator, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Outbound Aerospace</a>, hopes will <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lead to</a> the launch of a radical new <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">200 to 250-seat</a> blended-wing airliner in the 2030s. With a 171ft (52m) wingspan around eight times that of Steve – this airliner that has already been named the Olympic.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The idea that the wings and fuselage of an aircraft can be smoothly blended, with no clear dividing line, to increase aerodynamic efficiency dates back more than 100 years. In 1924, the first recorded blended-wing aircraft made its first flight – and then crashed.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, blended-wing technology has primarily been left to the US military to develop for their bombers. Now the aviation industry\'s pressing need to reduce emissions may mean the time has come for the first blended-wing commercial airliner. But can startups like Outbound Aerospace overcome the serious challenges that remain?</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4617 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0br.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s flights are intended to show the Seattle-based startup\'s innovative blended-wing aircraft design works, and that the company\'s \"novel\" manufacturing technology can deliver the new type of mid-market airliner faster and cheaper than the current big plane-makers like Airbus and Boeing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We went from a clean sheet design to a demonstrator in about 12 months,\" says Jake Armenta, a former Boeing engineer, and co-founder and chief technology officer of Outbound Aerospace. He believes his team has shown they can cut down the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/sres/aviation/index.php?idp=92#:~:text=A%20typical%20time%2Dhistory%20for,Aircraft%20lifetime%20=%2025%2D35%20years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5-10 years</a> or more it can take to develop a commercial aircraft. \"The aircraft flying for the first time was exactly nine months from the day we opened our factory doors for the first time.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Now their technology demonstrator is finding a new use as a cargo drone.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Now Steve has proved interesting to the US Department of Defense, and other, civilian customers, because it has a large cargo bay and could be cheaper than conventional designs. So that is the first product we\'re now bringing into market.\"</p>\r\n\"We believe we can drastically reduce the time and capital expense of the development of these aircraft but it\'s still going to be very expensive,\" adds Aaron Boysen, Outbound\'s director of business development. \"We have to earn revenue earlier than 10 years down the road.\"\r\n\r\nDespite scepticism from investors about the feasibility of their plans, Outbound has managed to raise around $1m (£765,000) in pre-seed funding so far. This money is the first investment a startup receives to turn ideas into reality, and it has allowed them to hire five full-time staff, contractors and part-timers as needed.\r\n\r\nOutbound isn\'t the only company going down this road. There are at least two other start-ups in the race to build the first blended-wing airliner, which has been \"a goal for so long that some people say it has become the \'holy grail of aviation\',\" says analyst and commentator Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4618 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0gw.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe gleaming computer-generated imagery of how the Olympic may look in the 2030s looks very different from the actual tube-and-wing airliners that Boeing and Airbus currently produce. Often called flying wings, these aircraft are more aerodynamically efficient than conventional airliners.\r\n\r\nIf a company can get a blended-wing design right then they argue that Nasa’s research suggests it might burn up to 50% less fuel by using the latest technology, reduce emissions by a similar amount, noise by a significant amount, do this with cabins that might be 40% larger, and, as a result, may conceivably open up new air routes. While seats near windows will be limited, there may be enough space for extra-large doors that would eliminate slow-moving queues of people waiting to board, as well as allow separate cabins for first-class, business and economy passengers.\r\n\r\nSome advocates for this radical rethinking of the commercial airliner have bigger ambitions. They hope that start-ups such as Outbound and its rivals like JetZero and Nautilus will open up the airliner market to new designs that don\'t come from Airbus or Boeing, blaming this duopoly for stifling new ideas in the industry.\r\n\r\nJetZero appears to have one of the highest profiles out of all the start-ups in the race to develop the first full-size blended-wing commercial airliner from a small-scale technology demonstrator. Based in Long Beach, California, it was awarded $235m (£74m) in funding from the United States Air Force (USAF) and further investment from United Airlines and Alaska Airlines to fund the development of its Z4. In addition, United Airlines has a\"path\" to ordering up to 200 Z4s if it meets the airlines requirements.\r\n\r\nJetZero has also partnered with prominent aerospace companies including BAE, Northrup Grumman and engine makers Pratt &amp; Whitney to develop the Z4. It has already flown its own small-scale Pathfinder I demonstrator and completed a critical design review. These are a formal evaluation of the final design to assess whether it is ready to manufacture.\r\n\r\nJust before the Paris Airshow in June 2025, JetZero announced that it had chosen the site for its factory to build the Z4. It is in Greensboro, North Carolina, next door to the factory where another aviation startup, Boom, is building its supersonic airliner, which United plans to order if it meets its requirements. JetZero ambitiously plans to start flights with a full-size demonstrator as-early-as 2027.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4619 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0p4.png-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOutbound Aerospace\'s Boysen isn\'t fazed by his rivals\' apparent progress. \"The publicity around JetZero and their pre-orders helps us all because it gets blended-wing bodies into the conversation of airlines and industry,\" he says. \"It means that they will face the two enormous costs of certification and public acceptance before us, and we will not have to incur those costs as steeply as they will.\"\r\n\r\nBlended wing designs have been an ambition of many aircraft designers since the earliest days of aviation. \"There is a great deal of interest now because there is a fever among the venture capitalists and tech bros to go out and disrupt as many fuddy-duddy old industries as they can find, and aviation is the next target,\" says Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n\"Advanced materials, computer aided design (CAD) and three-dimensional aerodynamics have all helped this new interest in blended-wing bodies.\r\n\r\n\"There are people who would like to see a new competitor to Airbus and Boeing…the problem is the huge expense of getting this thing into production, and starting a new commercial aircraft company is such an enormous task.\"\r\n\r\nBut he is sceptical over the value of airline support for these projects, despite the funding announced so far. \"The money these airlines are risking is change down the back of the sofa at this moment,\" adds Sweetman. \"The orders they have made are contingent on these start-ups being able to deliver something they want. This is like a green halo effect; it\'s more about the airlines advertising their new thinking.\"\r\n\r\nThat said, starting with a small-scale flight demonstrator and going to a full-size demonstrator may be a good idea. \"It will build a lot of confidence. But you can\'t build a production line for these things and just go into service with the small amount of testing that\'s been done now.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4620 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0q5.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The first recorded blended-wing aircraft to fly is the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"http://www.yeovilhistory.info/westland-dreadnought.htm#:~:text=Table_title:%20An%20experimental%20fixed%2Dwing%20monoplane%20Table_content:%20header:,flight:%20%7C%20:%209%20May%201924%20%7C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Westland Dreadnought</a> in <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-westland-dreadnought-yeovil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1924.</a> Based on the futuristic design ideas of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.aerosociety.com/media/21941/aerospace-october-2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Russian inventor Nicolas Woyevodsky</a>, the eight-passenger Dreadnought <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/139472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crashed on its first flight</a> due to instability and loss of control, badly injuring its pilot, and it was abandoned.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, the complexity of the blended-wing design has meant this configuration has largely been left for the military to pioneer, with successful designs such as the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104500/b-1b-lancer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rockwell B1-B Lancer</a> and <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/aircraft/b-21-raider\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northrop\'s new B-21 Raider</a>.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s quite complicated to get the design right because of the complex air flow around blended-wing aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"But it is relatively easy to do so if you are designing a bomber because they aren\'t large, pressurised spaces in there. The same is true for an air-refuelling tanker.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Over the past 30 years</a>, Nasa, Boeing, Airbus, Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac and even Canadian business jet manufacturer Bombardier have all explored blended-wing layouts for commercial aviation. Their research teams have often done this by building small-scale test aircraft like Steve, testing them in wind tunnels and then flying them out in the real world.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Much of the current wave of designs stems from <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nasa\'s call in 1988 for revolutionary aircraft designs</a>. One team that responded included <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://sandiegoairandspace.org/hall-of-fame/honoree/robert-liebeck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robert Lieback</a> who later became co-developer and project manager for Boeing\'s blended wing programmes. Their work on a futuristic blended-wing airliner eventually led to a remote-controlled aircraft designated the Boeing/Nasa X-48, which was named one of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/robert-liebeck#:~:text=He%2520attained%2520world%2520recognition%2520starting,(BWB)%2520subsonic%2520transport%2520airplane.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Time Magazine\'s top inventions in 2007.</a> The X-48 may have been tiny, but it was <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/x-48b/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">designed to fly like a full-size plane.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The two X-48s built then embarked on a remarkable series of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/armstrong/x-48-research-all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">120 flights over six years</a>. These fights tested how blended-wing aircraft responded to problems such as the engines failing or stalling, as well as exploring ways to reduce fuel consumption and noise levels.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4621 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc14g.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Back in the day, Bob Liebeck was trying, very diligently, to overcome the practical problems of blended-wing bodied aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"Probably the biggest one is having to put a pressurised passenger cabin in there.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Pressurised vessels tend to have circular cross-sections because flat surfaces experience very high loads under pressure, causing structural complications for any more box-like design. Then trying to design this around an appealing cabin was a further challenge.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"After McDonnell Douglas were taken over by Boeing, Liebeck started thinking that Boeing\'s next plane should be a blended-wing design instead of a 787,\" he adds. \"Then the inquisition came down from Seattle to put a stop to this heresy.\"</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 dmRQnh\" data-component=\"layout-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 jtOVxN\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-85f9acf9-0 kfxpiP\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound\'s Steve is intentionally the same size and dimensions as the X-48. \"The X-48 programme proved that modern flight control systems could effectively manage a blended wing design,\" says Boysen. \"But it was still expensive to build due to the complexities.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 kPoSwK\" data-component=\"advertisement-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 bNXmwq\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-1 iwgJVV\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_9\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_9\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We were able to build and fly Steve, an aircraft that matches the X-48, but on a fraction of that programme\'s budget and in only nine months,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">He admits he has felt \"attacked\" by some investors when presenting Outbound\'s radical plans to them. But Boysen says the team \"truly believe\" that the only way to successfully develop and launch a radical new airliner like Olympic is not to become a Boeing 2.0 or Airbus 2.0.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We are questioning this status quo,\" he says. \"We have decided that to successfully build an entirely new aircraft we need to look at what we outsource and what we bring inside.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"more-like-this:\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">More like this:</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250729-windrunner-the-company-that-wants-to-build-the-worlds-largest-aircraft\" target=\"_self\">The aviation giant that doesn\'t yet exist</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250214-pathfinder-1-the-airship-that-could-usher-in-a-new-age\" target=\"_self\">The airship that may usher in a new age</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231201-can-we-really-fuel-planes-with-fat-and-sugar\" target=\"_self\">Can we really fuel planes with fat and sugar?</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">To this end they used advanced 3-D printing to make their own tooling and \"prove\" they could build a flyable aircraft out of carbon fibre and their demonstrator \"way cheaper than anyone else,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I think these are praiseworthy and sincere ventures,\" says Sweetman. \"But what I see in a lot of these new projects is a sort of airy, \'We can do this, we are a new generation. Stop being negative grandpa.\'</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Sure, you can be optimistic, but you really must look at where the obstacles are, how much money is it really going to take you to get a product that you can offer to an airline, how to deliver it and then how much to be able to deliver it at a profit.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound is now busy turning Steve into the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gateway drone</a> which it can sell in the meantime. After that, it has plans for an upgraded version with double the wingspan, an ultra-long-range business jet, and the Olympic, as well as even bigger airliner planned for the 2040s. But there will be plenty of challenges to overcome before then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"There is a vast talent pool of aerospace engineers, managers and leaders here in Seattle who are, quite honestly, hungry for something new,\" says Boysen, \"and that is why we are here.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"if-you-liked-this-story,\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">If you liked this story,</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://cloud.email.bbc.com/SignUp10_08?&amp;at_bbc_team=studios&amp;at_medium=Onsite&amp;at_objective=acquisition&amp;at_ptr_name=bbc.com&amp;at_link_origin=featuresarticle&amp;at_campaign=essentiallist&amp;at_campaign_type=owned\" target=\"_self\"><i id=\"sign-up-for-the-essential-list-newsletter\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">sign up for The Essential List newsletter</i></a><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><i id=\"–-a-handpicked-selection-of-features,-videos-and-can\'t-miss-news,-delivered-to-your-inbox-twice-a-week.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">– a handpicked selection of features, videos and can\'t-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week.</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"for-more-science,-technology,-environment-and-health-stories-from-the-bbc,-follow-us-on\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BBCFuture/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"facebook\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Facebook</i></a><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><i id=\"and\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">and</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bbcfuture_official/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"instagram\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Instagram</i></a><i id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">.</b></i></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Blended wings: The sci-fi aircraft concept that could appear at an airport near you 3','','publish','closed','closed','','blended-wings-the-sci-fi-aircraft-concept-that-could-appear-at-an-airport-near-you-3','','','2025-11-10 12:55:14','2025-11-10 12:55:14','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4739',0,'news','',0),(4740,1,'2025-11-10 12:55:11','2025-11-10 12:55:11','<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4616 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc08c.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"the-concept-of-blended-wing-aircraft-–-where-fuselage-and-wing-are-all-one-structure-–-is-not-new.-but-this-radical-design-might-soon-be-a-credible-concept-for-airliners.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">The concept of blended-wing aircraft – where fuselage and wing are all one structure – is not new. But this radical design might soon be a credible concept for airliners.</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 2025</a>, a small V-shaped remote-controlled aircraft took off for the first time from the Pendleton UAS Range in eastern Oregon. Codenamed Steve (for Scaled Test Vehicle), the unmanned vehicle flew for <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">only 16 seconds</a> on its first flight, but that didn\'t matter.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s first and subsequent flights were the first steps on a path that its creator, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Outbound Aerospace</a>, hopes will <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lead to</a> the launch of a radical new <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">200 to 250-seat</a> blended-wing airliner in the 2030s. With a 171ft (52m) wingspan around eight times that of Steve – this airliner that has already been named the Olympic.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The idea that the wings and fuselage of an aircraft can be smoothly blended, with no clear dividing line, to increase aerodynamic efficiency dates back more than 100 years. In 1924, the first recorded blended-wing aircraft made its first flight – and then crashed.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, blended-wing technology has primarily been left to the US military to develop for their bombers. Now the aviation industry\'s pressing need to reduce emissions may mean the time has come for the first blended-wing commercial airliner. But can startups like Outbound Aerospace overcome the serious challenges that remain?</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4617 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0br.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s flights are intended to show the Seattle-based startup\'s innovative blended-wing aircraft design works, and that the company\'s \"novel\" manufacturing technology can deliver the new type of mid-market airliner faster and cheaper than the current big plane-makers like Airbus and Boeing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We went from a clean sheet design to a demonstrator in about 12 months,\" says Jake Armenta, a former Boeing engineer, and co-founder and chief technology officer of Outbound Aerospace. He believes his team has shown they can cut down the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/sres/aviation/index.php?idp=92#:~:text=A%20typical%20time%2Dhistory%20for,Aircraft%20lifetime%20=%2025%2D35%20years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5-10 years</a> or more it can take to develop a commercial aircraft. \"The aircraft flying for the first time was exactly nine months from the day we opened our factory doors for the first time.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Now their technology demonstrator is finding a new use as a cargo drone.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Now Steve has proved interesting to the US Department of Defense, and other, civilian customers, because it has a large cargo bay and could be cheaper than conventional designs. So that is the first product we\'re now bringing into market.\"</p>\r\n\"We believe we can drastically reduce the time and capital expense of the development of these aircraft but it\'s still going to be very expensive,\" adds Aaron Boysen, Outbound\'s director of business development. \"We have to earn revenue earlier than 10 years down the road.\"\r\n\r\nDespite scepticism from investors about the feasibility of their plans, Outbound has managed to raise around $1m (£765,000) in pre-seed funding so far. This money is the first investment a startup receives to turn ideas into reality, and it has allowed them to hire five full-time staff, contractors and part-timers as needed.\r\n\r\nOutbound isn\'t the only company going down this road. There are at least two other start-ups in the race to build the first blended-wing airliner, which has been \"a goal for so long that some people say it has become the \'holy grail of aviation\',\" says analyst and commentator Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4618 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0gw.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe gleaming computer-generated imagery of how the Olympic may look in the 2030s looks very different from the actual tube-and-wing airliners that Boeing and Airbus currently produce. Often called flying wings, these aircraft are more aerodynamically efficient than conventional airliners.\r\n\r\nIf a company can get a blended-wing design right then they argue that Nasa’s research suggests it might burn up to 50% less fuel by using the latest technology, reduce emissions by a similar amount, noise by a significant amount, do this with cabins that might be 40% larger, and, as a result, may conceivably open up new air routes. While seats near windows will be limited, there may be enough space for extra-large doors that would eliminate slow-moving queues of people waiting to board, as well as allow separate cabins for first-class, business and economy passengers.\r\n\r\nSome advocates for this radical rethinking of the commercial airliner have bigger ambitions. They hope that start-ups such as Outbound and its rivals like JetZero and Nautilus will open up the airliner market to new designs that don\'t come from Airbus or Boeing, blaming this duopoly for stifling new ideas in the industry.\r\n\r\nJetZero appears to have one of the highest profiles out of all the start-ups in the race to develop the first full-size blended-wing commercial airliner from a small-scale technology demonstrator. Based in Long Beach, California, it was awarded $235m (£74m) in funding from the United States Air Force (USAF) and further investment from United Airlines and Alaska Airlines to fund the development of its Z4. In addition, United Airlines has a\"path\" to ordering up to 200 Z4s if it meets the airlines requirements.\r\n\r\nJetZero has also partnered with prominent aerospace companies including BAE, Northrup Grumman and engine makers Pratt &amp; Whitney to develop the Z4. It has already flown its own small-scale Pathfinder I demonstrator and completed a critical design review. These are a formal evaluation of the final design to assess whether it is ready to manufacture.\r\n\r\nJust before the Paris Airshow in June 2025, JetZero announced that it had chosen the site for its factory to build the Z4. It is in Greensboro, North Carolina, next door to the factory where another aviation startup, Boom, is building its supersonic airliner, which United plans to order if it meets its requirements. JetZero ambitiously plans to start flights with a full-size demonstrator as-early-as 2027.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4619 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0p4.png-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOutbound Aerospace\'s Boysen isn\'t fazed by his rivals\' apparent progress. \"The publicity around JetZero and their pre-orders helps us all because it gets blended-wing bodies into the conversation of airlines and industry,\" he says. \"It means that they will face the two enormous costs of certification and public acceptance before us, and we will not have to incur those costs as steeply as they will.\"\r\n\r\nBlended wing designs have been an ambition of many aircraft designers since the earliest days of aviation. \"There is a great deal of interest now because there is a fever among the venture capitalists and tech bros to go out and disrupt as many fuddy-duddy old industries as they can find, and aviation is the next target,\" says Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n\"Advanced materials, computer aided design (CAD) and three-dimensional aerodynamics have all helped this new interest in blended-wing bodies.\r\n\r\n\"There are people who would like to see a new competitor to Airbus and Boeing…the problem is the huge expense of getting this thing into production, and starting a new commercial aircraft company is such an enormous task.\"\r\n\r\nBut he is sceptical over the value of airline support for these projects, despite the funding announced so far. \"The money these airlines are risking is change down the back of the sofa at this moment,\" adds Sweetman. \"The orders they have made are contingent on these start-ups being able to deliver something they want. This is like a green halo effect; it\'s more about the airlines advertising their new thinking.\"\r\n\r\nThat said, starting with a small-scale flight demonstrator and going to a full-size demonstrator may be a good idea. \"It will build a lot of confidence. But you can\'t build a production line for these things and just go into service with the small amount of testing that\'s been done now.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4620 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0q5.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The first recorded blended-wing aircraft to fly is the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"http://www.yeovilhistory.info/westland-dreadnought.htm#:~:text=Table_title:%20An%20experimental%20fixed%2Dwing%20monoplane%20Table_content:%20header:,flight:%20%7C%20:%209%20May%201924%20%7C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Westland Dreadnought</a> in <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-westland-dreadnought-yeovil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1924.</a> Based on the futuristic design ideas of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.aerosociety.com/media/21941/aerospace-october-2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Russian inventor Nicolas Woyevodsky</a>, the eight-passenger Dreadnought <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/139472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crashed on its first flight</a> due to instability and loss of control, badly injuring its pilot, and it was abandoned.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, the complexity of the blended-wing design has meant this configuration has largely been left for the military to pioneer, with successful designs such as the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104500/b-1b-lancer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rockwell B1-B Lancer</a> and <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/aircraft/b-21-raider\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northrop\'s new B-21 Raider</a>.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s quite complicated to get the design right because of the complex air flow around blended-wing aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"But it is relatively easy to do so if you are designing a bomber because they aren\'t large, pressurised spaces in there. The same is true for an air-refuelling tanker.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Over the past 30 years</a>, Nasa, Boeing, Airbus, Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac and even Canadian business jet manufacturer Bombardier have all explored blended-wing layouts for commercial aviation. Their research teams have often done this by building small-scale test aircraft like Steve, testing them in wind tunnels and then flying them out in the real world.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Much of the current wave of designs stems from <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nasa\'s call in 1988 for revolutionary aircraft designs</a>. One team that responded included <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://sandiegoairandspace.org/hall-of-fame/honoree/robert-liebeck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robert Lieback</a> who later became co-developer and project manager for Boeing\'s blended wing programmes. Their work on a futuristic blended-wing airliner eventually led to a remote-controlled aircraft designated the Boeing/Nasa X-48, which was named one of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/robert-liebeck#:~:text=He%2520attained%2520world%2520recognition%2520starting,(BWB)%2520subsonic%2520transport%2520airplane.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Time Magazine\'s top inventions in 2007.</a> The X-48 may have been tiny, but it was <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/x-48b/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">designed to fly like a full-size plane.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The two X-48s built then embarked on a remarkable series of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/armstrong/x-48-research-all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">120 flights over six years</a>. These fights tested how blended-wing aircraft responded to problems such as the engines failing or stalling, as well as exploring ways to reduce fuel consumption and noise levels.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4621 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc14g.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Back in the day, Bob Liebeck was trying, very diligently, to overcome the practical problems of blended-wing bodied aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"Probably the biggest one is having to put a pressurised passenger cabin in there.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Pressurised vessels tend to have circular cross-sections because flat surfaces experience very high loads under pressure, causing structural complications for any more box-like design. Then trying to design this around an appealing cabin was a further challenge.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"After McDonnell Douglas were taken over by Boeing, Liebeck started thinking that Boeing\'s next plane should be a blended-wing design instead of a 787,\" he adds. \"Then the inquisition came down from Seattle to put a stop to this heresy.\"</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 dmRQnh\" data-component=\"layout-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 jtOVxN\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-85f9acf9-0 kfxpiP\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound\'s Steve is intentionally the same size and dimensions as the X-48. \"The X-48 programme proved that modern flight control systems could effectively manage a blended wing design,\" says Boysen. \"But it was still expensive to build due to the complexities.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 kPoSwK\" data-component=\"advertisement-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 bNXmwq\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-1 iwgJVV\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_9\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_9\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We were able to build and fly Steve, an aircraft that matches the X-48, but on a fraction of that programme\'s budget and in only nine months,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">He admits he has felt \"attacked\" by some investors when presenting Outbound\'s radical plans to them. But Boysen says the team \"truly believe\" that the only way to successfully develop and launch a radical new airliner like Olympic is not to become a Boeing 2.0 or Airbus 2.0.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We are questioning this status quo,\" he says. \"We have decided that to successfully build an entirely new aircraft we need to look at what we outsource and what we bring inside.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"more-like-this:\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">More like this:</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250729-windrunner-the-company-that-wants-to-build-the-worlds-largest-aircraft\" target=\"_self\">The aviation giant that doesn\'t yet exist</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250214-pathfinder-1-the-airship-that-could-usher-in-a-new-age\" target=\"_self\">The airship that may usher in a new age</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231201-can-we-really-fuel-planes-with-fat-and-sugar\" target=\"_self\">Can we really fuel planes with fat and sugar?</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">To this end they used advanced 3-D printing to make their own tooling and \"prove\" they could build a flyable aircraft out of carbon fibre and their demonstrator \"way cheaper than anyone else,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I think these are praiseworthy and sincere ventures,\" says Sweetman. \"But what I see in a lot of these new projects is a sort of airy, \'We can do this, we are a new generation. Stop being negative grandpa.\'</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Sure, you can be optimistic, but you really must look at where the obstacles are, how much money is it really going to take you to get a product that you can offer to an airline, how to deliver it and then how much to be able to deliver it at a profit.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound is now busy turning Steve into the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gateway drone</a> which it can sell in the meantime. After that, it has plans for an upgraded version with double the wingspan, an ultra-long-range business jet, and the Olympic, as well as even bigger airliner planned for the 2040s. But there will be plenty of challenges to overcome before then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"There is a vast talent pool of aerospace engineers, managers and leaders here in Seattle who are, quite honestly, hungry for something new,\" says Boysen, \"and that is why we are here.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"if-you-liked-this-story,\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">If you liked this story,</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://cloud.email.bbc.com/SignUp10_08?&amp;at_bbc_team=studios&amp;at_medium=Onsite&amp;at_objective=acquisition&amp;at_ptr_name=bbc.com&amp;at_link_origin=featuresarticle&amp;at_campaign=essentiallist&amp;at_campaign_type=owned\" target=\"_self\"><i id=\"sign-up-for-the-essential-list-newsletter\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">sign up for The Essential List newsletter</i></a><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><i id=\"–-a-handpicked-selection-of-features,-videos-and-can\'t-miss-news,-delivered-to-your-inbox-twice-a-week.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">– a handpicked selection of features, videos and can\'t-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week.</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"for-more-science,-technology,-environment-and-health-stories-from-the-bbc,-follow-us-on\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BBCFuture/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"facebook\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Facebook</i></a><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><i id=\"and\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">and</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bbcfuture_official/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"instagram\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Instagram</i></a><i id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">.</b></i></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Blended wings: The sci-fi aircraft concept that could appear at an airport near you 4','','publish','closed','closed','','blended-wings-the-sci-fi-aircraft-concept-that-could-appear-at-an-airport-near-you-4','','','2025-11-10 12:55:11','2025-11-10 12:55:11','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4740',0,'news','',0),(4741,1,'2025-11-10 12:55:09','2025-11-10 12:55:09','<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4616 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc08c.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"the-concept-of-blended-wing-aircraft-–-where-fuselage-and-wing-are-all-one-structure-–-is-not-new.-but-this-radical-design-might-soon-be-a-credible-concept-for-airliners.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">The concept of blended-wing aircraft – where fuselage and wing are all one structure – is not new. But this radical design might soon be a credible concept for airliners.</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 2025</a>, a small V-shaped remote-controlled aircraft took off for the first time from the Pendleton UAS Range in eastern Oregon. Codenamed Steve (for Scaled Test Vehicle), the unmanned vehicle flew for <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">only 16 seconds</a> on its first flight, but that didn\'t matter.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s first and subsequent flights were the first steps on a path that its creator, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Outbound Aerospace</a>, hopes will <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lead to</a> the launch of a radical new <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">200 to 250-seat</a> blended-wing airliner in the 2030s. With a 171ft (52m) wingspan around eight times that of Steve – this airliner that has already been named the Olympic.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The idea that the wings and fuselage of an aircraft can be smoothly blended, with no clear dividing line, to increase aerodynamic efficiency dates back more than 100 years. In 1924, the first recorded blended-wing aircraft made its first flight – and then crashed.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, blended-wing technology has primarily been left to the US military to develop for their bombers. Now the aviation industry\'s pressing need to reduce emissions may mean the time has come for the first blended-wing commercial airliner. But can startups like Outbound Aerospace overcome the serious challenges that remain?</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4617 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0br.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s flights are intended to show the Seattle-based startup\'s innovative blended-wing aircraft design works, and that the company\'s \"novel\" manufacturing technology can deliver the new type of mid-market airliner faster and cheaper than the current big plane-makers like Airbus and Boeing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We went from a clean sheet design to a demonstrator in about 12 months,\" says Jake Armenta, a former Boeing engineer, and co-founder and chief technology officer of Outbound Aerospace. He believes his team has shown they can cut down the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/sres/aviation/index.php?idp=92#:~:text=A%20typical%20time%2Dhistory%20for,Aircraft%20lifetime%20=%2025%2D35%20years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5-10 years</a> or more it can take to develop a commercial aircraft. \"The aircraft flying for the first time was exactly nine months from the day we opened our factory doors for the first time.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Now their technology demonstrator is finding a new use as a cargo drone.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Now Steve has proved interesting to the US Department of Defense, and other, civilian customers, because it has a large cargo bay and could be cheaper than conventional designs. So that is the first product we\'re now bringing into market.\"</p>\r\n\"We believe we can drastically reduce the time and capital expense of the development of these aircraft but it\'s still going to be very expensive,\" adds Aaron Boysen, Outbound\'s director of business development. \"We have to earn revenue earlier than 10 years down the road.\"\r\n\r\nDespite scepticism from investors about the feasibility of their plans, Outbound has managed to raise around $1m (£765,000) in pre-seed funding so far. This money is the first investment a startup receives to turn ideas into reality, and it has allowed them to hire five full-time staff, contractors and part-timers as needed.\r\n\r\nOutbound isn\'t the only company going down this road. There are at least two other start-ups in the race to build the first blended-wing airliner, which has been \"a goal for so long that some people say it has become the \'holy grail of aviation\',\" says analyst and commentator Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4618 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0gw.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe gleaming computer-generated imagery of how the Olympic may look in the 2030s looks very different from the actual tube-and-wing airliners that Boeing and Airbus currently produce. Often called flying wings, these aircraft are more aerodynamically efficient than conventional airliners.\r\n\r\nIf a company can get a blended-wing design right then they argue that Nasa’s research suggests it might burn up to 50% less fuel by using the latest technology, reduce emissions by a similar amount, noise by a significant amount, do this with cabins that might be 40% larger, and, as a result, may conceivably open up new air routes. While seats near windows will be limited, there may be enough space for extra-large doors that would eliminate slow-moving queues of people waiting to board, as well as allow separate cabins for first-class, business and economy passengers.\r\n\r\nSome advocates for this radical rethinking of the commercial airliner have bigger ambitions. They hope that start-ups such as Outbound and its rivals like JetZero and Nautilus will open up the airliner market to new designs that don\'t come from Airbus or Boeing, blaming this duopoly for stifling new ideas in the industry.\r\n\r\nJetZero appears to have one of the highest profiles out of all the start-ups in the race to develop the first full-size blended-wing commercial airliner from a small-scale technology demonstrator. Based in Long Beach, California, it was awarded $235m (£74m) in funding from the United States Air Force (USAF) and further investment from United Airlines and Alaska Airlines to fund the development of its Z4. In addition, United Airlines has a\"path\" to ordering up to 200 Z4s if it meets the airlines requirements.\r\n\r\nJetZero has also partnered with prominent aerospace companies including BAE, Northrup Grumman and engine makers Pratt &amp; Whitney to develop the Z4. It has already flown its own small-scale Pathfinder I demonstrator and completed a critical design review. These are a formal evaluation of the final design to assess whether it is ready to manufacture.\r\n\r\nJust before the Paris Airshow in June 2025, JetZero announced that it had chosen the site for its factory to build the Z4. It is in Greensboro, North Carolina, next door to the factory where another aviation startup, Boom, is building its supersonic airliner, which United plans to order if it meets its requirements. JetZero ambitiously plans to start flights with a full-size demonstrator as-early-as 2027.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4619 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0p4.png-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOutbound Aerospace\'s Boysen isn\'t fazed by his rivals\' apparent progress. \"The publicity around JetZero and their pre-orders helps us all because it gets blended-wing bodies into the conversation of airlines and industry,\" he says. \"It means that they will face the two enormous costs of certification and public acceptance before us, and we will not have to incur those costs as steeply as they will.\"\r\n\r\nBlended wing designs have been an ambition of many aircraft designers since the earliest days of aviation. \"There is a great deal of interest now because there is a fever among the venture capitalists and tech bros to go out and disrupt as many fuddy-duddy old industries as they can find, and aviation is the next target,\" says Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n\"Advanced materials, computer aided design (CAD) and three-dimensional aerodynamics have all helped this new interest in blended-wing bodies.\r\n\r\n\"There are people who would like to see a new competitor to Airbus and Boeing…the problem is the huge expense of getting this thing into production, and starting a new commercial aircraft company is such an enormous task.\"\r\n\r\nBut he is sceptical over the value of airline support for these projects, despite the funding announced so far. \"The money these airlines are risking is change down the back of the sofa at this moment,\" adds Sweetman. \"The orders they have made are contingent on these start-ups being able to deliver something they want. This is like a green halo effect; it\'s more about the airlines advertising their new thinking.\"\r\n\r\nThat said, starting with a small-scale flight demonstrator and going to a full-size demonstrator may be a good idea. \"It will build a lot of confidence. But you can\'t build a production line for these things and just go into service with the small amount of testing that\'s been done now.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4620 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0q5.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The first recorded blended-wing aircraft to fly is the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"http://www.yeovilhistory.info/westland-dreadnought.htm#:~:text=Table_title:%20An%20experimental%20fixed%2Dwing%20monoplane%20Table_content:%20header:,flight:%20%7C%20:%209%20May%201924%20%7C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Westland Dreadnought</a> in <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-westland-dreadnought-yeovil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1924.</a> Based on the futuristic design ideas of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.aerosociety.com/media/21941/aerospace-october-2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Russian inventor Nicolas Woyevodsky</a>, the eight-passenger Dreadnought <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/139472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crashed on its first flight</a> due to instability and loss of control, badly injuring its pilot, and it was abandoned.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, the complexity of the blended-wing design has meant this configuration has largely been left for the military to pioneer, with successful designs such as the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104500/b-1b-lancer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rockwell B1-B Lancer</a> and <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/aircraft/b-21-raider\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northrop\'s new B-21 Raider</a>.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s quite complicated to get the design right because of the complex air flow around blended-wing aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"But it is relatively easy to do so if you are designing a bomber because they aren\'t large, pressurised spaces in there. The same is true for an air-refuelling tanker.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Over the past 30 years</a>, Nasa, Boeing, Airbus, Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac and even Canadian business jet manufacturer Bombardier have all explored blended-wing layouts for commercial aviation. Their research teams have often done this by building small-scale test aircraft like Steve, testing them in wind tunnels and then flying them out in the real world.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Much of the current wave of designs stems from <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nasa\'s call in 1988 for revolutionary aircraft designs</a>. One team that responded included <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://sandiegoairandspace.org/hall-of-fame/honoree/robert-liebeck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robert Lieback</a> who later became co-developer and project manager for Boeing\'s blended wing programmes. Their work on a futuristic blended-wing airliner eventually led to a remote-controlled aircraft designated the Boeing/Nasa X-48, which was named one of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/robert-liebeck#:~:text=He%2520attained%2520world%2520recognition%2520starting,(BWB)%2520subsonic%2520transport%2520airplane.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Time Magazine\'s top inventions in 2007.</a> The X-48 may have been tiny, but it was <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/x-48b/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">designed to fly like a full-size plane.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The two X-48s built then embarked on a remarkable series of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/armstrong/x-48-research-all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">120 flights over six years</a>. These fights tested how blended-wing aircraft responded to problems such as the engines failing or stalling, as well as exploring ways to reduce fuel consumption and noise levels.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4621 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc14g.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Back in the day, Bob Liebeck was trying, very diligently, to overcome the practical problems of blended-wing bodied aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"Probably the biggest one is having to put a pressurised passenger cabin in there.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Pressurised vessels tend to have circular cross-sections because flat surfaces experience very high loads under pressure, causing structural complications for any more box-like design. Then trying to design this around an appealing cabin was a further challenge.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"After McDonnell Douglas were taken over by Boeing, Liebeck started thinking that Boeing\'s next plane should be a blended-wing design instead of a 787,\" he adds. \"Then the inquisition came down from Seattle to put a stop to this heresy.\"</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 dmRQnh\" data-component=\"layout-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 jtOVxN\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-85f9acf9-0 kfxpiP\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound\'s Steve is intentionally the same size and dimensions as the X-48. \"The X-48 programme proved that modern flight control systems could effectively manage a blended wing design,\" says Boysen. \"But it was still expensive to build due to the complexities.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 kPoSwK\" data-component=\"advertisement-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 bNXmwq\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-1 iwgJVV\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_9\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_9\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We were able to build and fly Steve, an aircraft that matches the X-48, but on a fraction of that programme\'s budget and in only nine months,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">He admits he has felt \"attacked\" by some investors when presenting Outbound\'s radical plans to them. But Boysen says the team \"truly believe\" that the only way to successfully develop and launch a radical new airliner like Olympic is not to become a Boeing 2.0 or Airbus 2.0.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We are questioning this status quo,\" he says. \"We have decided that to successfully build an entirely new aircraft we need to look at what we outsource and what we bring inside.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"more-like-this:\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">More like this:</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250729-windrunner-the-company-that-wants-to-build-the-worlds-largest-aircraft\" target=\"_self\">The aviation giant that doesn\'t yet exist</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250214-pathfinder-1-the-airship-that-could-usher-in-a-new-age\" target=\"_self\">The airship that may usher in a new age</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231201-can-we-really-fuel-planes-with-fat-and-sugar\" target=\"_self\">Can we really fuel planes with fat and sugar?</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">To this end they used advanced 3-D printing to make their own tooling and \"prove\" they could build a flyable aircraft out of carbon fibre and their demonstrator \"way cheaper than anyone else,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I think these are praiseworthy and sincere ventures,\" says Sweetman. \"But what I see in a lot of these new projects is a sort of airy, \'We can do this, we are a new generation. Stop being negative grandpa.\'</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Sure, you can be optimistic, but you really must look at where the obstacles are, how much money is it really going to take you to get a product that you can offer to an airline, how to deliver it and then how much to be able to deliver it at a profit.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound is now busy turning Steve into the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gateway drone</a> which it can sell in the meantime. After that, it has plans for an upgraded version with double the wingspan, an ultra-long-range business jet, and the Olympic, as well as even bigger airliner planned for the 2040s. But there will be plenty of challenges to overcome before then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"There is a vast talent pool of aerospace engineers, managers and leaders here in Seattle who are, quite honestly, hungry for something new,\" says Boysen, \"and that is why we are here.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"if-you-liked-this-story,\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">If you liked this story,</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://cloud.email.bbc.com/SignUp10_08?&amp;at_bbc_team=studios&amp;at_medium=Onsite&amp;at_objective=acquisition&amp;at_ptr_name=bbc.com&amp;at_link_origin=featuresarticle&amp;at_campaign=essentiallist&amp;at_campaign_type=owned\" target=\"_self\"><i id=\"sign-up-for-the-essential-list-newsletter\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">sign up for The Essential List newsletter</i></a><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><i id=\"–-a-handpicked-selection-of-features,-videos-and-can\'t-miss-news,-delivered-to-your-inbox-twice-a-week.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">– a handpicked selection of features, videos and can\'t-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week.</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"for-more-science,-technology,-environment-and-health-stories-from-the-bbc,-follow-us-on\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BBCFuture/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"facebook\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Facebook</i></a><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><i id=\"and\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">and</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bbcfuture_official/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"instagram\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Instagram</i></a><i id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">.</b></i></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Blended wings: The sci-fi aircraft concept that could appear at an airport near you 5','','publish','closed','closed','','blended-wings-the-sci-fi-aircraft-concept-that-could-appear-at-an-airport-near-you-5','','','2025-11-10 12:55:09','2025-11-10 12:55:09','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4741',0,'news','',0),(4742,1,'2025-11-10 12:55:09','2025-11-10 12:55:09','<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4616 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc08c.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"the-concept-of-blended-wing-aircraft-–-where-fuselage-and-wing-are-all-one-structure-–-is-not-new.-but-this-radical-design-might-soon-be-a-credible-concept-for-airliners.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">The concept of blended-wing aircraft – where fuselage and wing are all one structure – is not new. But this radical design might soon be a credible concept for airliners.</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 2025</a>, a small V-shaped remote-controlled aircraft took off for the first time from the Pendleton UAS Range in eastern Oregon. Codenamed Steve (for Scaled Test Vehicle), the unmanned vehicle flew for <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">only 16 seconds</a> on its first flight, but that didn\'t matter.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s first and subsequent flights were the first steps on a path that its creator, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Outbound Aerospace</a>, hopes will <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lead to</a> the launch of a radical new <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">200 to 250-seat</a> blended-wing airliner in the 2030s. With a 171ft (52m) wingspan around eight times that of Steve – this airliner that has already been named the Olympic.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The idea that the wings and fuselage of an aircraft can be smoothly blended, with no clear dividing line, to increase aerodynamic efficiency dates back more than 100 years. In 1924, the first recorded blended-wing aircraft made its first flight – and then crashed.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, blended-wing technology has primarily been left to the US military to develop for their bombers. Now the aviation industry\'s pressing need to reduce emissions may mean the time has come for the first blended-wing commercial airliner. But can startups like Outbound Aerospace overcome the serious challenges that remain?</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4617 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0br.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s flights are intended to show the Seattle-based startup\'s innovative blended-wing aircraft design works, and that the company\'s \"novel\" manufacturing technology can deliver the new type of mid-market airliner faster and cheaper than the current big plane-makers like Airbus and Boeing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We went from a clean sheet design to a demonstrator in about 12 months,\" says Jake Armenta, a former Boeing engineer, and co-founder and chief technology officer of Outbound Aerospace. He believes his team has shown they can cut down the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/sres/aviation/index.php?idp=92#:~:text=A%20typical%20time%2Dhistory%20for,Aircraft%20lifetime%20=%2025%2D35%20years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5-10 years</a> or more it can take to develop a commercial aircraft. \"The aircraft flying for the first time was exactly nine months from the day we opened our factory doors for the first time.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Now their technology demonstrator is finding a new use as a cargo drone.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Now Steve has proved interesting to the US Department of Defense, and other, civilian customers, because it has a large cargo bay and could be cheaper than conventional designs. So that is the first product we\'re now bringing into market.\"</p>\r\n\"We believe we can drastically reduce the time and capital expense of the development of these aircraft but it\'s still going to be very expensive,\" adds Aaron Boysen, Outbound\'s director of business development. \"We have to earn revenue earlier than 10 years down the road.\"\r\n\r\nDespite scepticism from investors about the feasibility of their plans, Outbound has managed to raise around $1m (£765,000) in pre-seed funding so far. This money is the first investment a startup receives to turn ideas into reality, and it has allowed them to hire five full-time staff, contractors and part-timers as needed.\r\n\r\nOutbound isn\'t the only company going down this road. There are at least two other start-ups in the race to build the first blended-wing airliner, which has been \"a goal for so long that some people say it has become the \'holy grail of aviation\',\" says analyst and commentator Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4618 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0gw.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe gleaming computer-generated imagery of how the Olympic may look in the 2030s looks very different from the actual tube-and-wing airliners that Boeing and Airbus currently produce. Often called flying wings, these aircraft are more aerodynamically efficient than conventional airliners.\r\n\r\nIf a company can get a blended-wing design right then they argue that Nasa’s research suggests it might burn up to 50% less fuel by using the latest technology, reduce emissions by a similar amount, noise by a significant amount, do this with cabins that might be 40% larger, and, as a result, may conceivably open up new air routes. While seats near windows will be limited, there may be enough space for extra-large doors that would eliminate slow-moving queues of people waiting to board, as well as allow separate cabins for first-class, business and economy passengers.\r\n\r\nSome advocates for this radical rethinking of the commercial airliner have bigger ambitions. They hope that start-ups such as Outbound and its rivals like JetZero and Nautilus will open up the airliner market to new designs that don\'t come from Airbus or Boeing, blaming this duopoly for stifling new ideas in the industry.\r\n\r\nJetZero appears to have one of the highest profiles out of all the start-ups in the race to develop the first full-size blended-wing commercial airliner from a small-scale technology demonstrator. Based in Long Beach, California, it was awarded $235m (£74m) in funding from the United States Air Force (USAF) and further investment from United Airlines and Alaska Airlines to fund the development of its Z4. In addition, United Airlines has a\"path\" to ordering up to 200 Z4s if it meets the airlines requirements.\r\n\r\nJetZero has also partnered with prominent aerospace companies including BAE, Northrup Grumman and engine makers Pratt &amp; Whitney to develop the Z4. It has already flown its own small-scale Pathfinder I demonstrator and completed a critical design review. These are a formal evaluation of the final design to assess whether it is ready to manufacture.\r\n\r\nJust before the Paris Airshow in June 2025, JetZero announced that it had chosen the site for its factory to build the Z4. It is in Greensboro, North Carolina, next door to the factory where another aviation startup, Boom, is building its supersonic airliner, which United plans to order if it meets its requirements. JetZero ambitiously plans to start flights with a full-size demonstrator as-early-as 2027.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4619 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0p4.png-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOutbound Aerospace\'s Boysen isn\'t fazed by his rivals\' apparent progress. \"The publicity around JetZero and their pre-orders helps us all because it gets blended-wing bodies into the conversation of airlines and industry,\" he says. \"It means that they will face the two enormous costs of certification and public acceptance before us, and we will not have to incur those costs as steeply as they will.\"\r\n\r\nBlended wing designs have been an ambition of many aircraft designers since the earliest days of aviation. \"There is a great deal of interest now because there is a fever among the venture capitalists and tech bros to go out and disrupt as many fuddy-duddy old industries as they can find, and aviation is the next target,\" says Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n\"Advanced materials, computer aided design (CAD) and three-dimensional aerodynamics have all helped this new interest in blended-wing bodies.\r\n\r\n\"There are people who would like to see a new competitor to Airbus and Boeing…the problem is the huge expense of getting this thing into production, and starting a new commercial aircraft company is such an enormous task.\"\r\n\r\nBut he is sceptical over the value of airline support for these projects, despite the funding announced so far. \"The money these airlines are risking is change down the back of the sofa at this moment,\" adds Sweetman. \"The orders they have made are contingent on these start-ups being able to deliver something they want. This is like a green halo effect; it\'s more about the airlines advertising their new thinking.\"\r\n\r\nThat said, starting with a small-scale flight demonstrator and going to a full-size demonstrator may be a good idea. \"It will build a lot of confidence. But you can\'t build a production line for these things and just go into service with the small amount of testing that\'s been done now.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4620 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0q5.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The first recorded blended-wing aircraft to fly is the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"http://www.yeovilhistory.info/westland-dreadnought.htm#:~:text=Table_title:%20An%20experimental%20fixed%2Dwing%20monoplane%20Table_content:%20header:,flight:%20%7C%20:%209%20May%201924%20%7C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Westland Dreadnought</a> in <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-westland-dreadnought-yeovil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1924.</a> Based on the futuristic design ideas of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.aerosociety.com/media/21941/aerospace-october-2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Russian inventor Nicolas Woyevodsky</a>, the eight-passenger Dreadnought <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/139472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crashed on its first flight</a> due to instability and loss of control, badly injuring its pilot, and it was abandoned.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, the complexity of the blended-wing design has meant this configuration has largely been left for the military to pioneer, with successful designs such as the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104500/b-1b-lancer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rockwell B1-B Lancer</a> and <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/aircraft/b-21-raider\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northrop\'s new B-21 Raider</a>.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s quite complicated to get the design right because of the complex air flow around blended-wing aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"But it is relatively easy to do so if you are designing a bomber because they aren\'t large, pressurised spaces in there. The same is true for an air-refuelling tanker.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Over the past 30 years</a>, Nasa, Boeing, Airbus, Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac and even Canadian business jet manufacturer Bombardier have all explored blended-wing layouts for commercial aviation. Their research teams have often done this by building small-scale test aircraft like Steve, testing them in wind tunnels and then flying them out in the real world.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Much of the current wave of designs stems from <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nasa\'s call in 1988 for revolutionary aircraft designs</a>. One team that responded included <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://sandiegoairandspace.org/hall-of-fame/honoree/robert-liebeck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robert Lieback</a> who later became co-developer and project manager for Boeing\'s blended wing programmes. Their work on a futuristic blended-wing airliner eventually led to a remote-controlled aircraft designated the Boeing/Nasa X-48, which was named one of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/robert-liebeck#:~:text=He%2520attained%2520world%2520recognition%2520starting,(BWB)%2520subsonic%2520transport%2520airplane.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Time Magazine\'s top inventions in 2007.</a> The X-48 may have been tiny, but it was <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/x-48b/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">designed to fly like a full-size plane.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The two X-48s built then embarked on a remarkable series of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/armstrong/x-48-research-all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">120 flights over six years</a>. These fights tested how blended-wing aircraft responded to problems such as the engines failing or stalling, as well as exploring ways to reduce fuel consumption and noise levels.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4621 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc14g.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Back in the day, Bob Liebeck was trying, very diligently, to overcome the practical problems of blended-wing bodied aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"Probably the biggest one is having to put a pressurised passenger cabin in there.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Pressurised vessels tend to have circular cross-sections because flat surfaces experience very high loads under pressure, causing structural complications for any more box-like design. Then trying to design this around an appealing cabin was a further challenge.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"After McDonnell Douglas were taken over by Boeing, Liebeck started thinking that Boeing\'s next plane should be a blended-wing design instead of a 787,\" he adds. \"Then the inquisition came down from Seattle to put a stop to this heresy.\"</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 dmRQnh\" data-component=\"layout-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 jtOVxN\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-85f9acf9-0 kfxpiP\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound\'s Steve is intentionally the same size and dimensions as the X-48. \"The X-48 programme proved that modern flight control systems could effectively manage a blended wing design,\" says Boysen. \"But it was still expensive to build due to the complexities.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 kPoSwK\" data-component=\"advertisement-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 bNXmwq\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-1 iwgJVV\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_9\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_9\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We were able to build and fly Steve, an aircraft that matches the X-48, but on a fraction of that programme\'s budget and in only nine months,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">He admits he has felt \"attacked\" by some investors when presenting Outbound\'s radical plans to them. But Boysen says the team \"truly believe\" that the only way to successfully develop and launch a radical new airliner like Olympic is not to become a Boeing 2.0 or Airbus 2.0.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We are questioning this status quo,\" he says. \"We have decided that to successfully build an entirely new aircraft we need to look at what we outsource and what we bring inside.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"more-like-this:\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">More like this:</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250729-windrunner-the-company-that-wants-to-build-the-worlds-largest-aircraft\" target=\"_self\">The aviation giant that doesn\'t yet exist</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250214-pathfinder-1-the-airship-that-could-usher-in-a-new-age\" target=\"_self\">The airship that may usher in a new age</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231201-can-we-really-fuel-planes-with-fat-and-sugar\" target=\"_self\">Can we really fuel planes with fat and sugar?</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">To this end they used advanced 3-D printing to make their own tooling and \"prove\" they could build a flyable aircraft out of carbon fibre and their demonstrator \"way cheaper than anyone else,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I think these are praiseworthy and sincere ventures,\" says Sweetman. \"But what I see in a lot of these new projects is a sort of airy, \'We can do this, we are a new generation. Stop being negative grandpa.\'</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Sure, you can be optimistic, but you really must look at where the obstacles are, how much money is it really going to take you to get a product that you can offer to an airline, how to deliver it and then how much to be able to deliver it at a profit.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound is now busy turning Steve into the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gateway drone</a> which it can sell in the meantime. After that, it has plans for an upgraded version with double the wingspan, an ultra-long-range business jet, and the Olympic, as well as even bigger airliner planned for the 2040s. But there will be plenty of challenges to overcome before then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"There is a vast talent pool of aerospace engineers, managers and leaders here in Seattle who are, quite honestly, hungry for something new,\" says Boysen, \"and that is why we are here.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"if-you-liked-this-story,\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">If you liked this story,</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://cloud.email.bbc.com/SignUp10_08?&amp;at_bbc_team=studios&amp;at_medium=Onsite&amp;at_objective=acquisition&amp;at_ptr_name=bbc.com&amp;at_link_origin=featuresarticle&amp;at_campaign=essentiallist&amp;at_campaign_type=owned\" target=\"_self\"><i id=\"sign-up-for-the-essential-list-newsletter\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">sign up for The Essential List newsletter</i></a><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><i id=\"–-a-handpicked-selection-of-features,-videos-and-can\'t-miss-news,-delivered-to-your-inbox-twice-a-week.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">– a handpicked selection of features, videos and can\'t-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week.</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"for-more-science,-technology,-environment-and-health-stories-from-the-bbc,-follow-us-on\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BBCFuture/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"facebook\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Facebook</i></a><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><i id=\"and\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">and</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bbcfuture_official/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"instagram\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Instagram</i></a><i id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">.</b></i></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Blended wings: The sci-fi aircraft concept that could appear at an airport near you 5','','inherit','closed','closed','','4741-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 12:55:09','2025-11-10 12:55:09','',4741,'https://asiance.co/?p=4742',0,'revision','',0),(4743,1,'2025-11-10 12:55:11','2025-11-10 12:55:11','<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4616 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc08c.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"the-concept-of-blended-wing-aircraft-–-where-fuselage-and-wing-are-all-one-structure-–-is-not-new.-but-this-radical-design-might-soon-be-a-credible-concept-for-airliners.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">The concept of blended-wing aircraft – where fuselage and wing are all one structure – is not new. But this radical design might soon be a credible concept for airliners.</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 2025</a>, a small V-shaped remote-controlled aircraft took off for the first time from the Pendleton UAS Range in eastern Oregon. Codenamed Steve (for Scaled Test Vehicle), the unmanned vehicle flew for <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">only 16 seconds</a> on its first flight, but that didn\'t matter.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s first and subsequent flights were the first steps on a path that its creator, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Outbound Aerospace</a>, hopes will <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lead to</a> the launch of a radical new <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">200 to 250-seat</a> blended-wing airliner in the 2030s. With a 171ft (52m) wingspan around eight times that of Steve – this airliner that has already been named the Olympic.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The idea that the wings and fuselage of an aircraft can be smoothly blended, with no clear dividing line, to increase aerodynamic efficiency dates back more than 100 years. In 1924, the first recorded blended-wing aircraft made its first flight – and then crashed.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, blended-wing technology has primarily been left to the US military to develop for their bombers. Now the aviation industry\'s pressing need to reduce emissions may mean the time has come for the first blended-wing commercial airliner. But can startups like Outbound Aerospace overcome the serious challenges that remain?</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4617 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0br.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s flights are intended to show the Seattle-based startup\'s innovative blended-wing aircraft design works, and that the company\'s \"novel\" manufacturing technology can deliver the new type of mid-market airliner faster and cheaper than the current big plane-makers like Airbus and Boeing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We went from a clean sheet design to a demonstrator in about 12 months,\" says Jake Armenta, a former Boeing engineer, and co-founder and chief technology officer of Outbound Aerospace. He believes his team has shown they can cut down the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/sres/aviation/index.php?idp=92#:~:text=A%20typical%20time%2Dhistory%20for,Aircraft%20lifetime%20=%2025%2D35%20years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5-10 years</a> or more it can take to develop a commercial aircraft. \"The aircraft flying for the first time was exactly nine months from the day we opened our factory doors for the first time.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Now their technology demonstrator is finding a new use as a cargo drone.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Now Steve has proved interesting to the US Department of Defense, and other, civilian customers, because it has a large cargo bay and could be cheaper than conventional designs. So that is the first product we\'re now bringing into market.\"</p>\r\n\"We believe we can drastically reduce the time and capital expense of the development of these aircraft but it\'s still going to be very expensive,\" adds Aaron Boysen, Outbound\'s director of business development. \"We have to earn revenue earlier than 10 years down the road.\"\r\n\r\nDespite scepticism from investors about the feasibility of their plans, Outbound has managed to raise around $1m (£765,000) in pre-seed funding so far. This money is the first investment a startup receives to turn ideas into reality, and it has allowed them to hire five full-time staff, contractors and part-timers as needed.\r\n\r\nOutbound isn\'t the only company going down this road. There are at least two other start-ups in the race to build the first blended-wing airliner, which has been \"a goal for so long that some people say it has become the \'holy grail of aviation\',\" says analyst and commentator Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4618 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0gw.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe gleaming computer-generated imagery of how the Olympic may look in the 2030s looks very different from the actual tube-and-wing airliners that Boeing and Airbus currently produce. Often called flying wings, these aircraft are more aerodynamically efficient than conventional airliners.\r\n\r\nIf a company can get a blended-wing design right then they argue that Nasa’s research suggests it might burn up to 50% less fuel by using the latest technology, reduce emissions by a similar amount, noise by a significant amount, do this with cabins that might be 40% larger, and, as a result, may conceivably open up new air routes. While seats near windows will be limited, there may be enough space for extra-large doors that would eliminate slow-moving queues of people waiting to board, as well as allow separate cabins for first-class, business and economy passengers.\r\n\r\nSome advocates for this radical rethinking of the commercial airliner have bigger ambitions. They hope that start-ups such as Outbound and its rivals like JetZero and Nautilus will open up the airliner market to new designs that don\'t come from Airbus or Boeing, blaming this duopoly for stifling new ideas in the industry.\r\n\r\nJetZero appears to have one of the highest profiles out of all the start-ups in the race to develop the first full-size blended-wing commercial airliner from a small-scale technology demonstrator. Based in Long Beach, California, it was awarded $235m (£74m) in funding from the United States Air Force (USAF) and further investment from United Airlines and Alaska Airlines to fund the development of its Z4. In addition, United Airlines has a\"path\" to ordering up to 200 Z4s if it meets the airlines requirements.\r\n\r\nJetZero has also partnered with prominent aerospace companies including BAE, Northrup Grumman and engine makers Pratt &amp; Whitney to develop the Z4. It has already flown its own small-scale Pathfinder I demonstrator and completed a critical design review. These are a formal evaluation of the final design to assess whether it is ready to manufacture.\r\n\r\nJust before the Paris Airshow in June 2025, JetZero announced that it had chosen the site for its factory to build the Z4. It is in Greensboro, North Carolina, next door to the factory where another aviation startup, Boom, is building its supersonic airliner, which United plans to order if it meets its requirements. JetZero ambitiously plans to start flights with a full-size demonstrator as-early-as 2027.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4619 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0p4.png-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOutbound Aerospace\'s Boysen isn\'t fazed by his rivals\' apparent progress. \"The publicity around JetZero and their pre-orders helps us all because it gets blended-wing bodies into the conversation of airlines and industry,\" he says. \"It means that they will face the two enormous costs of certification and public acceptance before us, and we will not have to incur those costs as steeply as they will.\"\r\n\r\nBlended wing designs have been an ambition of many aircraft designers since the earliest days of aviation. \"There is a great deal of interest now because there is a fever among the venture capitalists and tech bros to go out and disrupt as many fuddy-duddy old industries as they can find, and aviation is the next target,\" says Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n\"Advanced materials, computer aided design (CAD) and three-dimensional aerodynamics have all helped this new interest in blended-wing bodies.\r\n\r\n\"There are people who would like to see a new competitor to Airbus and Boeing…the problem is the huge expense of getting this thing into production, and starting a new commercial aircraft company is such an enormous task.\"\r\n\r\nBut he is sceptical over the value of airline support for these projects, despite the funding announced so far. \"The money these airlines are risking is change down the back of the sofa at this moment,\" adds Sweetman. \"The orders they have made are contingent on these start-ups being able to deliver something they want. This is like a green halo effect; it\'s more about the airlines advertising their new thinking.\"\r\n\r\nThat said, starting with a small-scale flight demonstrator and going to a full-size demonstrator may be a good idea. \"It will build a lot of confidence. But you can\'t build a production line for these things and just go into service with the small amount of testing that\'s been done now.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4620 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0q5.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The first recorded blended-wing aircraft to fly is the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"http://www.yeovilhistory.info/westland-dreadnought.htm#:~:text=Table_title:%20An%20experimental%20fixed%2Dwing%20monoplane%20Table_content:%20header:,flight:%20%7C%20:%209%20May%201924%20%7C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Westland Dreadnought</a> in <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-westland-dreadnought-yeovil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1924.</a> Based on the futuristic design ideas of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.aerosociety.com/media/21941/aerospace-october-2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Russian inventor Nicolas Woyevodsky</a>, the eight-passenger Dreadnought <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/139472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crashed on its first flight</a> due to instability and loss of control, badly injuring its pilot, and it was abandoned.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, the complexity of the blended-wing design has meant this configuration has largely been left for the military to pioneer, with successful designs such as the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104500/b-1b-lancer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rockwell B1-B Lancer</a> and <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/aircraft/b-21-raider\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northrop\'s new B-21 Raider</a>.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s quite complicated to get the design right because of the complex air flow around blended-wing aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"But it is relatively easy to do so if you are designing a bomber because they aren\'t large, pressurised spaces in there. The same is true for an air-refuelling tanker.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Over the past 30 years</a>, Nasa, Boeing, Airbus, Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac and even Canadian business jet manufacturer Bombardier have all explored blended-wing layouts for commercial aviation. Their research teams have often done this by building small-scale test aircraft like Steve, testing them in wind tunnels and then flying them out in the real world.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Much of the current wave of designs stems from <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nasa\'s call in 1988 for revolutionary aircraft designs</a>. One team that responded included <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://sandiegoairandspace.org/hall-of-fame/honoree/robert-liebeck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robert Lieback</a> who later became co-developer and project manager for Boeing\'s blended wing programmes. Their work on a futuristic blended-wing airliner eventually led to a remote-controlled aircraft designated the Boeing/Nasa X-48, which was named one of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/robert-liebeck#:~:text=He%2520attained%2520world%2520recognition%2520starting,(BWB)%2520subsonic%2520transport%2520airplane.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Time Magazine\'s top inventions in 2007.</a> The X-48 may have been tiny, but it was <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/x-48b/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">designed to fly like a full-size plane.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The two X-48s built then embarked on a remarkable series of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/armstrong/x-48-research-all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">120 flights over six years</a>. These fights tested how blended-wing aircraft responded to problems such as the engines failing or stalling, as well as exploring ways to reduce fuel consumption and noise levels.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4621 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc14g.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Back in the day, Bob Liebeck was trying, very diligently, to overcome the practical problems of blended-wing bodied aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"Probably the biggest one is having to put a pressurised passenger cabin in there.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Pressurised vessels tend to have circular cross-sections because flat surfaces experience very high loads under pressure, causing structural complications for any more box-like design. Then trying to design this around an appealing cabin was a further challenge.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"After McDonnell Douglas were taken over by Boeing, Liebeck started thinking that Boeing\'s next plane should be a blended-wing design instead of a 787,\" he adds. \"Then the inquisition came down from Seattle to put a stop to this heresy.\"</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 dmRQnh\" data-component=\"layout-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 jtOVxN\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-85f9acf9-0 kfxpiP\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound\'s Steve is intentionally the same size and dimensions as the X-48. \"The X-48 programme proved that modern flight control systems could effectively manage a blended wing design,\" says Boysen. \"But it was still expensive to build due to the complexities.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 kPoSwK\" data-component=\"advertisement-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 bNXmwq\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-1 iwgJVV\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_9\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_9\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We were able to build and fly Steve, an aircraft that matches the X-48, but on a fraction of that programme\'s budget and in only nine months,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">He admits he has felt \"attacked\" by some investors when presenting Outbound\'s radical plans to them. But Boysen says the team \"truly believe\" that the only way to successfully develop and launch a radical new airliner like Olympic is not to become a Boeing 2.0 or Airbus 2.0.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We are questioning this status quo,\" he says. \"We have decided that to successfully build an entirely new aircraft we need to look at what we outsource and what we bring inside.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"more-like-this:\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">More like this:</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250729-windrunner-the-company-that-wants-to-build-the-worlds-largest-aircraft\" target=\"_self\">The aviation giant that doesn\'t yet exist</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250214-pathfinder-1-the-airship-that-could-usher-in-a-new-age\" target=\"_self\">The airship that may usher in a new age</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231201-can-we-really-fuel-planes-with-fat-and-sugar\" target=\"_self\">Can we really fuel planes with fat and sugar?</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">To this end they used advanced 3-D printing to make their own tooling and \"prove\" they could build a flyable aircraft out of carbon fibre and their demonstrator \"way cheaper than anyone else,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I think these are praiseworthy and sincere ventures,\" says Sweetman. \"But what I see in a lot of these new projects is a sort of airy, \'We can do this, we are a new generation. Stop being negative grandpa.\'</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Sure, you can be optimistic, but you really must look at where the obstacles are, how much money is it really going to take you to get a product that you can offer to an airline, how to deliver it and then how much to be able to deliver it at a profit.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound is now busy turning Steve into the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gateway drone</a> which it can sell in the meantime. After that, it has plans for an upgraded version with double the wingspan, an ultra-long-range business jet, and the Olympic, as well as even bigger airliner planned for the 2040s. But there will be plenty of challenges to overcome before then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"There is a vast talent pool of aerospace engineers, managers and leaders here in Seattle who are, quite honestly, hungry for something new,\" says Boysen, \"and that is why we are here.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"if-you-liked-this-story,\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">If you liked this story,</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://cloud.email.bbc.com/SignUp10_08?&amp;at_bbc_team=studios&amp;at_medium=Onsite&amp;at_objective=acquisition&amp;at_ptr_name=bbc.com&amp;at_link_origin=featuresarticle&amp;at_campaign=essentiallist&amp;at_campaign_type=owned\" target=\"_self\"><i id=\"sign-up-for-the-essential-list-newsletter\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">sign up for The Essential List newsletter</i></a><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><i id=\"–-a-handpicked-selection-of-features,-videos-and-can\'t-miss-news,-delivered-to-your-inbox-twice-a-week.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">– a handpicked selection of features, videos and can\'t-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week.</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"for-more-science,-technology,-environment-and-health-stories-from-the-bbc,-follow-us-on\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BBCFuture/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"facebook\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Facebook</i></a><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><i id=\"and\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">and</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bbcfuture_official/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"instagram\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Instagram</i></a><i id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">.</b></i></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Blended wings: The sci-fi aircraft concept that could appear at an airport near you 4','','inherit','closed','closed','','4740-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 12:55:11','2025-11-10 12:55:11','',4740,'https://asiance.co/?p=4743',0,'revision','',0),(4744,1,'2025-11-10 12:55:14','2025-11-10 12:55:14','<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4616 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc08c.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"the-concept-of-blended-wing-aircraft-–-where-fuselage-and-wing-are-all-one-structure-–-is-not-new.-but-this-radical-design-might-soon-be-a-credible-concept-for-airliners.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">The concept of blended-wing aircraft – where fuselage and wing are all one structure – is not new. But this radical design might soon be a credible concept for airliners.</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 2025</a>, a small V-shaped remote-controlled aircraft took off for the first time from the Pendleton UAS Range in eastern Oregon. Codenamed Steve (for Scaled Test Vehicle), the unmanned vehicle flew for <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">only 16 seconds</a> on its first flight, but that didn\'t matter.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s first and subsequent flights were the first steps on a path that its creator, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Outbound Aerospace</a>, hopes will <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lead to</a> the launch of a radical new <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">200 to 250-seat</a> blended-wing airliner in the 2030s. With a 171ft (52m) wingspan around eight times that of Steve – this airliner that has already been named the Olympic.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The idea that the wings and fuselage of an aircraft can be smoothly blended, with no clear dividing line, to increase aerodynamic efficiency dates back more than 100 years. In 1924, the first recorded blended-wing aircraft made its first flight – and then crashed.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, blended-wing technology has primarily been left to the US military to develop for their bombers. Now the aviation industry\'s pressing need to reduce emissions may mean the time has come for the first blended-wing commercial airliner. But can startups like Outbound Aerospace overcome the serious challenges that remain?</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4617 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0br.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s flights are intended to show the Seattle-based startup\'s innovative blended-wing aircraft design works, and that the company\'s \"novel\" manufacturing technology can deliver the new type of mid-market airliner faster and cheaper than the current big plane-makers like Airbus and Boeing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We went from a clean sheet design to a demonstrator in about 12 months,\" says Jake Armenta, a former Boeing engineer, and co-founder and chief technology officer of Outbound Aerospace. He believes his team has shown they can cut down the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/sres/aviation/index.php?idp=92#:~:text=A%20typical%20time%2Dhistory%20for,Aircraft%20lifetime%20=%2025%2D35%20years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5-10 years</a> or more it can take to develop a commercial aircraft. \"The aircraft flying for the first time was exactly nine months from the day we opened our factory doors for the first time.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Now their technology demonstrator is finding a new use as a cargo drone.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Now Steve has proved interesting to the US Department of Defense, and other, civilian customers, because it has a large cargo bay and could be cheaper than conventional designs. So that is the first product we\'re now bringing into market.\"</p>\r\n\"We believe we can drastically reduce the time and capital expense of the development of these aircraft but it\'s still going to be very expensive,\" adds Aaron Boysen, Outbound\'s director of business development. \"We have to earn revenue earlier than 10 years down the road.\"\r\n\r\nDespite scepticism from investors about the feasibility of their plans, Outbound has managed to raise around $1m (£765,000) in pre-seed funding so far. This money is the first investment a startup receives to turn ideas into reality, and it has allowed them to hire five full-time staff, contractors and part-timers as needed.\r\n\r\nOutbound isn\'t the only company going down this road. There are at least two other start-ups in the race to build the first blended-wing airliner, which has been \"a goal for so long that some people say it has become the \'holy grail of aviation\',\" says analyst and commentator Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4618 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0gw.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe gleaming computer-generated imagery of how the Olympic may look in the 2030s looks very different from the actual tube-and-wing airliners that Boeing and Airbus currently produce. Often called flying wings, these aircraft are more aerodynamically efficient than conventional airliners.\r\n\r\nIf a company can get a blended-wing design right then they argue that Nasa’s research suggests it might burn up to 50% less fuel by using the latest technology, reduce emissions by a similar amount, noise by a significant amount, do this with cabins that might be 40% larger, and, as a result, may conceivably open up new air routes. While seats near windows will be limited, there may be enough space for extra-large doors that would eliminate slow-moving queues of people waiting to board, as well as allow separate cabins for first-class, business and economy passengers.\r\n\r\nSome advocates for this radical rethinking of the commercial airliner have bigger ambitions. They hope that start-ups such as Outbound and its rivals like JetZero and Nautilus will open up the airliner market to new designs that don\'t come from Airbus or Boeing, blaming this duopoly for stifling new ideas in the industry.\r\n\r\nJetZero appears to have one of the highest profiles out of all the start-ups in the race to develop the first full-size blended-wing commercial airliner from a small-scale technology demonstrator. Based in Long Beach, California, it was awarded $235m (£74m) in funding from the United States Air Force (USAF) and further investment from United Airlines and Alaska Airlines to fund the development of its Z4. In addition, United Airlines has a\"path\" to ordering up to 200 Z4s if it meets the airlines requirements.\r\n\r\nJetZero has also partnered with prominent aerospace companies including BAE, Northrup Grumman and engine makers Pratt &amp; Whitney to develop the Z4. It has already flown its own small-scale Pathfinder I demonstrator and completed a critical design review. These are a formal evaluation of the final design to assess whether it is ready to manufacture.\r\n\r\nJust before the Paris Airshow in June 2025, JetZero announced that it had chosen the site for its factory to build the Z4. It is in Greensboro, North Carolina, next door to the factory where another aviation startup, Boom, is building its supersonic airliner, which United plans to order if it meets its requirements. JetZero ambitiously plans to start flights with a full-size demonstrator as-early-as 2027.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4619 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0p4.png-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOutbound Aerospace\'s Boysen isn\'t fazed by his rivals\' apparent progress. \"The publicity around JetZero and their pre-orders helps us all because it gets blended-wing bodies into the conversation of airlines and industry,\" he says. \"It means that they will face the two enormous costs of certification and public acceptance before us, and we will not have to incur those costs as steeply as they will.\"\r\n\r\nBlended wing designs have been an ambition of many aircraft designers since the earliest days of aviation. \"There is a great deal of interest now because there is a fever among the venture capitalists and tech bros to go out and disrupt as many fuddy-duddy old industries as they can find, and aviation is the next target,\" says Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n\"Advanced materials, computer aided design (CAD) and three-dimensional aerodynamics have all helped this new interest in blended-wing bodies.\r\n\r\n\"There are people who would like to see a new competitor to Airbus and Boeing…the problem is the huge expense of getting this thing into production, and starting a new commercial aircraft company is such an enormous task.\"\r\n\r\nBut he is sceptical over the value of airline support for these projects, despite the funding announced so far. \"The money these airlines are risking is change down the back of the sofa at this moment,\" adds Sweetman. \"The orders they have made are contingent on these start-ups being able to deliver something they want. This is like a green halo effect; it\'s more about the airlines advertising their new thinking.\"\r\n\r\nThat said, starting with a small-scale flight demonstrator and going to a full-size demonstrator may be a good idea. \"It will build a lot of confidence. But you can\'t build a production line for these things and just go into service with the small amount of testing that\'s been done now.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4620 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0q5.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The first recorded blended-wing aircraft to fly is the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"http://www.yeovilhistory.info/westland-dreadnought.htm#:~:text=Table_title:%20An%20experimental%20fixed%2Dwing%20monoplane%20Table_content:%20header:,flight:%20%7C%20:%209%20May%201924%20%7C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Westland Dreadnought</a> in <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-westland-dreadnought-yeovil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1924.</a> Based on the futuristic design ideas of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.aerosociety.com/media/21941/aerospace-october-2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Russian inventor Nicolas Woyevodsky</a>, the eight-passenger Dreadnought <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/139472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crashed on its first flight</a> due to instability and loss of control, badly injuring its pilot, and it was abandoned.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, the complexity of the blended-wing design has meant this configuration has largely been left for the military to pioneer, with successful designs such as the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104500/b-1b-lancer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rockwell B1-B Lancer</a> and <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/aircraft/b-21-raider\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northrop\'s new B-21 Raider</a>.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s quite complicated to get the design right because of the complex air flow around blended-wing aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"But it is relatively easy to do so if you are designing a bomber because they aren\'t large, pressurised spaces in there. The same is true for an air-refuelling tanker.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Over the past 30 years</a>, Nasa, Boeing, Airbus, Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac and even Canadian business jet manufacturer Bombardier have all explored blended-wing layouts for commercial aviation. Their research teams have often done this by building small-scale test aircraft like Steve, testing them in wind tunnels and then flying them out in the real world.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Much of the current wave of designs stems from <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nasa\'s call in 1988 for revolutionary aircraft designs</a>. One team that responded included <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://sandiegoairandspace.org/hall-of-fame/honoree/robert-liebeck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robert Lieback</a> who later became co-developer and project manager for Boeing\'s blended wing programmes. Their work on a futuristic blended-wing airliner eventually led to a remote-controlled aircraft designated the Boeing/Nasa X-48, which was named one of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/robert-liebeck#:~:text=He%2520attained%2520world%2520recognition%2520starting,(BWB)%2520subsonic%2520transport%2520airplane.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Time Magazine\'s top inventions in 2007.</a> The X-48 may have been tiny, but it was <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/x-48b/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">designed to fly like a full-size plane.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The two X-48s built then embarked on a remarkable series of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/armstrong/x-48-research-all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">120 flights over six years</a>. These fights tested how blended-wing aircraft responded to problems such as the engines failing or stalling, as well as exploring ways to reduce fuel consumption and noise levels.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4621 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc14g.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Back in the day, Bob Liebeck was trying, very diligently, to overcome the practical problems of blended-wing bodied aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"Probably the biggest one is having to put a pressurised passenger cabin in there.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Pressurised vessels tend to have circular cross-sections because flat surfaces experience very high loads under pressure, causing structural complications for any more box-like design. Then trying to design this around an appealing cabin was a further challenge.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"After McDonnell Douglas were taken over by Boeing, Liebeck started thinking that Boeing\'s next plane should be a blended-wing design instead of a 787,\" he adds. \"Then the inquisition came down from Seattle to put a stop to this heresy.\"</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 dmRQnh\" data-component=\"layout-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 jtOVxN\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-85f9acf9-0 kfxpiP\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound\'s Steve is intentionally the same size and dimensions as the X-48. \"The X-48 programme proved that modern flight control systems could effectively manage a blended wing design,\" says Boysen. \"But it was still expensive to build due to the complexities.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 kPoSwK\" data-component=\"advertisement-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 bNXmwq\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-1 iwgJVV\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_9\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_9\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We were able to build and fly Steve, an aircraft that matches the X-48, but on a fraction of that programme\'s budget and in only nine months,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">He admits he has felt \"attacked\" by some investors when presenting Outbound\'s radical plans to them. But Boysen says the team \"truly believe\" that the only way to successfully develop and launch a radical new airliner like Olympic is not to become a Boeing 2.0 or Airbus 2.0.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We are questioning this status quo,\" he says. \"We have decided that to successfully build an entirely new aircraft we need to look at what we outsource and what we bring inside.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"more-like-this:\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">More like this:</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250729-windrunner-the-company-that-wants-to-build-the-worlds-largest-aircraft\" target=\"_self\">The aviation giant that doesn\'t yet exist</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250214-pathfinder-1-the-airship-that-could-usher-in-a-new-age\" target=\"_self\">The airship that may usher in a new age</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231201-can-we-really-fuel-planes-with-fat-and-sugar\" target=\"_self\">Can we really fuel planes with fat and sugar?</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">To this end they used advanced 3-D printing to make their own tooling and \"prove\" they could build a flyable aircraft out of carbon fibre and their demonstrator \"way cheaper than anyone else,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I think these are praiseworthy and sincere ventures,\" says Sweetman. \"But what I see in a lot of these new projects is a sort of airy, \'We can do this, we are a new generation. Stop being negative grandpa.\'</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Sure, you can be optimistic, but you really must look at where the obstacles are, how much money is it really going to take you to get a product that you can offer to an airline, how to deliver it and then how much to be able to deliver it at a profit.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound is now busy turning Steve into the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gateway drone</a> which it can sell in the meantime. After that, it has plans for an upgraded version with double the wingspan, an ultra-long-range business jet, and the Olympic, as well as even bigger airliner planned for the 2040s. But there will be plenty of challenges to overcome before then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"There is a vast talent pool of aerospace engineers, managers and leaders here in Seattle who are, quite honestly, hungry for something new,\" says Boysen, \"and that is why we are here.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"if-you-liked-this-story,\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">If you liked this story,</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://cloud.email.bbc.com/SignUp10_08?&amp;at_bbc_team=studios&amp;at_medium=Onsite&amp;at_objective=acquisition&amp;at_ptr_name=bbc.com&amp;at_link_origin=featuresarticle&amp;at_campaign=essentiallist&amp;at_campaign_type=owned\" target=\"_self\"><i id=\"sign-up-for-the-essential-list-newsletter\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">sign up for The Essential List newsletter</i></a><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><i id=\"–-a-handpicked-selection-of-features,-videos-and-can\'t-miss-news,-delivered-to-your-inbox-twice-a-week.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">– a handpicked selection of features, videos and can\'t-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week.</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"for-more-science,-technology,-environment-and-health-stories-from-the-bbc,-follow-us-on\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BBCFuture/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"facebook\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Facebook</i></a><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><i id=\"and\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">and</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bbcfuture_official/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"instagram\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Instagram</i></a><i id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">.</b></i></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Blended wings: The sci-fi aircraft concept that could appear at an airport near you 3','','inherit','closed','closed','','4739-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 12:55:14','2025-11-10 12:55:14','',4739,'https://asiance.co/?p=4744',0,'revision','',0),(4745,1,'2025-11-10 12:55:16','2025-11-10 12:55:16','<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4616 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc08c.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"the-concept-of-blended-wing-aircraft-–-where-fuselage-and-wing-are-all-one-structure-–-is-not-new.-but-this-radical-design-might-soon-be-a-credible-concept-for-airliners.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">The concept of blended-wing aircraft – where fuselage and wing are all one structure – is not new. But this radical design might soon be a credible concept for airliners.</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 2025</a>, a small V-shaped remote-controlled aircraft took off for the first time from the Pendleton UAS Range in eastern Oregon. Codenamed Steve (for Scaled Test Vehicle), the unmanned vehicle flew for <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">only 16 seconds</a> on its first flight, but that didn\'t matter.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s first and subsequent flights were the first steps on a path that its creator, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Outbound Aerospace</a>, hopes will <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lead to</a> the launch of a radical new <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">200 to 250-seat</a> blended-wing airliner in the 2030s. With a 171ft (52m) wingspan around eight times that of Steve – this airliner that has already been named the Olympic.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The idea that the wings and fuselage of an aircraft can be smoothly blended, with no clear dividing line, to increase aerodynamic efficiency dates back more than 100 years. In 1924, the first recorded blended-wing aircraft made its first flight – and then crashed.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, blended-wing technology has primarily been left to the US military to develop for their bombers. Now the aviation industry\'s pressing need to reduce emissions may mean the time has come for the first blended-wing commercial airliner. But can startups like Outbound Aerospace overcome the serious challenges that remain?</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4617 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0br.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s flights are intended to show the Seattle-based startup\'s innovative blended-wing aircraft design works, and that the company\'s \"novel\" manufacturing technology can deliver the new type of mid-market airliner faster and cheaper than the current big plane-makers like Airbus and Boeing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We went from a clean sheet design to a demonstrator in about 12 months,\" says Jake Armenta, a former Boeing engineer, and co-founder and chief technology officer of Outbound Aerospace. He believes his team has shown they can cut down the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/sres/aviation/index.php?idp=92#:~:text=A%20typical%20time%2Dhistory%20for,Aircraft%20lifetime%20=%2025%2D35%20years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5-10 years</a> or more it can take to develop a commercial aircraft. \"The aircraft flying for the first time was exactly nine months from the day we opened our factory doors for the first time.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Now their technology demonstrator is finding a new use as a cargo drone.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Now Steve has proved interesting to the US Department of Defense, and other, civilian customers, because it has a large cargo bay and could be cheaper than conventional designs. So that is the first product we\'re now bringing into market.\"</p>\r\n\"We believe we can drastically reduce the time and capital expense of the development of these aircraft but it\'s still going to be very expensive,\" adds Aaron Boysen, Outbound\'s director of business development. \"We have to earn revenue earlier than 10 years down the road.\"\r\n\r\nDespite scepticism from investors about the feasibility of their plans, Outbound has managed to raise around $1m (£765,000) in pre-seed funding so far. This money is the first investment a startup receives to turn ideas into reality, and it has allowed them to hire five full-time staff, contractors and part-timers as needed.\r\n\r\nOutbound isn\'t the only company going down this road. There are at least two other start-ups in the race to build the first blended-wing airliner, which has been \"a goal for so long that some people say it has become the \'holy grail of aviation\',\" says analyst and commentator Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4618 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0gw.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe gleaming computer-generated imagery of how the Olympic may look in the 2030s looks very different from the actual tube-and-wing airliners that Boeing and Airbus currently produce. Often called flying wings, these aircraft are more aerodynamically efficient than conventional airliners.\r\n\r\nIf a company can get a blended-wing design right then they argue that Nasa’s research suggests it might burn up to 50% less fuel by using the latest technology, reduce emissions by a similar amount, noise by a significant amount, do this with cabins that might be 40% larger, and, as a result, may conceivably open up new air routes. While seats near windows will be limited, there may be enough space for extra-large doors that would eliminate slow-moving queues of people waiting to board, as well as allow separate cabins for first-class, business and economy passengers.\r\n\r\nSome advocates for this radical rethinking of the commercial airliner have bigger ambitions. They hope that start-ups such as Outbound and its rivals like JetZero and Nautilus will open up the airliner market to new designs that don\'t come from Airbus or Boeing, blaming this duopoly for stifling new ideas in the industry.\r\n\r\nJetZero appears to have one of the highest profiles out of all the start-ups in the race to develop the first full-size blended-wing commercial airliner from a small-scale technology demonstrator. Based in Long Beach, California, it was awarded $235m (£74m) in funding from the United States Air Force (USAF) and further investment from United Airlines and Alaska Airlines to fund the development of its Z4. In addition, United Airlines has a\"path\" to ordering up to 200 Z4s if it meets the airlines requirements.\r\n\r\nJetZero has also partnered with prominent aerospace companies including BAE, Northrup Grumman and engine makers Pratt &amp; Whitney to develop the Z4. It has already flown its own small-scale Pathfinder I demonstrator and completed a critical design review. These are a formal evaluation of the final design to assess whether it is ready to manufacture.\r\n\r\nJust before the Paris Airshow in June 2025, JetZero announced that it had chosen the site for its factory to build the Z4. It is in Greensboro, North Carolina, next door to the factory where another aviation startup, Boom, is building its supersonic airliner, which United plans to order if it meets its requirements. JetZero ambitiously plans to start flights with a full-size demonstrator as-early-as 2027.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4619 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0p4.png-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOutbound Aerospace\'s Boysen isn\'t fazed by his rivals\' apparent progress. \"The publicity around JetZero and their pre-orders helps us all because it gets blended-wing bodies into the conversation of airlines and industry,\" he says. \"It means that they will face the two enormous costs of certification and public acceptance before us, and we will not have to incur those costs as steeply as they will.\"\r\n\r\nBlended wing designs have been an ambition of many aircraft designers since the earliest days of aviation. \"There is a great deal of interest now because there is a fever among the venture capitalists and tech bros to go out and disrupt as many fuddy-duddy old industries as they can find, and aviation is the next target,\" says Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n\"Advanced materials, computer aided design (CAD) and three-dimensional aerodynamics have all helped this new interest in blended-wing bodies.\r\n\r\n\"There are people who would like to see a new competitor to Airbus and Boeing…the problem is the huge expense of getting this thing into production, and starting a new commercial aircraft company is such an enormous task.\"\r\n\r\nBut he is sceptical over the value of airline support for these projects, despite the funding announced so far. \"The money these airlines are risking is change down the back of the sofa at this moment,\" adds Sweetman. \"The orders they have made are contingent on these start-ups being able to deliver something they want. This is like a green halo effect; it\'s more about the airlines advertising their new thinking.\"\r\n\r\nThat said, starting with a small-scale flight demonstrator and going to a full-size demonstrator may be a good idea. \"It will build a lot of confidence. But you can\'t build a production line for these things and just go into service with the small amount of testing that\'s been done now.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4620 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0q5.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The first recorded blended-wing aircraft to fly is the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"http://www.yeovilhistory.info/westland-dreadnought.htm#:~:text=Table_title:%20An%20experimental%20fixed%2Dwing%20monoplane%20Table_content:%20header:,flight:%20%7C%20:%209%20May%201924%20%7C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Westland Dreadnought</a> in <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-westland-dreadnought-yeovil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1924.</a> Based on the futuristic design ideas of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.aerosociety.com/media/21941/aerospace-october-2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Russian inventor Nicolas Woyevodsky</a>, the eight-passenger Dreadnought <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/139472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crashed on its first flight</a> due to instability and loss of control, badly injuring its pilot, and it was abandoned.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, the complexity of the blended-wing design has meant this configuration has largely been left for the military to pioneer, with successful designs such as the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104500/b-1b-lancer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rockwell B1-B Lancer</a> and <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/aircraft/b-21-raider\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northrop\'s new B-21 Raider</a>.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s quite complicated to get the design right because of the complex air flow around blended-wing aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"But it is relatively easy to do so if you are designing a bomber because they aren\'t large, pressurised spaces in there. The same is true for an air-refuelling tanker.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Over the past 30 years</a>, Nasa, Boeing, Airbus, Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac and even Canadian business jet manufacturer Bombardier have all explored blended-wing layouts for commercial aviation. Their research teams have often done this by building small-scale test aircraft like Steve, testing them in wind tunnels and then flying them out in the real world.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Much of the current wave of designs stems from <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nasa\'s call in 1988 for revolutionary aircraft designs</a>. One team that responded included <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://sandiegoairandspace.org/hall-of-fame/honoree/robert-liebeck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robert Lieback</a> who later became co-developer and project manager for Boeing\'s blended wing programmes. Their work on a futuristic blended-wing airliner eventually led to a remote-controlled aircraft designated the Boeing/Nasa X-48, which was named one of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/robert-liebeck#:~:text=He%2520attained%2520world%2520recognition%2520starting,(BWB)%2520subsonic%2520transport%2520airplane.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Time Magazine\'s top inventions in 2007.</a> The X-48 may have been tiny, but it was <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/x-48b/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">designed to fly like a full-size plane.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The two X-48s built then embarked on a remarkable series of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/armstrong/x-48-research-all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">120 flights over six years</a>. These fights tested how blended-wing aircraft responded to problems such as the engines failing or stalling, as well as exploring ways to reduce fuel consumption and noise levels.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4621 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc14g.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Back in the day, Bob Liebeck was trying, very diligently, to overcome the practical problems of blended-wing bodied aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"Probably the biggest one is having to put a pressurised passenger cabin in there.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Pressurised vessels tend to have circular cross-sections because flat surfaces experience very high loads under pressure, causing structural complications for any more box-like design. Then trying to design this around an appealing cabin was a further challenge.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"After McDonnell Douglas were taken over by Boeing, Liebeck started thinking that Boeing\'s next plane should be a blended-wing design instead of a 787,\" he adds. \"Then the inquisition came down from Seattle to put a stop to this heresy.\"</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 dmRQnh\" data-component=\"layout-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 jtOVxN\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-85f9acf9-0 kfxpiP\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound\'s Steve is intentionally the same size and dimensions as the X-48. \"The X-48 programme proved that modern flight control systems could effectively manage a blended wing design,\" says Boysen. \"But it was still expensive to build due to the complexities.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 kPoSwK\" data-component=\"advertisement-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 bNXmwq\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-1 iwgJVV\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_9\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_9\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We were able to build and fly Steve, an aircraft that matches the X-48, but on a fraction of that programme\'s budget and in only nine months,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">He admits he has felt \"attacked\" by some investors when presenting Outbound\'s radical plans to them. But Boysen says the team \"truly believe\" that the only way to successfully develop and launch a radical new airliner like Olympic is not to become a Boeing 2.0 or Airbus 2.0.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We are questioning this status quo,\" he says. \"We have decided that to successfully build an entirely new aircraft we need to look at what we outsource and what we bring inside.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"more-like-this:\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">More like this:</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250729-windrunner-the-company-that-wants-to-build-the-worlds-largest-aircraft\" target=\"_self\">The aviation giant that doesn\'t yet exist</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250214-pathfinder-1-the-airship-that-could-usher-in-a-new-age\" target=\"_self\">The airship that may usher in a new age</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231201-can-we-really-fuel-planes-with-fat-and-sugar\" target=\"_self\">Can we really fuel planes with fat and sugar?</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">To this end they used advanced 3-D printing to make their own tooling and \"prove\" they could build a flyable aircraft out of carbon fibre and their demonstrator \"way cheaper than anyone else,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I think these are praiseworthy and sincere ventures,\" says Sweetman. \"But what I see in a lot of these new projects is a sort of airy, \'We can do this, we are a new generation. Stop being negative grandpa.\'</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Sure, you can be optimistic, but you really must look at where the obstacles are, how much money is it really going to take you to get a product that you can offer to an airline, how to deliver it and then how much to be able to deliver it at a profit.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound is now busy turning Steve into the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gateway drone</a> which it can sell in the meantime. After that, it has plans for an upgraded version with double the wingspan, an ultra-long-range business jet, and the Olympic, as well as even bigger airliner planned for the 2040s. But there will be plenty of challenges to overcome before then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"There is a vast talent pool of aerospace engineers, managers and leaders here in Seattle who are, quite honestly, hungry for something new,\" says Boysen, \"and that is why we are here.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"if-you-liked-this-story,\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">If you liked this story,</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://cloud.email.bbc.com/SignUp10_08?&amp;at_bbc_team=studios&amp;at_medium=Onsite&amp;at_objective=acquisition&amp;at_ptr_name=bbc.com&amp;at_link_origin=featuresarticle&amp;at_campaign=essentiallist&amp;at_campaign_type=owned\" target=\"_self\"><i id=\"sign-up-for-the-essential-list-newsletter\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">sign up for The Essential List newsletter</i></a><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><i id=\"–-a-handpicked-selection-of-features,-videos-and-can\'t-miss-news,-delivered-to-your-inbox-twice-a-week.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">– a handpicked selection of features, videos and can\'t-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week.</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"for-more-science,-technology,-environment-and-health-stories-from-the-bbc,-follow-us-on\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BBCFuture/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"facebook\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Facebook</i></a><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><i id=\"and\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">and</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bbcfuture_official/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"instagram\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Instagram</i></a><i id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">.</b></i></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Blended wings: The sci-fi aircraft concept that could appear at an airport near you 2','','inherit','closed','closed','','4738-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 12:55:16','2025-11-10 12:55:16','',4738,'https://asiance.co/?p=4745',0,'revision','',0),(4746,1,'2025-11-10 12:55:19','2025-11-10 12:55:19','<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4616 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc08c.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"the-concept-of-blended-wing-aircraft-–-where-fuselage-and-wing-are-all-one-structure-–-is-not-new.-but-this-radical-design-might-soon-be-a-credible-concept-for-airliners.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">The concept of blended-wing aircraft – where fuselage and wing are all one structure – is not new. But this radical design might soon be a credible concept for airliners.</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 2025</a>, a small V-shaped remote-controlled aircraft took off for the first time from the Pendleton UAS Range in eastern Oregon. Codenamed Steve (for Scaled Test Vehicle), the unmanned vehicle flew for <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">only 16 seconds</a> on its first flight, but that didn\'t matter.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s first and subsequent flights were the first steps on a path that its creator, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Outbound Aerospace</a>, hopes will <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/outbound-aerospaces-subscale-steve-makes-first-flight/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lead to</a> the launch of a radical new <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.geekwire.com/2025/outbound-aerospace-test-flight-funding/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">200 to 250-seat</a> blended-wing airliner in the 2030s. With a 171ft (52m) wingspan around eight times that of Steve – this airliner that has already been named the Olympic.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The idea that the wings and fuselage of an aircraft can be smoothly blended, with no clear dividing line, to increase aerodynamic efficiency dates back more than 100 years. In 1924, the first recorded blended-wing aircraft made its first flight – and then crashed.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, blended-wing technology has primarily been left to the US military to develop for their bombers. Now the aviation industry\'s pressing need to reduce emissions may mean the time has come for the first blended-wing commercial airliner. But can startups like Outbound Aerospace overcome the serious challenges that remain?</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4617 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0br.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve\'s flights are intended to show the Seattle-based startup\'s innovative blended-wing aircraft design works, and that the company\'s \"novel\" manufacturing technology can deliver the new type of mid-market airliner faster and cheaper than the current big plane-makers like Airbus and Boeing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We went from a clean sheet design to a demonstrator in about 12 months,\" says Jake Armenta, a former Boeing engineer, and co-founder and chief technology officer of Outbound Aerospace. He believes his team has shown they can cut down the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/sres/aviation/index.php?idp=92#:~:text=A%20typical%20time%2Dhistory%20for,Aircraft%20lifetime%20=%2025%2D35%20years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5-10 years</a> or more it can take to develop a commercial aircraft. \"The aircraft flying for the first time was exactly nine months from the day we opened our factory doors for the first time.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Now their technology demonstrator is finding a new use as a cargo drone.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Now Steve has proved interesting to the US Department of Defense, and other, civilian customers, because it has a large cargo bay and could be cheaper than conventional designs. So that is the first product we\'re now bringing into market.\"</p>\r\n\"We believe we can drastically reduce the time and capital expense of the development of these aircraft but it\'s still going to be very expensive,\" adds Aaron Boysen, Outbound\'s director of business development. \"We have to earn revenue earlier than 10 years down the road.\"\r\n\r\nDespite scepticism from investors about the feasibility of their plans, Outbound has managed to raise around $1m (£765,000) in pre-seed funding so far. This money is the first investment a startup receives to turn ideas into reality, and it has allowed them to hire five full-time staff, contractors and part-timers as needed.\r\n\r\nOutbound isn\'t the only company going down this road. There are at least two other start-ups in the race to build the first blended-wing airliner, which has been \"a goal for so long that some people say it has become the \'holy grail of aviation\',\" says analyst and commentator Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4618 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0gw.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe gleaming computer-generated imagery of how the Olympic may look in the 2030s looks very different from the actual tube-and-wing airliners that Boeing and Airbus currently produce. Often called flying wings, these aircraft are more aerodynamically efficient than conventional airliners.\r\n\r\nIf a company can get a blended-wing design right then they argue that Nasa’s research suggests it might burn up to 50% less fuel by using the latest technology, reduce emissions by a similar amount, noise by a significant amount, do this with cabins that might be 40% larger, and, as a result, may conceivably open up new air routes. While seats near windows will be limited, there may be enough space for extra-large doors that would eliminate slow-moving queues of people waiting to board, as well as allow separate cabins for first-class, business and economy passengers.\r\n\r\nSome advocates for this radical rethinking of the commercial airliner have bigger ambitions. They hope that start-ups such as Outbound and its rivals like JetZero and Nautilus will open up the airliner market to new designs that don\'t come from Airbus or Boeing, blaming this duopoly for stifling new ideas in the industry.\r\n\r\nJetZero appears to have one of the highest profiles out of all the start-ups in the race to develop the first full-size blended-wing commercial airliner from a small-scale technology demonstrator. Based in Long Beach, California, it was awarded $235m (£74m) in funding from the United States Air Force (USAF) and further investment from United Airlines and Alaska Airlines to fund the development of its Z4. In addition, United Airlines has a\"path\" to ordering up to 200 Z4s if it meets the airlines requirements.\r\n\r\nJetZero has also partnered with prominent aerospace companies including BAE, Northrup Grumman and engine makers Pratt &amp; Whitney to develop the Z4. It has already flown its own small-scale Pathfinder I demonstrator and completed a critical design review. These are a formal evaluation of the final design to assess whether it is ready to manufacture.\r\n\r\nJust before the Paris Airshow in June 2025, JetZero announced that it had chosen the site for its factory to build the Z4. It is in Greensboro, North Carolina, next door to the factory where another aviation startup, Boom, is building its supersonic airliner, which United plans to order if it meets its requirements. JetZero ambitiously plans to start flights with a full-size demonstrator as-early-as 2027.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4619 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0p4.png-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOutbound Aerospace\'s Boysen isn\'t fazed by his rivals\' apparent progress. \"The publicity around JetZero and their pre-orders helps us all because it gets blended-wing bodies into the conversation of airlines and industry,\" he says. \"It means that they will face the two enormous costs of certification and public acceptance before us, and we will not have to incur those costs as steeply as they will.\"\r\n\r\nBlended wing designs have been an ambition of many aircraft designers since the earliest days of aviation. \"There is a great deal of interest now because there is a fever among the venture capitalists and tech bros to go out and disrupt as many fuddy-duddy old industries as they can find, and aviation is the next target,\" says Bill Sweetman.\r\n\r\n\"Advanced materials, computer aided design (CAD) and three-dimensional aerodynamics have all helped this new interest in blended-wing bodies.\r\n\r\n\"There are people who would like to see a new competitor to Airbus and Boeing…the problem is the huge expense of getting this thing into production, and starting a new commercial aircraft company is such an enormous task.\"\r\n\r\nBut he is sceptical over the value of airline support for these projects, despite the funding announced so far. \"The money these airlines are risking is change down the back of the sofa at this moment,\" adds Sweetman. \"The orders they have made are contingent on these start-ups being able to deliver something they want. This is like a green halo effect; it\'s more about the airlines advertising their new thinking.\"\r\n\r\nThat said, starting with a small-scale flight demonstrator and going to a full-size demonstrator may be a good idea. \"It will build a lot of confidence. But you can\'t build a production line for these things and just go into service with the small amount of testing that\'s been done now.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4620 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc0q5.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The first recorded blended-wing aircraft to fly is the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"http://www.yeovilhistory.info/westland-dreadnought.htm#:~:text=Table_title:%20An%20experimental%20fixed%2Dwing%20monoplane%20Table_content:%20header:,flight:%20%7C%20:%209%20May%201924%20%7C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Westland Dreadnought</a> in <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-westland-dreadnought-yeovil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1924.</a> Based on the futuristic design ideas of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.aerosociety.com/media/21941/aerospace-october-2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Russian inventor Nicolas Woyevodsky</a>, the eight-passenger Dreadnought <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/139472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crashed on its first flight</a> due to instability and loss of control, badly injuring its pilot, and it was abandoned.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Since then, the complexity of the blended-wing design has meant this configuration has largely been left for the military to pioneer, with successful designs such as the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104500/b-1b-lancer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rockwell B1-B Lancer</a> and <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/aircraft/b-21-raider\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northrop\'s new B-21 Raider</a>.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s quite complicated to get the design right because of the complex air flow around blended-wing aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"But it is relatively easy to do so if you are designing a bomber because they aren\'t large, pressurised spaces in there. The same is true for an air-refuelling tanker.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Over the past 30 years</a>, Nasa, Boeing, Airbus, Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac and even Canadian business jet manufacturer Bombardier have all explored blended-wing layouts for commercial aviation. Their research teams have often done this by building small-scale test aircraft like Steve, testing them in wind tunnels and then flying them out in the real world.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Much of the current wave of designs stems from <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://aviationweek.com/gallery-three-decades-blended-wing-body-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nasa\'s call in 1988 for revolutionary aircraft designs</a>. One team that responded included <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://sandiegoairandspace.org/hall-of-fame/honoree/robert-liebeck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Robert Lieback</a> who later became co-developer and project manager for Boeing\'s blended wing programmes. Their work on a futuristic blended-wing airliner eventually led to a remote-controlled aircraft designated the Boeing/Nasa X-48, which was named one of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://grainger.illinois.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame/robert-liebeck#:~:text=He%2520attained%2520world%2520recognition%2520starting,(BWB)%2520subsonic%2520transport%2520airplane.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Time Magazine\'s top inventions in 2007.</a> The X-48 may have been tiny, but it was <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/x-48b/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">designed to fly like a full-size plane.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The two X-48s built then embarked on a remarkable series of <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/armstrong/x-48-research-all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">120 flights over six years</a>. These fights tested how blended-wing aircraft responded to problems such as the engines failing or stalling, as well as exploring ways to reduce fuel consumption and noise levels.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4621 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/p0mfc14g.jpg-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Back in the day, Bob Liebeck was trying, very diligently, to overcome the practical problems of blended-wing bodied aircraft,\" says Sweetman. \"Probably the biggest one is having to put a pressurised passenger cabin in there.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Pressurised vessels tend to have circular cross-sections because flat surfaces experience very high loads under pressure, causing structural complications for any more box-like design. Then trying to design this around an appealing cabin was a further challenge.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"After McDonnell Douglas were taken over by Boeing, Liebeck started thinking that Boeing\'s next plane should be a blended-wing design instead of a 787,\" he adds. \"Then the inquisition came down from Seattle to put a stop to this heresy.\"</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 dmRQnh\" data-component=\"layout-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 jtOVxN\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-85f9acf9-0 kfxpiP\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound\'s Steve is intentionally the same size and dimensions as the X-48. \"The X-48 programme proved that modern flight control systems could effectively manage a blended wing design,\" says Boysen. \"But it was still expensive to build due to the complexities.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-79f47e18-0 kPoSwK\" data-component=\"advertisement-block\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-cd6075cf-0 DQtHs\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-e3b944af-0 bNXmwq\">\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-1 iwgJVV\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_9\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_9\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We were able to build and fly Steve, an aircraft that matches the X-48, but on a fraction of that programme\'s budget and in only nine months,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">He admits he has felt \"attacked\" by some investors when presenting Outbound\'s radical plans to them. But Boysen says the team \"truly believe\" that the only way to successfully develop and launch a radical new airliner like Olympic is not to become a Boeing 2.0 or Airbus 2.0.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We are questioning this status quo,\" he says. \"We have decided that to successfully build an entirely new aircraft we need to look at what we outsource and what we bring inside.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"more-like-this:\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">More like this:</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250729-windrunner-the-company-that-wants-to-build-the-worlds-largest-aircraft\" target=\"_self\">The aviation giant that doesn\'t yet exist</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250214-pathfinder-1-the-airship-that-could-usher-in-a-new-age\" target=\"_self\">The airship that may usher in a new age</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">• <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231201-can-we-really-fuel-planes-with-fat-and-sugar\" target=\"_self\">Can we really fuel planes with fat and sugar?</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">To this end they used advanced 3-D printing to make their own tooling and \"prove\" they could build a flyable aircraft out of carbon fibre and their demonstrator \"way cheaper than anyone else,\" says Armenta.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I think these are praiseworthy and sincere ventures,\" says Sweetman. \"But what I see in a lot of these new projects is a sort of airy, \'We can do this, we are a new generation. Stop being negative grandpa.\'</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Sure, you can be optimistic, but you really must look at where the obstacles are, how much money is it really going to take you to get a product that you can offer to an airline, how to deliver it and then how much to be able to deliver it at a profit.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Outbound is now busy turning Steve into the <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://outbound.aero/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gateway drone</a> which it can sell in the meantime. After that, it has plans for an upgraded version with double the wingspan, an ultra-long-range business jet, and the Olympic, as well as even bigger airliner planned for the 2040s. But there will be plenty of challenges to overcome before then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"There is a vast talent pool of aerospace engineers, managers and leaders here in Seattle who are, quite honestly, hungry for something new,\" says Boysen, \"and that is why we are here.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"if-you-liked-this-story,\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">If you liked this story,</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://cloud.email.bbc.com/SignUp10_08?&amp;at_bbc_team=studios&amp;at_medium=Onsite&amp;at_objective=acquisition&amp;at_ptr_name=bbc.com&amp;at_link_origin=featuresarticle&amp;at_campaign=essentiallist&amp;at_campaign_type=owned\" target=\"_self\"><i id=\"sign-up-for-the-essential-list-newsletter\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">sign up for The Essential List newsletter</i></a><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b><i id=\"–-a-handpicked-selection-of-features,-videos-and-can\'t-miss-news,-delivered-to-your-inbox-twice-a-week.\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">– a handpicked selection of features, videos and can\'t-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week.</i><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i></b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"for-more-science,-technology,-environment-and-health-stories-from-the-bbc,-follow-us-on\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"> </i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BBCFuture/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"facebook\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Facebook</i></a><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><i id=\"and\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">and</i><i id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b></i><a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bbcfuture_official/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i id=\"instagram\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\">Instagram</i></a><i id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">.</b></i></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Blended wings: The sci-fi aircraft concept that could appear at an airport near you 1','','inherit','closed','closed','','4737-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 12:55:19','2025-11-10 12:55:19','',4737,'https://asiance.co/?p=4746',0,'revision','',0),(4751,1,'2025-11-10 12:59:20','2025-11-10 12:59:20','<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4706 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/abb92520-bb2f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x225.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark has long been a staple of UK high streets, luring in shoppers with low-priced clothes, accessories and homeware.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in its UK and Ireland stores, like-for-like sales - a key metric in the retail industry - were <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj0enr1ez46o\" target=\"_self\">down 3.1%</a> in the year to September, which it attributed to a \"weak\" consumer environment and fewer people buying winter clothes during last year\'s mild autumn.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">As online stores like Shein and Vinted continue to attract young shoppers, does Primark face a fight to remain relevant - or is it just fine?</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"While the UK clothing market is seeing subdued growth, Primark has significantly underperformed the overall market,\" says Tamara Sender-Ceron, an associate director at market-research agency Mintel, adding that it faces \"increased competition\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some shoppers point out that online marketplaces like Shein and Temu have even lower prices, a huge range of products, and - crucially - home delivery, something Primark lacks.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">At Primark\'s biggest London store on Oxford Street, which BBC News visited this week, Serena Milius has just popped in with her 12-year-old daughter to look at pyjamas, socks and the new Stranger Things range.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Serena used to do most of her shopping at Primark - until Shein took over.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Shein\'s our main thing,\" the 34-year-old finance manager from Tooting, south-west London, says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says her wardrobe is now 90% Shein, and goes to Primark for \"little bits and bobs\" like flipflops, candles, socks and cosmetics dupes.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4707 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/79417610-bbc5-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x168.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Others tell the BBC they\'d rather splash out on better-quality products. This includes Martha, a 23-year-old student in Leeds, who only shops at Primark for basics like T-shirts, socks, underwear and cotton buds. For other items, she turns to Weekday, Zara and independent shops.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I like to buy more expensive items that I\'m going to wear over the years,\" she tells the BBC as she browses clothes in a Primark store with her mum.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark repeatedly faces criticism for its \"fast fashion\" approach with shoppers saying products they buy from there aren\'t hard-wearing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s not always a lasting item,\" Martha adds.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">However Primark\'s product longevity lead, Vicki Swain, said that they have developed a Durability Framework that would help people get more wear from their purchases - no matter how much they can afford to spend.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We\'ve been investing in making our clothes more durable and also making them with more sustainable materials,\" she told <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxvkxnwpnno\" target=\"_self\">BBC Radio 4\'s You and Yours programme.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The store was busy when the BBC visited on a late Wednesday afternoon, with mainly female shoppers browsing alone or in pairs.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some said they\'d gone out of their way to visit, others popping in after finding themselves in the area.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some say they\'re deterred by Primark\'s huge, sprawling stores which can sometimes get very busy.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do not enjoy shopping in a Primark,\" says Abbi Lily, a 24-year-old content creator from near Bournemouth. She describes the experience as \"very overwhelming\" and \"overstimulating\" and says it can be \"impossible\" to find things.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4708 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/be708750-bb32-11f0-aa13-0b0479f6f42a.jpg-300x245.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"245\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She used to buy most of her clothes from Primark, but feels it isn\'t as cheap as it used to be.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They just don\'t have the bargains as much anymore,\" she says, echoing comments some other shoppers made to the BBC.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Abbi sometimes shops at Shein, she\'s trying to become more \"intentional\" with her shopping and buy more second-hand items, including through Vinted and Depop.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A Primark spokesperson told BBC News that 85% of its products were £10 or under, and said it \"continually benchmarks\" its prices against competitors.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Shein uses AI to identify trends and launch \"thousands of new styles daily\", says Ms Sender-Ceron at Mintel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">According to a survey by Mintel in May, 46% of UK women aged 16 to 34 had bought fashion items from Shein in the last 12 months.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It has held pop-up shops in London and this week opened its <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\">first permanent physical shop</a> in a department store in Paris, with long queues of people waiting to get their hands on cut-price garments.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You can buy anything from Shein,\" said one shopper waiting in the French capital to visit on its opening day. \"It\'s such a cool thing for people my age who are struggling in this economy.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4709 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/92fe7230-bbe1-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But as shoppers queued to get into the store, protesters screamed \"Shame!\" at them. The critics were calling for a boycott of the brand because of the environmental impact of fast fashion and working conditions in its factories.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Just over an hour after the new store opened,<a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\"> the French government also confirmed it was initiating proceedings to suspend Shein\'s website</a>, after prosecutors said they were investigating the company over childlike sex dolls found on its website.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Paris prosecutors are also investigating three other platforms - Temu, AliExpress and Wish.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Allegations surrounding the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein first came to light from France\'s anti-fraud office. Shein has promised to co-operate fully.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In a statement, the retailer said it had already temporarily suspended listings from independent third-party vendors.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Should Primark offer delivery?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">With Shein specialising in delivering clothes to your door, Primark does offer click-and-collect services in its nearly 200 UK stores - but not deliveries.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some high-street retailers have been struggling in the UK, but Primark has largely bucked the trend - it\'s closing a store in Dartford, Kent, next year, which reports say will be its first store closure in a decade. It also opened dedicated Primark Home stores in Belfast and Manchester.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark relies on its customers shopping in bulk, Mr Stevenson says. \"You might be going in for one thing, but you end up buying seven things that you hadn\'t really thought about,\" he says. This doesn\'t happen as much with online shopping, he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Would Primark\'s sales be boosted if it did offer delivery? Mr Stevenson is sceptical, saying \"it doesn\'t feel like they\'re losing out by not doing that\", but that it could be an option in future.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you wanted to buy a couple of things from Primark for £5 each, are you going to pay 50% of that in delivery charge?\" he asks. \"Because buying £10 of stuff is going to cost me £5 to get it tomorrow.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark\'s spokesperson said that its online model was a \"deliberate choice to streamline operations and pass the savings directly to customers\".</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_5\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"></div>\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4710 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f2ec7950-bb35-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Primark\'s like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland are down, \"I absolutely don\'t think they\'re doing badly,\" says Mr Stevenson, the Peel Hunt analyst. Its UK and Ireland market share has grown, according to data from market-research company Kantar.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And its total sales globally in the year to September were up 1% compared to the previous year as it opened more stores in Europe and the US.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">For some shoppers, Primark will always have a hold on them. \"I absolutely love Primark,\" says Khloe Lightholder, a 34-year-old childcare worker from Essex.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says Primark is \"actually quite good quality for the price\" and she visits every few months for a couple of hours, usually spending £200 or more on shoes, bags, perfume and homeware. She sets herself a monthly budget, \"but every time I go to Primark that budget is out of the window\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">How much of a threat Shein and other budget retailers pose is an ongoing challenge, but it doesn\'t feel like Primark\'s brown shopping bags will disappear from our high streets any time soon.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Shoppers are turning to Shein - but some still can\'t leave Primark 5','','publish','closed','closed','','shoppers-are-turning-to-shein-but-some-still-cant-leave-primark-5','','','2025-11-10 12:59:20','2025-11-10 12:59:20','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4751',0,'news','',0),(4752,1,'2025-11-10 12:59:23','2025-11-10 12:59:23','<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4706 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/abb92520-bb2f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x225.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark has long been a staple of UK high streets, luring in shoppers with low-priced clothes, accessories and homeware.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in its UK and Ireland stores, like-for-like sales - a key metric in the retail industry - were <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj0enr1ez46o\" target=\"_self\">down 3.1%</a> in the year to September, which it attributed to a \"weak\" consumer environment and fewer people buying winter clothes during last year\'s mild autumn.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">As online stores like Shein and Vinted continue to attract young shoppers, does Primark face a fight to remain relevant - or is it just fine?</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"While the UK clothing market is seeing subdued growth, Primark has significantly underperformed the overall market,\" says Tamara Sender-Ceron, an associate director at market-research agency Mintel, adding that it faces \"increased competition\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some shoppers point out that online marketplaces like Shein and Temu have even lower prices, a huge range of products, and - crucially - home delivery, something Primark lacks.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">At Primark\'s biggest London store on Oxford Street, which BBC News visited this week, Serena Milius has just popped in with her 12-year-old daughter to look at pyjamas, socks and the new Stranger Things range.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Serena used to do most of her shopping at Primark - until Shein took over.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Shein\'s our main thing,\" the 34-year-old finance manager from Tooting, south-west London, says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says her wardrobe is now 90% Shein, and goes to Primark for \"little bits and bobs\" like flipflops, candles, socks and cosmetics dupes.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4707 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/79417610-bbc5-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x168.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Others tell the BBC they\'d rather splash out on better-quality products. This includes Martha, a 23-year-old student in Leeds, who only shops at Primark for basics like T-shirts, socks, underwear and cotton buds. For other items, she turns to Weekday, Zara and independent shops.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I like to buy more expensive items that I\'m going to wear over the years,\" she tells the BBC as she browses clothes in a Primark store with her mum.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark repeatedly faces criticism for its \"fast fashion\" approach with shoppers saying products they buy from there aren\'t hard-wearing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s not always a lasting item,\" Martha adds.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">However Primark\'s product longevity lead, Vicki Swain, said that they have developed a Durability Framework that would help people get more wear from their purchases - no matter how much they can afford to spend.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We\'ve been investing in making our clothes more durable and also making them with more sustainable materials,\" she told <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxvkxnwpnno\" target=\"_self\">BBC Radio 4\'s You and Yours programme.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The store was busy when the BBC visited on a late Wednesday afternoon, with mainly female shoppers browsing alone or in pairs.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some said they\'d gone out of their way to visit, others popping in after finding themselves in the area.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some say they\'re deterred by Primark\'s huge, sprawling stores which can sometimes get very busy.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do not enjoy shopping in a Primark,\" says Abbi Lily, a 24-year-old content creator from near Bournemouth. She describes the experience as \"very overwhelming\" and \"overstimulating\" and says it can be \"impossible\" to find things.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4708 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/be708750-bb32-11f0-aa13-0b0479f6f42a.jpg-300x245.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"245\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She used to buy most of her clothes from Primark, but feels it isn\'t as cheap as it used to be.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They just don\'t have the bargains as much anymore,\" she says, echoing comments some other shoppers made to the BBC.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Abbi sometimes shops at Shein, she\'s trying to become more \"intentional\" with her shopping and buy more second-hand items, including through Vinted and Depop.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A Primark spokesperson told BBC News that 85% of its products were £10 or under, and said it \"continually benchmarks\" its prices against competitors.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Shein uses AI to identify trends and launch \"thousands of new styles daily\", says Ms Sender-Ceron at Mintel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">According to a survey by Mintel in May, 46% of UK women aged 16 to 34 had bought fashion items from Shein in the last 12 months.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It has held pop-up shops in London and this week opened its <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\">first permanent physical shop</a> in a department store in Paris, with long queues of people waiting to get their hands on cut-price garments.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You can buy anything from Shein,\" said one shopper waiting in the French capital to visit on its opening day. \"It\'s such a cool thing for people my age who are struggling in this economy.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4709 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/92fe7230-bbe1-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But as shoppers queued to get into the store, protesters screamed \"Shame!\" at them. The critics were calling for a boycott of the brand because of the environmental impact of fast fashion and working conditions in its factories.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Just over an hour after the new store opened,<a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\"> the French government also confirmed it was initiating proceedings to suspend Shein\'s website</a>, after prosecutors said they were investigating the company over childlike sex dolls found on its website.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Paris prosecutors are also investigating three other platforms - Temu, AliExpress and Wish.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Allegations surrounding the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein first came to light from France\'s anti-fraud office. Shein has promised to co-operate fully.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In a statement, the retailer said it had already temporarily suspended listings from independent third-party vendors.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Should Primark offer delivery?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">With Shein specialising in delivering clothes to your door, Primark does offer click-and-collect services in its nearly 200 UK stores - but not deliveries.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some high-street retailers have been struggling in the UK, but Primark has largely bucked the trend - it\'s closing a store in Dartford, Kent, next year, which reports say will be its first store closure in a decade. It also opened dedicated Primark Home stores in Belfast and Manchester.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark relies on its customers shopping in bulk, Mr Stevenson says. \"You might be going in for one thing, but you end up buying seven things that you hadn\'t really thought about,\" he says. This doesn\'t happen as much with online shopping, he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Would Primark\'s sales be boosted if it did offer delivery? Mr Stevenson is sceptical, saying \"it doesn\'t feel like they\'re losing out by not doing that\", but that it could be an option in future.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you wanted to buy a couple of things from Primark for £5 each, are you going to pay 50% of that in delivery charge?\" he asks. \"Because buying £10 of stuff is going to cost me £5 to get it tomorrow.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark\'s spokesperson said that its online model was a \"deliberate choice to streamline operations and pass the savings directly to customers\".</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_5\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"></div>\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4710 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f2ec7950-bb35-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Primark\'s like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland are down, \"I absolutely don\'t think they\'re doing badly,\" says Mr Stevenson, the Peel Hunt analyst. Its UK and Ireland market share has grown, according to data from market-research company Kantar.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And its total sales globally in the year to September were up 1% compared to the previous year as it opened more stores in Europe and the US.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">For some shoppers, Primark will always have a hold on them. \"I absolutely love Primark,\" says Khloe Lightholder, a 34-year-old childcare worker from Essex.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says Primark is \"actually quite good quality for the price\" and she visits every few months for a couple of hours, usually spending £200 or more on shoes, bags, perfume and homeware. She sets herself a monthly budget, \"but every time I go to Primark that budget is out of the window\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">How much of a threat Shein and other budget retailers pose is an ongoing challenge, but it doesn\'t feel like Primark\'s brown shopping bags will disappear from our high streets any time soon.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Shoppers are turning to Shein - but some still can\'t leave Primark 4','','publish','closed','closed','','shoppers-are-turning-to-shein-but-some-still-cant-leave-primark-4','','','2025-11-10 12:59:23','2025-11-10 12:59:23','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4752',0,'news','',0),(4753,1,'2025-11-10 12:59:25','2025-11-10 12:59:25','<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4706 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/abb92520-bb2f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x225.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark has long been a staple of UK high streets, luring in shoppers with low-priced clothes, accessories and homeware.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in its UK and Ireland stores, like-for-like sales - a key metric in the retail industry - were <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj0enr1ez46o\" target=\"_self\">down 3.1%</a> in the year to September, which it attributed to a \"weak\" consumer environment and fewer people buying winter clothes during last year\'s mild autumn.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">As online stores like Shein and Vinted continue to attract young shoppers, does Primark face a fight to remain relevant - or is it just fine?</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"While the UK clothing market is seeing subdued growth, Primark has significantly underperformed the overall market,\" says Tamara Sender-Ceron, an associate director at market-research agency Mintel, adding that it faces \"increased competition\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some shoppers point out that online marketplaces like Shein and Temu have even lower prices, a huge range of products, and - crucially - home delivery, something Primark lacks.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">At Primark\'s biggest London store on Oxford Street, which BBC News visited this week, Serena Milius has just popped in with her 12-year-old daughter to look at pyjamas, socks and the new Stranger Things range.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Serena used to do most of her shopping at Primark - until Shein took over.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Shein\'s our main thing,\" the 34-year-old finance manager from Tooting, south-west London, says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says her wardrobe is now 90% Shein, and goes to Primark for \"little bits and bobs\" like flipflops, candles, socks and cosmetics dupes.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4707 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/79417610-bbc5-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x168.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Others tell the BBC they\'d rather splash out on better-quality products. This includes Martha, a 23-year-old student in Leeds, who only shops at Primark for basics like T-shirts, socks, underwear and cotton buds. For other items, she turns to Weekday, Zara and independent shops.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I like to buy more expensive items that I\'m going to wear over the years,\" she tells the BBC as she browses clothes in a Primark store with her mum.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark repeatedly faces criticism for its \"fast fashion\" approach with shoppers saying products they buy from there aren\'t hard-wearing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s not always a lasting item,\" Martha adds.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">However Primark\'s product longevity lead, Vicki Swain, said that they have developed a Durability Framework that would help people get more wear from their purchases - no matter how much they can afford to spend.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We\'ve been investing in making our clothes more durable and also making them with more sustainable materials,\" she told <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxvkxnwpnno\" target=\"_self\">BBC Radio 4\'s You and Yours programme.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The store was busy when the BBC visited on a late Wednesday afternoon, with mainly female shoppers browsing alone or in pairs.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some said they\'d gone out of their way to visit, others popping in after finding themselves in the area.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some say they\'re deterred by Primark\'s huge, sprawling stores which can sometimes get very busy.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do not enjoy shopping in a Primark,\" says Abbi Lily, a 24-year-old content creator from near Bournemouth. She describes the experience as \"very overwhelming\" and \"overstimulating\" and says it can be \"impossible\" to find things.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4708 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/be708750-bb32-11f0-aa13-0b0479f6f42a.jpg-300x245.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"245\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She used to buy most of her clothes from Primark, but feels it isn\'t as cheap as it used to be.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They just don\'t have the bargains as much anymore,\" she says, echoing comments some other shoppers made to the BBC.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Abbi sometimes shops at Shein, she\'s trying to become more \"intentional\" with her shopping and buy more second-hand items, including through Vinted and Depop.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A Primark spokesperson told BBC News that 85% of its products were £10 or under, and said it \"continually benchmarks\" its prices against competitors.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Shein uses AI to identify trends and launch \"thousands of new styles daily\", says Ms Sender-Ceron at Mintel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">According to a survey by Mintel in May, 46% of UK women aged 16 to 34 had bought fashion items from Shein in the last 12 months.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It has held pop-up shops in London and this week opened its <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\">first permanent physical shop</a> in a department store in Paris, with long queues of people waiting to get their hands on cut-price garments.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You can buy anything from Shein,\" said one shopper waiting in the French capital to visit on its opening day. \"It\'s such a cool thing for people my age who are struggling in this economy.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4709 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/92fe7230-bbe1-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But as shoppers queued to get into the store, protesters screamed \"Shame!\" at them. The critics were calling for a boycott of the brand because of the environmental impact of fast fashion and working conditions in its factories.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Just over an hour after the new store opened,<a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\"> the French government also confirmed it was initiating proceedings to suspend Shein\'s website</a>, after prosecutors said they were investigating the company over childlike sex dolls found on its website.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Paris prosecutors are also investigating three other platforms - Temu, AliExpress and Wish.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Allegations surrounding the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein first came to light from France\'s anti-fraud office. Shein has promised to co-operate fully.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In a statement, the retailer said it had already temporarily suspended listings from independent third-party vendors.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Should Primark offer delivery?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">With Shein specialising in delivering clothes to your door, Primark does offer click-and-collect services in its nearly 200 UK stores - but not deliveries.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some high-street retailers have been struggling in the UK, but Primark has largely bucked the trend - it\'s closing a store in Dartford, Kent, next year, which reports say will be its first store closure in a decade. It also opened dedicated Primark Home stores in Belfast and Manchester.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark relies on its customers shopping in bulk, Mr Stevenson says. \"You might be going in for one thing, but you end up buying seven things that you hadn\'t really thought about,\" he says. This doesn\'t happen as much with online shopping, he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Would Primark\'s sales be boosted if it did offer delivery? Mr Stevenson is sceptical, saying \"it doesn\'t feel like they\'re losing out by not doing that\", but that it could be an option in future.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you wanted to buy a couple of things from Primark for £5 each, are you going to pay 50% of that in delivery charge?\" he asks. \"Because buying £10 of stuff is going to cost me £5 to get it tomorrow.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark\'s spokesperson said that its online model was a \"deliberate choice to streamline operations and pass the savings directly to customers\".</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_5\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"></div>\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4710 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f2ec7950-bb35-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Primark\'s like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland are down, \"I absolutely don\'t think they\'re doing badly,\" says Mr Stevenson, the Peel Hunt analyst. Its UK and Ireland market share has grown, according to data from market-research company Kantar.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And its total sales globally in the year to September were up 1% compared to the previous year as it opened more stores in Europe and the US.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">For some shoppers, Primark will always have a hold on them. \"I absolutely love Primark,\" says Khloe Lightholder, a 34-year-old childcare worker from Essex.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says Primark is \"actually quite good quality for the price\" and she visits every few months for a couple of hours, usually spending £200 or more on shoes, bags, perfume and homeware. She sets herself a monthly budget, \"but every time I go to Primark that budget is out of the window\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">How much of a threat Shein and other budget retailers pose is an ongoing challenge, but it doesn\'t feel like Primark\'s brown shopping bags will disappear from our high streets any time soon.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Shoppers are turning to Shein - but some still can\'t leave Primark 3','','publish','closed','closed','','shoppers-are-turning-to-shein-but-some-still-cant-leave-primark-3','','','2025-11-10 12:59:25','2025-11-10 12:59:25','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4753',0,'news','',0),(4754,1,'2025-11-10 12:59:28','2025-11-10 12:59:28','<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4706 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/abb92520-bb2f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x225.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark has long been a staple of UK high streets, luring in shoppers with low-priced clothes, accessories and homeware.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in its UK and Ireland stores, like-for-like sales - a key metric in the retail industry - were <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj0enr1ez46o\" target=\"_self\">down 3.1%</a> in the year to September, which it attributed to a \"weak\" consumer environment and fewer people buying winter clothes during last year\'s mild autumn.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">As online stores like Shein and Vinted continue to attract young shoppers, does Primark face a fight to remain relevant - or is it just fine?</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"While the UK clothing market is seeing subdued growth, Primark has significantly underperformed the overall market,\" says Tamara Sender-Ceron, an associate director at market-research agency Mintel, adding that it faces \"increased competition\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some shoppers point out that online marketplaces like Shein and Temu have even lower prices, a huge range of products, and - crucially - home delivery, something Primark lacks.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">At Primark\'s biggest London store on Oxford Street, which BBC News visited this week, Serena Milius has just popped in with her 12-year-old daughter to look at pyjamas, socks and the new Stranger Things range.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Serena used to do most of her shopping at Primark - until Shein took over.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Shein\'s our main thing,\" the 34-year-old finance manager from Tooting, south-west London, says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says her wardrobe is now 90% Shein, and goes to Primark for \"little bits and bobs\" like flipflops, candles, socks and cosmetics dupes.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4707 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/79417610-bbc5-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x168.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Others tell the BBC they\'d rather splash out on better-quality products. This includes Martha, a 23-year-old student in Leeds, who only shops at Primark for basics like T-shirts, socks, underwear and cotton buds. For other items, she turns to Weekday, Zara and independent shops.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I like to buy more expensive items that I\'m going to wear over the years,\" she tells the BBC as she browses clothes in a Primark store with her mum.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark repeatedly faces criticism for its \"fast fashion\" approach with shoppers saying products they buy from there aren\'t hard-wearing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s not always a lasting item,\" Martha adds.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">However Primark\'s product longevity lead, Vicki Swain, said that they have developed a Durability Framework that would help people get more wear from their purchases - no matter how much they can afford to spend.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We\'ve been investing in making our clothes more durable and also making them with more sustainable materials,\" she told <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxvkxnwpnno\" target=\"_self\">BBC Radio 4\'s You and Yours programme.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The store was busy when the BBC visited on a late Wednesday afternoon, with mainly female shoppers browsing alone or in pairs.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some said they\'d gone out of their way to visit, others popping in after finding themselves in the area.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some say they\'re deterred by Primark\'s huge, sprawling stores which can sometimes get very busy.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do not enjoy shopping in a Primark,\" says Abbi Lily, a 24-year-old content creator from near Bournemouth. She describes the experience as \"very overwhelming\" and \"overstimulating\" and says it can be \"impossible\" to find things.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4708 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/be708750-bb32-11f0-aa13-0b0479f6f42a.jpg-300x245.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"245\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She used to buy most of her clothes from Primark, but feels it isn\'t as cheap as it used to be.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They just don\'t have the bargains as much anymore,\" she says, echoing comments some other shoppers made to the BBC.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Abbi sometimes shops at Shein, she\'s trying to become more \"intentional\" with her shopping and buy more second-hand items, including through Vinted and Depop.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A Primark spokesperson told BBC News that 85% of its products were £10 or under, and said it \"continually benchmarks\" its prices against competitors.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Shein uses AI to identify trends and launch \"thousands of new styles daily\", says Ms Sender-Ceron at Mintel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">According to a survey by Mintel in May, 46% of UK women aged 16 to 34 had bought fashion items from Shein in the last 12 months.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It has held pop-up shops in London and this week opened its <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\">first permanent physical shop</a> in a department store in Paris, with long queues of people waiting to get their hands on cut-price garments.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You can buy anything from Shein,\" said one shopper waiting in the French capital to visit on its opening day. \"It\'s such a cool thing for people my age who are struggling in this economy.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4709 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/92fe7230-bbe1-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But as shoppers queued to get into the store, protesters screamed \"Shame!\" at them. The critics were calling for a boycott of the brand because of the environmental impact of fast fashion and working conditions in its factories.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Just over an hour after the new store opened,<a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\"> the French government also confirmed it was initiating proceedings to suspend Shein\'s website</a>, after prosecutors said they were investigating the company over childlike sex dolls found on its website.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Paris prosecutors are also investigating three other platforms - Temu, AliExpress and Wish.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Allegations surrounding the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein first came to light from France\'s anti-fraud office. Shein has promised to co-operate fully.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In a statement, the retailer said it had already temporarily suspended listings from independent third-party vendors.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Should Primark offer delivery?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">With Shein specialising in delivering clothes to your door, Primark does offer click-and-collect services in its nearly 200 UK stores - but not deliveries.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some high-street retailers have been struggling in the UK, but Primark has largely bucked the trend - it\'s closing a store in Dartford, Kent, next year, which reports say will be its first store closure in a decade. It also opened dedicated Primark Home stores in Belfast and Manchester.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark relies on its customers shopping in bulk, Mr Stevenson says. \"You might be going in for one thing, but you end up buying seven things that you hadn\'t really thought about,\" he says. This doesn\'t happen as much with online shopping, he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Would Primark\'s sales be boosted if it did offer delivery? Mr Stevenson is sceptical, saying \"it doesn\'t feel like they\'re losing out by not doing that\", but that it could be an option in future.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you wanted to buy a couple of things from Primark for £5 each, are you going to pay 50% of that in delivery charge?\" he asks. \"Because buying £10 of stuff is going to cost me £5 to get it tomorrow.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark\'s spokesperson said that its online model was a \"deliberate choice to streamline operations and pass the savings directly to customers\".</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_5\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"></div>\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4710 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f2ec7950-bb35-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Primark\'s like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland are down, \"I absolutely don\'t think they\'re doing badly,\" says Mr Stevenson, the Peel Hunt analyst. Its UK and Ireland market share has grown, according to data from market-research company Kantar.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And its total sales globally in the year to September were up 1% compared to the previous year as it opened more stores in Europe and the US.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">For some shoppers, Primark will always have a hold on them. \"I absolutely love Primark,\" says Khloe Lightholder, a 34-year-old childcare worker from Essex.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says Primark is \"actually quite good quality for the price\" and she visits every few months for a couple of hours, usually spending £200 or more on shoes, bags, perfume and homeware. She sets herself a monthly budget, \"but every time I go to Primark that budget is out of the window\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">How much of a threat Shein and other budget retailers pose is an ongoing challenge, but it doesn\'t feel like Primark\'s brown shopping bags will disappear from our high streets any time soon.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Shoppers are turning to Shein - but some still can\'t leave Primark 2','','publish','closed','closed','','shoppers-are-turning-to-shein-but-some-still-cant-leave-primark-2','','','2025-11-10 12:59:28','2025-11-10 12:59:28','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4754',0,'news','',0),(4755,1,'2025-11-10 12:59:31','2025-11-10 12:59:31','<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4706 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/abb92520-bb2f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x225.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark has long been a staple of UK high streets, luring in shoppers with low-priced clothes, accessories and homeware.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in its UK and Ireland stores, like-for-like sales - a key metric in the retail industry - were <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj0enr1ez46o\" target=\"_self\">down 3.1%</a> in the year to September, which it attributed to a \"weak\" consumer environment and fewer people buying winter clothes during last year\'s mild autumn.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">As online stores like Shein and Vinted continue to attract young shoppers, does Primark face a fight to remain relevant - or is it just fine?</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"While the UK clothing market is seeing subdued growth, Primark has significantly underperformed the overall market,\" says Tamara Sender-Ceron, an associate director at market-research agency Mintel, adding that it faces \"increased competition\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some shoppers point out that online marketplaces like Shein and Temu have even lower prices, a huge range of products, and - crucially - home delivery, something Primark lacks.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">At Primark\'s biggest London store on Oxford Street, which BBC News visited this week, Serena Milius has just popped in with her 12-year-old daughter to look at pyjamas, socks and the new Stranger Things range.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Serena used to do most of her shopping at Primark - until Shein took over.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Shein\'s our main thing,\" the 34-year-old finance manager from Tooting, south-west London, says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says her wardrobe is now 90% Shein, and goes to Primark for \"little bits and bobs\" like flipflops, candles, socks and cosmetics dupes.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4707 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/79417610-bbc5-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x168.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Others tell the BBC they\'d rather splash out on better-quality products. This includes Martha, a 23-year-old student in Leeds, who only shops at Primark for basics like T-shirts, socks, underwear and cotton buds. For other items, she turns to Weekday, Zara and independent shops.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I like to buy more expensive items that I\'m going to wear over the years,\" she tells the BBC as she browses clothes in a Primark store with her mum.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark repeatedly faces criticism for its \"fast fashion\" approach with shoppers saying products they buy from there aren\'t hard-wearing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s not always a lasting item,\" Martha adds.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">However Primark\'s product longevity lead, Vicki Swain, said that they have developed a Durability Framework that would help people get more wear from their purchases - no matter how much they can afford to spend.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We\'ve been investing in making our clothes more durable and also making them with more sustainable materials,\" she told <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxvkxnwpnno\" target=\"_self\">BBC Radio 4\'s You and Yours programme.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The store was busy when the BBC visited on a late Wednesday afternoon, with mainly female shoppers browsing alone or in pairs.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some said they\'d gone out of their way to visit, others popping in after finding themselves in the area.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some say they\'re deterred by Primark\'s huge, sprawling stores which can sometimes get very busy.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do not enjoy shopping in a Primark,\" says Abbi Lily, a 24-year-old content creator from near Bournemouth. She describes the experience as \"very overwhelming\" and \"overstimulating\" and says it can be \"impossible\" to find things.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4708 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/be708750-bb32-11f0-aa13-0b0479f6f42a.jpg-300x245.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"245\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She used to buy most of her clothes from Primark, but feels it isn\'t as cheap as it used to be.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They just don\'t have the bargains as much anymore,\" she says, echoing comments some other shoppers made to the BBC.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Abbi sometimes shops at Shein, she\'s trying to become more \"intentional\" with her shopping and buy more second-hand items, including through Vinted and Depop.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A Primark spokesperson told BBC News that 85% of its products were £10 or under, and said it \"continually benchmarks\" its prices against competitors.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Shein uses AI to identify trends and launch \"thousands of new styles daily\", says Ms Sender-Ceron at Mintel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">According to a survey by Mintel in May, 46% of UK women aged 16 to 34 had bought fashion items from Shein in the last 12 months.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It has held pop-up shops in London and this week opened its <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\">first permanent physical shop</a> in a department store in Paris, with long queues of people waiting to get their hands on cut-price garments.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You can buy anything from Shein,\" said one shopper waiting in the French capital to visit on its opening day. \"It\'s such a cool thing for people my age who are struggling in this economy.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4709 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/92fe7230-bbe1-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But as shoppers queued to get into the store, protesters screamed \"Shame!\" at them. The critics were calling for a boycott of the brand because of the environmental impact of fast fashion and working conditions in its factories.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Just over an hour after the new store opened,<a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\"> the French government also confirmed it was initiating proceedings to suspend Shein\'s website</a>, after prosecutors said they were investigating the company over childlike sex dolls found on its website.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Paris prosecutors are also investigating three other platforms - Temu, AliExpress and Wish.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Allegations surrounding the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein first came to light from France\'s anti-fraud office. Shein has promised to co-operate fully.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In a statement, the retailer said it had already temporarily suspended listings from independent third-party vendors.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Should Primark offer delivery?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">With Shein specialising in delivering clothes to your door, Primark does offer click-and-collect services in its nearly 200 UK stores - but not deliveries.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some high-street retailers have been struggling in the UK, but Primark has largely bucked the trend - it\'s closing a store in Dartford, Kent, next year, which reports say will be its first store closure in a decade. It also opened dedicated Primark Home stores in Belfast and Manchester.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark relies on its customers shopping in bulk, Mr Stevenson says. \"You might be going in for one thing, but you end up buying seven things that you hadn\'t really thought about,\" he says. This doesn\'t happen as much with online shopping, he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Would Primark\'s sales be boosted if it did offer delivery? Mr Stevenson is sceptical, saying \"it doesn\'t feel like they\'re losing out by not doing that\", but that it could be an option in future.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you wanted to buy a couple of things from Primark for £5 each, are you going to pay 50% of that in delivery charge?\" he asks. \"Because buying £10 of stuff is going to cost me £5 to get it tomorrow.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark\'s spokesperson said that its online model was a \"deliberate choice to streamline operations and pass the savings directly to customers\".</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_5\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"></div>\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4710 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f2ec7950-bb35-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Primark\'s like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland are down, \"I absolutely don\'t think they\'re doing badly,\" says Mr Stevenson, the Peel Hunt analyst. Its UK and Ireland market share has grown, according to data from market-research company Kantar.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And its total sales globally in the year to September were up 1% compared to the previous year as it opened more stores in Europe and the US.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">For some shoppers, Primark will always have a hold on them. \"I absolutely love Primark,\" says Khloe Lightholder, a 34-year-old childcare worker from Essex.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says Primark is \"actually quite good quality for the price\" and she visits every few months for a couple of hours, usually spending £200 or more on shoes, bags, perfume and homeware. She sets herself a monthly budget, \"but every time I go to Primark that budget is out of the window\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">How much of a threat Shein and other budget retailers pose is an ongoing challenge, but it doesn\'t feel like Primark\'s brown shopping bags will disappear from our high streets any time soon.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Shoppers are turning to Shein - but some still can\'t leave Primark 1','','publish','closed','closed','','shoppers-are-turning-to-shein-but-some-still-cant-leave-primark-1','','','2025-11-10 12:59:31','2025-11-10 12:59:31','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4755',0,'news','',0),(4756,1,'2025-11-10 12:59:20','2025-11-10 12:59:20','<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4706 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/abb92520-bb2f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x225.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark has long been a staple of UK high streets, luring in shoppers with low-priced clothes, accessories and homeware.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in its UK and Ireland stores, like-for-like sales - a key metric in the retail industry - were <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj0enr1ez46o\" target=\"_self\">down 3.1%</a> in the year to September, which it attributed to a \"weak\" consumer environment and fewer people buying winter clothes during last year\'s mild autumn.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">As online stores like Shein and Vinted continue to attract young shoppers, does Primark face a fight to remain relevant - or is it just fine?</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"While the UK clothing market is seeing subdued growth, Primark has significantly underperformed the overall market,\" says Tamara Sender-Ceron, an associate director at market-research agency Mintel, adding that it faces \"increased competition\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some shoppers point out that online marketplaces like Shein and Temu have even lower prices, a huge range of products, and - crucially - home delivery, something Primark lacks.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">At Primark\'s biggest London store on Oxford Street, which BBC News visited this week, Serena Milius has just popped in with her 12-year-old daughter to look at pyjamas, socks and the new Stranger Things range.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Serena used to do most of her shopping at Primark - until Shein took over.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Shein\'s our main thing,\" the 34-year-old finance manager from Tooting, south-west London, says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says her wardrobe is now 90% Shein, and goes to Primark for \"little bits and bobs\" like flipflops, candles, socks and cosmetics dupes.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4707 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/79417610-bbc5-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x168.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Others tell the BBC they\'d rather splash out on better-quality products. This includes Martha, a 23-year-old student in Leeds, who only shops at Primark for basics like T-shirts, socks, underwear and cotton buds. For other items, she turns to Weekday, Zara and independent shops.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I like to buy more expensive items that I\'m going to wear over the years,\" she tells the BBC as she browses clothes in a Primark store with her mum.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark repeatedly faces criticism for its \"fast fashion\" approach with shoppers saying products they buy from there aren\'t hard-wearing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s not always a lasting item,\" Martha adds.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">However Primark\'s product longevity lead, Vicki Swain, said that they have developed a Durability Framework that would help people get more wear from their purchases - no matter how much they can afford to spend.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We\'ve been investing in making our clothes more durable and also making them with more sustainable materials,\" she told <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxvkxnwpnno\" target=\"_self\">BBC Radio 4\'s You and Yours programme.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The store was busy when the BBC visited on a late Wednesday afternoon, with mainly female shoppers browsing alone or in pairs.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some said they\'d gone out of their way to visit, others popping in after finding themselves in the area.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some say they\'re deterred by Primark\'s huge, sprawling stores which can sometimes get very busy.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do not enjoy shopping in a Primark,\" says Abbi Lily, a 24-year-old content creator from near Bournemouth. She describes the experience as \"very overwhelming\" and \"overstimulating\" and says it can be \"impossible\" to find things.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4708 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/be708750-bb32-11f0-aa13-0b0479f6f42a.jpg-300x245.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"245\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She used to buy most of her clothes from Primark, but feels it isn\'t as cheap as it used to be.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They just don\'t have the bargains as much anymore,\" she says, echoing comments some other shoppers made to the BBC.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Abbi sometimes shops at Shein, she\'s trying to become more \"intentional\" with her shopping and buy more second-hand items, including through Vinted and Depop.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A Primark spokesperson told BBC News that 85% of its products were £10 or under, and said it \"continually benchmarks\" its prices against competitors.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Shein uses AI to identify trends and launch \"thousands of new styles daily\", says Ms Sender-Ceron at Mintel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">According to a survey by Mintel in May, 46% of UK women aged 16 to 34 had bought fashion items from Shein in the last 12 months.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It has held pop-up shops in London and this week opened its <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\">first permanent physical shop</a> in a department store in Paris, with long queues of people waiting to get their hands on cut-price garments.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You can buy anything from Shein,\" said one shopper waiting in the French capital to visit on its opening day. \"It\'s such a cool thing for people my age who are struggling in this economy.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4709 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/92fe7230-bbe1-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But as shoppers queued to get into the store, protesters screamed \"Shame!\" at them. The critics were calling for a boycott of the brand because of the environmental impact of fast fashion and working conditions in its factories.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Just over an hour after the new store opened,<a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\"> the French government also confirmed it was initiating proceedings to suspend Shein\'s website</a>, after prosecutors said they were investigating the company over childlike sex dolls found on its website.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Paris prosecutors are also investigating three other platforms - Temu, AliExpress and Wish.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Allegations surrounding the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein first came to light from France\'s anti-fraud office. Shein has promised to co-operate fully.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In a statement, the retailer said it had already temporarily suspended listings from independent third-party vendors.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Should Primark offer delivery?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">With Shein specialising in delivering clothes to your door, Primark does offer click-and-collect services in its nearly 200 UK stores - but not deliveries.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some high-street retailers have been struggling in the UK, but Primark has largely bucked the trend - it\'s closing a store in Dartford, Kent, next year, which reports say will be its first store closure in a decade. It also opened dedicated Primark Home stores in Belfast and Manchester.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark relies on its customers shopping in bulk, Mr Stevenson says. \"You might be going in for one thing, but you end up buying seven things that you hadn\'t really thought about,\" he says. This doesn\'t happen as much with online shopping, he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Would Primark\'s sales be boosted if it did offer delivery? Mr Stevenson is sceptical, saying \"it doesn\'t feel like they\'re losing out by not doing that\", but that it could be an option in future.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you wanted to buy a couple of things from Primark for £5 each, are you going to pay 50% of that in delivery charge?\" he asks. \"Because buying £10 of stuff is going to cost me £5 to get it tomorrow.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark\'s spokesperson said that its online model was a \"deliberate choice to streamline operations and pass the savings directly to customers\".</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_5\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"></div>\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4710 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f2ec7950-bb35-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Primark\'s like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland are down, \"I absolutely don\'t think they\'re doing badly,\" says Mr Stevenson, the Peel Hunt analyst. Its UK and Ireland market share has grown, according to data from market-research company Kantar.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And its total sales globally in the year to September were up 1% compared to the previous year as it opened more stores in Europe and the US.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">For some shoppers, Primark will always have a hold on them. \"I absolutely love Primark,\" says Khloe Lightholder, a 34-year-old childcare worker from Essex.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says Primark is \"actually quite good quality for the price\" and she visits every few months for a couple of hours, usually spending £200 or more on shoes, bags, perfume and homeware. She sets herself a monthly budget, \"but every time I go to Primark that budget is out of the window\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">How much of a threat Shein and other budget retailers pose is an ongoing challenge, but it doesn\'t feel like Primark\'s brown shopping bags will disappear from our high streets any time soon.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Shoppers are turning to Shein - but some still can\'t leave Primark 5','','inherit','closed','closed','','4751-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 12:59:20','2025-11-10 12:59:20','',4751,'https://asiance.co/?p=4756',0,'revision','',0),(4757,1,'2025-11-10 12:59:23','2025-11-10 12:59:23','<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4706 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/abb92520-bb2f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x225.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark has long been a staple of UK high streets, luring in shoppers with low-priced clothes, accessories and homeware.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in its UK and Ireland stores, like-for-like sales - a key metric in the retail industry - were <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj0enr1ez46o\" target=\"_self\">down 3.1%</a> in the year to September, which it attributed to a \"weak\" consumer environment and fewer people buying winter clothes during last year\'s mild autumn.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">As online stores like Shein and Vinted continue to attract young shoppers, does Primark face a fight to remain relevant - or is it just fine?</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"While the UK clothing market is seeing subdued growth, Primark has significantly underperformed the overall market,\" says Tamara Sender-Ceron, an associate director at market-research agency Mintel, adding that it faces \"increased competition\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some shoppers point out that online marketplaces like Shein and Temu have even lower prices, a huge range of products, and - crucially - home delivery, something Primark lacks.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">At Primark\'s biggest London store on Oxford Street, which BBC News visited this week, Serena Milius has just popped in with her 12-year-old daughter to look at pyjamas, socks and the new Stranger Things range.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Serena used to do most of her shopping at Primark - until Shein took over.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Shein\'s our main thing,\" the 34-year-old finance manager from Tooting, south-west London, says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says her wardrobe is now 90% Shein, and goes to Primark for \"little bits and bobs\" like flipflops, candles, socks and cosmetics dupes.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4707 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/79417610-bbc5-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x168.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Others tell the BBC they\'d rather splash out on better-quality products. This includes Martha, a 23-year-old student in Leeds, who only shops at Primark for basics like T-shirts, socks, underwear and cotton buds. For other items, she turns to Weekday, Zara and independent shops.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I like to buy more expensive items that I\'m going to wear over the years,\" she tells the BBC as she browses clothes in a Primark store with her mum.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark repeatedly faces criticism for its \"fast fashion\" approach with shoppers saying products they buy from there aren\'t hard-wearing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s not always a lasting item,\" Martha adds.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">However Primark\'s product longevity lead, Vicki Swain, said that they have developed a Durability Framework that would help people get more wear from their purchases - no matter how much they can afford to spend.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We\'ve been investing in making our clothes more durable and also making them with more sustainable materials,\" she told <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxvkxnwpnno\" target=\"_self\">BBC Radio 4\'s You and Yours programme.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The store was busy when the BBC visited on a late Wednesday afternoon, with mainly female shoppers browsing alone or in pairs.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some said they\'d gone out of their way to visit, others popping in after finding themselves in the area.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some say they\'re deterred by Primark\'s huge, sprawling stores which can sometimes get very busy.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do not enjoy shopping in a Primark,\" says Abbi Lily, a 24-year-old content creator from near Bournemouth. She describes the experience as \"very overwhelming\" and \"overstimulating\" and says it can be \"impossible\" to find things.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4708 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/be708750-bb32-11f0-aa13-0b0479f6f42a.jpg-300x245.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"245\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She used to buy most of her clothes from Primark, but feels it isn\'t as cheap as it used to be.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They just don\'t have the bargains as much anymore,\" she says, echoing comments some other shoppers made to the BBC.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Abbi sometimes shops at Shein, she\'s trying to become more \"intentional\" with her shopping and buy more second-hand items, including through Vinted and Depop.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A Primark spokesperson told BBC News that 85% of its products were £10 or under, and said it \"continually benchmarks\" its prices against competitors.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Shein uses AI to identify trends and launch \"thousands of new styles daily\", says Ms Sender-Ceron at Mintel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">According to a survey by Mintel in May, 46% of UK women aged 16 to 34 had bought fashion items from Shein in the last 12 months.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It has held pop-up shops in London and this week opened its <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\">first permanent physical shop</a> in a department store in Paris, with long queues of people waiting to get their hands on cut-price garments.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You can buy anything from Shein,\" said one shopper waiting in the French capital to visit on its opening day. \"It\'s such a cool thing for people my age who are struggling in this economy.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4709 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/92fe7230-bbe1-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But as shoppers queued to get into the store, protesters screamed \"Shame!\" at them. The critics were calling for a boycott of the brand because of the environmental impact of fast fashion and working conditions in its factories.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Just over an hour after the new store opened,<a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\"> the French government also confirmed it was initiating proceedings to suspend Shein\'s website</a>, after prosecutors said they were investigating the company over childlike sex dolls found on its website.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Paris prosecutors are also investigating three other platforms - Temu, AliExpress and Wish.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Allegations surrounding the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein first came to light from France\'s anti-fraud office. Shein has promised to co-operate fully.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In a statement, the retailer said it had already temporarily suspended listings from independent third-party vendors.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Should Primark offer delivery?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">With Shein specialising in delivering clothes to your door, Primark does offer click-and-collect services in its nearly 200 UK stores - but not deliveries.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some high-street retailers have been struggling in the UK, but Primark has largely bucked the trend - it\'s closing a store in Dartford, Kent, next year, which reports say will be its first store closure in a decade. It also opened dedicated Primark Home stores in Belfast and Manchester.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark relies on its customers shopping in bulk, Mr Stevenson says. \"You might be going in for one thing, but you end up buying seven things that you hadn\'t really thought about,\" he says. This doesn\'t happen as much with online shopping, he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Would Primark\'s sales be boosted if it did offer delivery? Mr Stevenson is sceptical, saying \"it doesn\'t feel like they\'re losing out by not doing that\", but that it could be an option in future.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you wanted to buy a couple of things from Primark for £5 each, are you going to pay 50% of that in delivery charge?\" he asks. \"Because buying £10 of stuff is going to cost me £5 to get it tomorrow.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark\'s spokesperson said that its online model was a \"deliberate choice to streamline operations and pass the savings directly to customers\".</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_5\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"></div>\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4710 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f2ec7950-bb35-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Primark\'s like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland are down, \"I absolutely don\'t think they\'re doing badly,\" says Mr Stevenson, the Peel Hunt analyst. Its UK and Ireland market share has grown, according to data from market-research company Kantar.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And its total sales globally in the year to September were up 1% compared to the previous year as it opened more stores in Europe and the US.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">For some shoppers, Primark will always have a hold on them. \"I absolutely love Primark,\" says Khloe Lightholder, a 34-year-old childcare worker from Essex.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says Primark is \"actually quite good quality for the price\" and she visits every few months for a couple of hours, usually spending £200 or more on shoes, bags, perfume and homeware. She sets herself a monthly budget, \"but every time I go to Primark that budget is out of the window\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">How much of a threat Shein and other budget retailers pose is an ongoing challenge, but it doesn\'t feel like Primark\'s brown shopping bags will disappear from our high streets any time soon.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Shoppers are turning to Shein - but some still can\'t leave Primark 4','','inherit','closed','closed','','4752-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 12:59:23','2025-11-10 12:59:23','',4752,'https://asiance.co/?p=4757',0,'revision','',0),(4758,1,'2025-11-10 12:59:25','2025-11-10 12:59:25','<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4706 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/abb92520-bb2f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x225.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark has long been a staple of UK high streets, luring in shoppers with low-priced clothes, accessories and homeware.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in its UK and Ireland stores, like-for-like sales - a key metric in the retail industry - were <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj0enr1ez46o\" target=\"_self\">down 3.1%</a> in the year to September, which it attributed to a \"weak\" consumer environment and fewer people buying winter clothes during last year\'s mild autumn.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">As online stores like Shein and Vinted continue to attract young shoppers, does Primark face a fight to remain relevant - or is it just fine?</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"While the UK clothing market is seeing subdued growth, Primark has significantly underperformed the overall market,\" says Tamara Sender-Ceron, an associate director at market-research agency Mintel, adding that it faces \"increased competition\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some shoppers point out that online marketplaces like Shein and Temu have even lower prices, a huge range of products, and - crucially - home delivery, something Primark lacks.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">At Primark\'s biggest London store on Oxford Street, which BBC News visited this week, Serena Milius has just popped in with her 12-year-old daughter to look at pyjamas, socks and the new Stranger Things range.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Serena used to do most of her shopping at Primark - until Shein took over.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Shein\'s our main thing,\" the 34-year-old finance manager from Tooting, south-west London, says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says her wardrobe is now 90% Shein, and goes to Primark for \"little bits and bobs\" like flipflops, candles, socks and cosmetics dupes.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4707 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/79417610-bbc5-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x168.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Others tell the BBC they\'d rather splash out on better-quality products. This includes Martha, a 23-year-old student in Leeds, who only shops at Primark for basics like T-shirts, socks, underwear and cotton buds. For other items, she turns to Weekday, Zara and independent shops.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I like to buy more expensive items that I\'m going to wear over the years,\" she tells the BBC as she browses clothes in a Primark store with her mum.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark repeatedly faces criticism for its \"fast fashion\" approach with shoppers saying products they buy from there aren\'t hard-wearing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s not always a lasting item,\" Martha adds.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">However Primark\'s product longevity lead, Vicki Swain, said that they have developed a Durability Framework that would help people get more wear from their purchases - no matter how much they can afford to spend.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We\'ve been investing in making our clothes more durable and also making them with more sustainable materials,\" she told <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxvkxnwpnno\" target=\"_self\">BBC Radio 4\'s You and Yours programme.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The store was busy when the BBC visited on a late Wednesday afternoon, with mainly female shoppers browsing alone or in pairs.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some said they\'d gone out of their way to visit, others popping in after finding themselves in the area.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some say they\'re deterred by Primark\'s huge, sprawling stores which can sometimes get very busy.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do not enjoy shopping in a Primark,\" says Abbi Lily, a 24-year-old content creator from near Bournemouth. She describes the experience as \"very overwhelming\" and \"overstimulating\" and says it can be \"impossible\" to find things.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4708 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/be708750-bb32-11f0-aa13-0b0479f6f42a.jpg-300x245.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"245\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She used to buy most of her clothes from Primark, but feels it isn\'t as cheap as it used to be.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They just don\'t have the bargains as much anymore,\" she says, echoing comments some other shoppers made to the BBC.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Abbi sometimes shops at Shein, she\'s trying to become more \"intentional\" with her shopping and buy more second-hand items, including through Vinted and Depop.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A Primark spokesperson told BBC News that 85% of its products were £10 or under, and said it \"continually benchmarks\" its prices against competitors.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Shein uses AI to identify trends and launch \"thousands of new styles daily\", says Ms Sender-Ceron at Mintel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">According to a survey by Mintel in May, 46% of UK women aged 16 to 34 had bought fashion items from Shein in the last 12 months.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It has held pop-up shops in London and this week opened its <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\">first permanent physical shop</a> in a department store in Paris, with long queues of people waiting to get their hands on cut-price garments.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You can buy anything from Shein,\" said one shopper waiting in the French capital to visit on its opening day. \"It\'s such a cool thing for people my age who are struggling in this economy.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4709 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/92fe7230-bbe1-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But as shoppers queued to get into the store, protesters screamed \"Shame!\" at them. The critics were calling for a boycott of the brand because of the environmental impact of fast fashion and working conditions in its factories.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Just over an hour after the new store opened,<a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\"> the French government also confirmed it was initiating proceedings to suspend Shein\'s website</a>, after prosecutors said they were investigating the company over childlike sex dolls found on its website.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Paris prosecutors are also investigating three other platforms - Temu, AliExpress and Wish.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Allegations surrounding the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein first came to light from France\'s anti-fraud office. Shein has promised to co-operate fully.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In a statement, the retailer said it had already temporarily suspended listings from independent third-party vendors.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Should Primark offer delivery?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">With Shein specialising in delivering clothes to your door, Primark does offer click-and-collect services in its nearly 200 UK stores - but not deliveries.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some high-street retailers have been struggling in the UK, but Primark has largely bucked the trend - it\'s closing a store in Dartford, Kent, next year, which reports say will be its first store closure in a decade. It also opened dedicated Primark Home stores in Belfast and Manchester.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark relies on its customers shopping in bulk, Mr Stevenson says. \"You might be going in for one thing, but you end up buying seven things that you hadn\'t really thought about,\" he says. This doesn\'t happen as much with online shopping, he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Would Primark\'s sales be boosted if it did offer delivery? Mr Stevenson is sceptical, saying \"it doesn\'t feel like they\'re losing out by not doing that\", but that it could be an option in future.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you wanted to buy a couple of things from Primark for £5 each, are you going to pay 50% of that in delivery charge?\" he asks. \"Because buying £10 of stuff is going to cost me £5 to get it tomorrow.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark\'s spokesperson said that its online model was a \"deliberate choice to streamline operations and pass the savings directly to customers\".</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_5\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"></div>\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4710 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f2ec7950-bb35-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Primark\'s like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland are down, \"I absolutely don\'t think they\'re doing badly,\" says Mr Stevenson, the Peel Hunt analyst. Its UK and Ireland market share has grown, according to data from market-research company Kantar.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And its total sales globally in the year to September were up 1% compared to the previous year as it opened more stores in Europe and the US.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">For some shoppers, Primark will always have a hold on them. \"I absolutely love Primark,\" says Khloe Lightholder, a 34-year-old childcare worker from Essex.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says Primark is \"actually quite good quality for the price\" and she visits every few months for a couple of hours, usually spending £200 or more on shoes, bags, perfume and homeware. She sets herself a monthly budget, \"but every time I go to Primark that budget is out of the window\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">How much of a threat Shein and other budget retailers pose is an ongoing challenge, but it doesn\'t feel like Primark\'s brown shopping bags will disappear from our high streets any time soon.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Shoppers are turning to Shein - but some still can\'t leave Primark 3','','inherit','closed','closed','','4753-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 12:59:25','2025-11-10 12:59:25','',4753,'https://asiance.co/?p=4758',0,'revision','',0),(4759,1,'2025-11-10 12:59:28','2025-11-10 12:59:28','<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4706 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/abb92520-bb2f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x225.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark has long been a staple of UK high streets, luring in shoppers with low-priced clothes, accessories and homeware.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in its UK and Ireland stores, like-for-like sales - a key metric in the retail industry - were <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj0enr1ez46o\" target=\"_self\">down 3.1%</a> in the year to September, which it attributed to a \"weak\" consumer environment and fewer people buying winter clothes during last year\'s mild autumn.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">As online stores like Shein and Vinted continue to attract young shoppers, does Primark face a fight to remain relevant - or is it just fine?</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"While the UK clothing market is seeing subdued growth, Primark has significantly underperformed the overall market,\" says Tamara Sender-Ceron, an associate director at market-research agency Mintel, adding that it faces \"increased competition\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some shoppers point out that online marketplaces like Shein and Temu have even lower prices, a huge range of products, and - crucially - home delivery, something Primark lacks.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">At Primark\'s biggest London store on Oxford Street, which BBC News visited this week, Serena Milius has just popped in with her 12-year-old daughter to look at pyjamas, socks and the new Stranger Things range.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Serena used to do most of her shopping at Primark - until Shein took over.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Shein\'s our main thing,\" the 34-year-old finance manager from Tooting, south-west London, says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says her wardrobe is now 90% Shein, and goes to Primark for \"little bits and bobs\" like flipflops, candles, socks and cosmetics dupes.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4707 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/79417610-bbc5-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x168.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Others tell the BBC they\'d rather splash out on better-quality products. This includes Martha, a 23-year-old student in Leeds, who only shops at Primark for basics like T-shirts, socks, underwear and cotton buds. For other items, she turns to Weekday, Zara and independent shops.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I like to buy more expensive items that I\'m going to wear over the years,\" she tells the BBC as she browses clothes in a Primark store with her mum.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark repeatedly faces criticism for its \"fast fashion\" approach with shoppers saying products they buy from there aren\'t hard-wearing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s not always a lasting item,\" Martha adds.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">However Primark\'s product longevity lead, Vicki Swain, said that they have developed a Durability Framework that would help people get more wear from their purchases - no matter how much they can afford to spend.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We\'ve been investing in making our clothes more durable and also making them with more sustainable materials,\" she told <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxvkxnwpnno\" target=\"_self\">BBC Radio 4\'s You and Yours programme.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The store was busy when the BBC visited on a late Wednesday afternoon, with mainly female shoppers browsing alone or in pairs.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some said they\'d gone out of their way to visit, others popping in after finding themselves in the area.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some say they\'re deterred by Primark\'s huge, sprawling stores which can sometimes get very busy.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do not enjoy shopping in a Primark,\" says Abbi Lily, a 24-year-old content creator from near Bournemouth. She describes the experience as \"very overwhelming\" and \"overstimulating\" and says it can be \"impossible\" to find things.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4708 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/be708750-bb32-11f0-aa13-0b0479f6f42a.jpg-300x245.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"245\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She used to buy most of her clothes from Primark, but feels it isn\'t as cheap as it used to be.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They just don\'t have the bargains as much anymore,\" she says, echoing comments some other shoppers made to the BBC.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Abbi sometimes shops at Shein, she\'s trying to become more \"intentional\" with her shopping and buy more second-hand items, including through Vinted and Depop.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A Primark spokesperson told BBC News that 85% of its products were £10 or under, and said it \"continually benchmarks\" its prices against competitors.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Shein uses AI to identify trends and launch \"thousands of new styles daily\", says Ms Sender-Ceron at Mintel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">According to a survey by Mintel in May, 46% of UK women aged 16 to 34 had bought fashion items from Shein in the last 12 months.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It has held pop-up shops in London and this week opened its <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\">first permanent physical shop</a> in a department store in Paris, with long queues of people waiting to get their hands on cut-price garments.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You can buy anything from Shein,\" said one shopper waiting in the French capital to visit on its opening day. \"It\'s such a cool thing for people my age who are struggling in this economy.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4709 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/92fe7230-bbe1-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But as shoppers queued to get into the store, protesters screamed \"Shame!\" at them. The critics were calling for a boycott of the brand because of the environmental impact of fast fashion and working conditions in its factories.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Just over an hour after the new store opened,<a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\"> the French government also confirmed it was initiating proceedings to suspend Shein\'s website</a>, after prosecutors said they were investigating the company over childlike sex dolls found on its website.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Paris prosecutors are also investigating three other platforms - Temu, AliExpress and Wish.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Allegations surrounding the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein first came to light from France\'s anti-fraud office. Shein has promised to co-operate fully.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In a statement, the retailer said it had already temporarily suspended listings from independent third-party vendors.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Should Primark offer delivery?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">With Shein specialising in delivering clothes to your door, Primark does offer click-and-collect services in its nearly 200 UK stores - but not deliveries.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some high-street retailers have been struggling in the UK, but Primark has largely bucked the trend - it\'s closing a store in Dartford, Kent, next year, which reports say will be its first store closure in a decade. It also opened dedicated Primark Home stores in Belfast and Manchester.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark relies on its customers shopping in bulk, Mr Stevenson says. \"You might be going in for one thing, but you end up buying seven things that you hadn\'t really thought about,\" he says. This doesn\'t happen as much with online shopping, he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Would Primark\'s sales be boosted if it did offer delivery? Mr Stevenson is sceptical, saying \"it doesn\'t feel like they\'re losing out by not doing that\", but that it could be an option in future.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you wanted to buy a couple of things from Primark for £5 each, are you going to pay 50% of that in delivery charge?\" he asks. \"Because buying £10 of stuff is going to cost me £5 to get it tomorrow.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark\'s spokesperson said that its online model was a \"deliberate choice to streamline operations and pass the savings directly to customers\".</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_5\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"></div>\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4710 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f2ec7950-bb35-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Primark\'s like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland are down, \"I absolutely don\'t think they\'re doing badly,\" says Mr Stevenson, the Peel Hunt analyst. Its UK and Ireland market share has grown, according to data from market-research company Kantar.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And its total sales globally in the year to September were up 1% compared to the previous year as it opened more stores in Europe and the US.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">For some shoppers, Primark will always have a hold on them. \"I absolutely love Primark,\" says Khloe Lightholder, a 34-year-old childcare worker from Essex.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says Primark is \"actually quite good quality for the price\" and she visits every few months for a couple of hours, usually spending £200 or more on shoes, bags, perfume and homeware. She sets herself a monthly budget, \"but every time I go to Primark that budget is out of the window\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">How much of a threat Shein and other budget retailers pose is an ongoing challenge, but it doesn\'t feel like Primark\'s brown shopping bags will disappear from our high streets any time soon.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Shoppers are turning to Shein - but some still can\'t leave Primark 2','','inherit','closed','closed','','4754-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 12:59:28','2025-11-10 12:59:28','',4754,'https://asiance.co/?p=4759',0,'revision','',0),(4760,1,'2025-11-10 12:59:31','2025-11-10 12:59:31','<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4706 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/abb92520-bb2f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x225.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark has long been a staple of UK high streets, luring in shoppers with low-priced clothes, accessories and homeware.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in its UK and Ireland stores, like-for-like sales - a key metric in the retail industry - were <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj0enr1ez46o\" target=\"_self\">down 3.1%</a> in the year to September, which it attributed to a \"weak\" consumer environment and fewer people buying winter clothes during last year\'s mild autumn.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">As online stores like Shein and Vinted continue to attract young shoppers, does Primark face a fight to remain relevant - or is it just fine?</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"While the UK clothing market is seeing subdued growth, Primark has significantly underperformed the overall market,\" says Tamara Sender-Ceron, an associate director at market-research agency Mintel, adding that it faces \"increased competition\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some shoppers point out that online marketplaces like Shein and Temu have even lower prices, a huge range of products, and - crucially - home delivery, something Primark lacks.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">At Primark\'s biggest London store on Oxford Street, which BBC News visited this week, Serena Milius has just popped in with her 12-year-old daughter to look at pyjamas, socks and the new Stranger Things range.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Serena used to do most of her shopping at Primark - until Shein took over.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Shein\'s our main thing,\" the 34-year-old finance manager from Tooting, south-west London, says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says her wardrobe is now 90% Shein, and goes to Primark for \"little bits and bobs\" like flipflops, candles, socks and cosmetics dupes.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4707 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/79417610-bbc5-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x168.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Others tell the BBC they\'d rather splash out on better-quality products. This includes Martha, a 23-year-old student in Leeds, who only shops at Primark for basics like T-shirts, socks, underwear and cotton buds. For other items, she turns to Weekday, Zara and independent shops.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I like to buy more expensive items that I\'m going to wear over the years,\" she tells the BBC as she browses clothes in a Primark store with her mum.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark repeatedly faces criticism for its \"fast fashion\" approach with shoppers saying products they buy from there aren\'t hard-wearing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s not always a lasting item,\" Martha adds.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">However Primark\'s product longevity lead, Vicki Swain, said that they have developed a Durability Framework that would help people get more wear from their purchases - no matter how much they can afford to spend.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"We\'ve been investing in making our clothes more durable and also making them with more sustainable materials,\" she told <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxvkxnwpnno\" target=\"_self\">BBC Radio 4\'s You and Yours programme.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The store was busy when the BBC visited on a late Wednesday afternoon, with mainly female shoppers browsing alone or in pairs.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some said they\'d gone out of their way to visit, others popping in after finding themselves in the area.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some say they\'re deterred by Primark\'s huge, sprawling stores which can sometimes get very busy.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do not enjoy shopping in a Primark,\" says Abbi Lily, a 24-year-old content creator from near Bournemouth. She describes the experience as \"very overwhelming\" and \"overstimulating\" and says it can be \"impossible\" to find things.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4708 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/be708750-bb32-11f0-aa13-0b0479f6f42a.jpg-300x245.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"245\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She used to buy most of her clothes from Primark, but feels it isn\'t as cheap as it used to be.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They just don\'t have the bargains as much anymore,\" she says, echoing comments some other shoppers made to the BBC.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Abbi sometimes shops at Shein, she\'s trying to become more \"intentional\" with her shopping and buy more second-hand items, including through Vinted and Depop.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A Primark spokesperson told BBC News that 85% of its products were £10 or under, and said it \"continually benchmarks\" its prices against competitors.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Shein uses AI to identify trends and launch \"thousands of new styles daily\", says Ms Sender-Ceron at Mintel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">According to a survey by Mintel in May, 46% of UK women aged 16 to 34 had bought fashion items from Shein in the last 12 months.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It has held pop-up shops in London and this week opened its <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\">first permanent physical shop</a> in a department store in Paris, with long queues of people waiting to get their hands on cut-price garments.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You can buy anything from Shein,\" said one shopper waiting in the French capital to visit on its opening day. \"It\'s such a cool thing for people my age who are struggling in this economy.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4709 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/92fe7230-bbe1-11f0-8456-eff94716b162.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But as shoppers queued to get into the store, protesters screamed \"Shame!\" at them. The critics were calling for a boycott of the brand because of the environmental impact of fast fashion and working conditions in its factories.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Just over an hour after the new store opened,<a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2lppx2jm7o\" target=\"_self\"> the French government also confirmed it was initiating proceedings to suspend Shein\'s website</a>, after prosecutors said they were investigating the company over childlike sex dolls found on its website.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Paris prosecutors are also investigating three other platforms - Temu, AliExpress and Wish.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Allegations surrounding the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein first came to light from France\'s anti-fraud office. Shein has promised to co-operate fully.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In a statement, the retailer said it had already temporarily suspended listings from independent third-party vendors.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Should Primark offer delivery?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">With Shein specialising in delivering clothes to your door, Primark does offer click-and-collect services in its nearly 200 UK stores - but not deliveries.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Some high-street retailers have been struggling in the UK, but Primark has largely bucked the trend - it\'s closing a store in Dartford, Kent, next year, which reports say will be its first store closure in a decade. It also opened dedicated Primark Home stores in Belfast and Manchester.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark relies on its customers shopping in bulk, Mr Stevenson says. \"You might be going in for one thing, but you end up buying seven things that you hadn\'t really thought about,\" he says. This doesn\'t happen as much with online shopping, he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Would Primark\'s sales be boosted if it did offer delivery? Mr Stevenson is sceptical, saying \"it doesn\'t feel like they\'re losing out by not doing that\", but that it could be an option in future.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you wanted to buy a couple of things from Primark for £5 each, are you going to pay 50% of that in delivery charge?\" he asks. \"Because buying £10 of stuff is going to cost me £5 to get it tomorrow.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Primark\'s spokesperson said that its online model was a \"deliberate choice to streamline operations and pass the savings directly to customers\".</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_5\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"></div>\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_5\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4710 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f2ec7950-bb35-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div data-google-query-id=\"CJjGuvDN55ADFaHPDQkddZ4K_g\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Though Primark\'s like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland are down, \"I absolutely don\'t think they\'re doing badly,\" says Mr Stevenson, the Peel Hunt analyst. Its UK and Ireland market share has grown, according to data from market-research company Kantar.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And its total sales globally in the year to September were up 1% compared to the previous year as it opened more stores in Europe and the US.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">For some shoppers, Primark will always have a hold on them. \"I absolutely love Primark,\" says Khloe Lightholder, a 34-year-old childcare worker from Essex.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She says Primark is \"actually quite good quality for the price\" and she visits every few months for a couple of hours, usually spending £200 or more on shoes, bags, perfume and homeware. She sets herself a monthly budget, \"but every time I go to Primark that budget is out of the window\".</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">How much of a threat Shein and other budget retailers pose is an ongoing challenge, but it doesn\'t feel like Primark\'s brown shopping bags will disappear from our high streets any time soon.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Shoppers are turning to Shein - but some still can\'t leave Primark 1','','inherit','closed','closed','','4755-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 12:59:31','2025-11-10 12:59:31','',4755,'https://asiance.co/?p=4760',0,'revision','',0),(4761,1,'2025-11-10 13:01:01','2025-11-10 13:01:01','<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"there\'s-a-famous-motto-in-the-cut-throat-world-of-television-that-many-presenters-live-by:-&quot;don\'t-quit-a-hit.&quot;\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">There\'s a famous motto in the cut-throat world of television that many presenters live by: \"Don\'t quit a hit.\"</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It\'s one of the reasons Claudia Winkleman\'s departure from Strictly Come Dancing, along with Tess Daly, took many by surprise when it was announced last month.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in Winkleman\'s case, the huge Saturday night hit she\'d co-hosted for 15 years had actually been eclipsed by an even bigger one.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The Traitors, which Winkleman began fronting in 2022, has become the jewel in the BBC\'s crown, with its recent celebrity spin-off attracting more than 13 million viewers.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The show has proven a perfect vehicle for Winkleman to showcase her range. She\'s stern and severe, with a dark side viewers hadn\'t previously seen, but also silly, camp and warm - always seeming to be genuinely on the side of the contestants.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'d be hard to argue against her being the number one presenter in the country right now,\" says Alex Segal, managing director of talent agency InterTalent.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Yes, you can of course still make a case for Ant and Dec, but in terms of the number of great shows, her trajectory, the love for her... people watch a show for her as much as they watch it for the format, I think she\'s in that moment now.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In an average year, viewers see Winkleman bouncing between a Scottish castle, a Hertfordshire ballroom and a train station piano (the latter, for Channel 4’s The Piano, which she also fronts). But another place the 53-year-old might soon be popping up is on her own chat show.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4692 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f92cabc0-bb1f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Industry reports suggest Winkleman is in advanced talks to host her own talk series - with Graham Norton\'s own production company So Television, which also makes his chat show for the BBC, said to be potentially producing it.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s an endorsement of Claudia\'s meteoric rise over the last few years,\" says Deadline’s Jake Kanter, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://deadline.com/2025/10/claudia-winkleman-bbc-chat-show-graham-norton-show-producer-1236596242/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">who reported the negotiations.</a> \"She will be very keen to do this, I\'m told it\'s a personal ambition of hers as well.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although Winkleman is seemingly being positioned as Norton\'s successor, there would be no direct clash. Her show would be broadcast in the months The Graham Norton Show - still a huge draw for audiences on TV and socials <b id=\"-\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">-</b> is off air.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Kanter notes that <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0028dnj/the-graham-norton-show-series-32-episode-20\" target=\"_self\">Winkleman stepped in for Norton</a> on an episode of his chat show earlier this year. \"I\'m sure that would\'ve been either a catalyst or starting point for some of these discussions,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They would\'ve seen what she did, the BBC would\'ve liked it, and I\'m sure they have done other work behind the scenes to make sure the format is right with her.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The BBC declined to comment on reports of the chat show when asked by BBC News, which is editorially independent from the corporation. So Television were also approached for a response.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A chat show would, however, be a logical next step given Winkleman\'s current hot streak, which comes after her three-decade rise through television.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Fringe benefits</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman is the daughter of newspaper editor Eve Pollard and book publisher Barry Winkleman. She studied art history at Cambridge, before launching a TV career in her twenties.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Willing to turn her hand to anything, she became a familiar face in the 1990s on BBC travel series Holiday, and her CV expanded with gameshows, dating formats and children\'s programmes.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in typically self-deprecating fashion, Winkleman suggested her haircut had more to do with her success than her on-screen ability.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You may loathe my fringe, but, and I\'m being perfectly serious here, it\'s given me a career,\" she wrote in her 2020 memoir, Quite.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I\'m sure I got work because all those times producers were in a room ruminating on the next TV show, handing round digestives and they couldn\'t remember names, they said, \'We could always get the orange one with the fringe\'.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Believe me, it\'s not because I read out loud better than anyone else... It\'s because I have a thing, an epithet, a focus.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4693 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/dbd07e20-bb2a-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Early in her career, Winkleman was also used as a pundit on daytime TV shows. In 1996, for example, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h7me5ewyBsI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she was billed as a \"chat-up connoisseur\"</a> during a dating segment on Good Morning with Anne and Nick.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It is a fascinating clip. Aged 24, Winkleman\'s voice is higher than it is today, and her cut-glass English accent more refined. But she was comfortable on camera, and, three decades later, her appeal remains the same now as it was then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"First and foremost, she\'s funny,\" says Frances Taylor, TV previews editor at Radio Times. \"She has that natural comic timing and ability to be entertaining.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And an extra layer on top of that is how self-deprecating that sense of humour is, that\'s her secret weapon to me, she\'s always willing to make herself the butt of the joke.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She\'s also \"incredibly authentic\", Kanter adds. \"When you see her at industry events, she is her TV persona. She\'s the best friend you\'d love to have. She\'s fun, empathetic, understanding, sharp, and those qualities exude from the screen.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4694 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/9f53b460-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-200x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although her salary is <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dn6kxxqxko\" target=\"_self\">no longer published by the BBC,</a> Winkleman is<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>among the corporation\'s top earners. She was listed as making more than £450,000 in 2017.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But not everything she\'s done has been a hit.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Britain\'s Best Home Cook on BBC One, for instance, achieved relatively middling ratings despite the combined star power of Winkleman and Mary Berry.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Meanwhile, some felt she was less successful in Radio 2\'s Saturday morning slot than Norton, her predecessor. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/claudia-winkleman-s-new-radio-2-show-gets-off-to-a-brainless-start/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Spectator described</a> the show as \"brainless\", suggesting Winkleman \"gushed\" over her guests and asked obvious questions.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She also hosts Channel 4 quiz show<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>One Question, notes Taylor. \"But not many people have heard of it, and not many people watched it.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Away from the screen, London-based Winkleman shares three children with her husband of 25 years, film producer Kris Thykier. She<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>has often spoken of her close-knit family life, including a <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67600011\" target=\"_self\">desire to spend more time at home</a> with her children.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The family have also faced personal struggles. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32723504\" target=\"_self\">Her daughter Matilda was seriously injured in 2014</a> when, aged eight, the witch\'s costume she was wearing for Halloween caught fire while she was out trick-or-treating.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman, who put out the flames with another parent, took a short break from Strictly, and later campaigned for tougher fire safety laws on fancy dress costumes. Matilda, now 19, has gone on to study at the University of Bath.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">\'Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion\'</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Unlike some of her peers such as Gary Lineker or Rylan Clark, Winkleman is almost never involved in controversy. She doesn\'t share her political views and rarely grants interviews with news outlets.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do have opinions, but opinions are never a good idea, are they?\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/claudia-winkleman/id1527545442?i=1000489817358\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she told Gabby Logan\'s podcast The Mid Point.</a> \"Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion, is my general view.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And also, I don\'t think I\'ve got anything that interesting to say. So I\'m happy to talk about napping and my love of eyeliner. I have nothing to add, I really don\'t.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She has, however, still had to navigate the occasional tricky situation, such as when she was a presenter on the BBC\'s entertainment bulletin Liquid News.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">During a 2003 interview with S Club 7 about their impending break-up, Winkleman asked a delicate question about reports they were unhappy with their earnings. The group\'s publicist <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m8UJMYjcTk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">walked into the studio and halted the interview</a>.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4695 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/7a98a0e0-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But despite her rise, audiences could be seeing less of Winkleman in the future, and not just because Strictly is losing its Clauditorium.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"The more successful you become, the less work you do, for a variety of reasons,\" says Segal.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you get to a certain level, you become above a lot of stuff. Your rates go up financially. Also, the more work you take on, the more risk you have of failing. And sometimes, the way you limit that risk is to do less.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Segal suspects there are \"a lot of shows out there hosted by other people that Claudia was first choice for\", adding that Winkleman is \"probably inundated daily with new ideas, and she will have to say no to 99% of them\" - chat show or not.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Peak Claudia?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Of course, Winkleman\'s popularity doesn\'t guarantee she will make a successful chat show host. Norton makes it look easy, but he is a master of his craft.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Even Davina McCall, a highly capable and popular presenter, struggled with her own chat show in 2006 - saying later it <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qh32ID8Dt0&amp;t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">was the career move she most regretted.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Davina was as hot then as Claudia is now, but her chat show didn\'t work for the audience,\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disney-departs-doctor-who-winkleman-norton-to-become/id1807814349?i=1000734310339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said former BBC One controller Peter Fincham</a> on his podcast Insiders.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Chat shows hosted by people who are currently riding high on television in other sorts of shows, don\'t necessarily work.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And as Claudia\'s stardom continues to rise, doing less may help save her from something else - the risk of public fatigue - which Kanter cautions \"is a thing\" for presenters at her level.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Are we getting to the point of peak Claudia? Possibly,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"So that is something that I\'m sure she and her agent are giving some thought to.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CKz-2efG55ADFWHPDQkdxOIgOw\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','\'The best friend you\'d love to have\' - How Claudia Winkleman conquered TV 5','','publish','closed','closed','','the-best-friend-youd-love-to-have-how-claudia-winkleman-conquered-tv-5','','','2025-11-10 13:01:01','2025-11-10 13:01:01','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4761',0,'news','',0),(4762,1,'2025-11-10 13:01:04','2025-11-10 13:01:04','<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"there\'s-a-famous-motto-in-the-cut-throat-world-of-television-that-many-presenters-live-by:-&quot;don\'t-quit-a-hit.&quot;\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">There\'s a famous motto in the cut-throat world of television that many presenters live by: \"Don\'t quit a hit.\"</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It\'s one of the reasons Claudia Winkleman\'s departure from Strictly Come Dancing, along with Tess Daly, took many by surprise when it was announced last month.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in Winkleman\'s case, the huge Saturday night hit she\'d co-hosted for 15 years had actually been eclipsed by an even bigger one.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The Traitors, which Winkleman began fronting in 2022, has become the jewel in the BBC\'s crown, with its recent celebrity spin-off attracting more than 13 million viewers.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The show has proven a perfect vehicle for Winkleman to showcase her range. She\'s stern and severe, with a dark side viewers hadn\'t previously seen, but also silly, camp and warm - always seeming to be genuinely on the side of the contestants.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'d be hard to argue against her being the number one presenter in the country right now,\" says Alex Segal, managing director of talent agency InterTalent.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Yes, you can of course still make a case for Ant and Dec, but in terms of the number of great shows, her trajectory, the love for her... people watch a show for her as much as they watch it for the format, I think she\'s in that moment now.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In an average year, viewers see Winkleman bouncing between a Scottish castle, a Hertfordshire ballroom and a train station piano (the latter, for Channel 4’s The Piano, which she also fronts). But another place the 53-year-old might soon be popping up is on her own chat show.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4692 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f92cabc0-bb1f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Industry reports suggest Winkleman is in advanced talks to host her own talk series - with Graham Norton\'s own production company So Television, which also makes his chat show for the BBC, said to be potentially producing it.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s an endorsement of Claudia\'s meteoric rise over the last few years,\" says Deadline’s Jake Kanter, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://deadline.com/2025/10/claudia-winkleman-bbc-chat-show-graham-norton-show-producer-1236596242/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">who reported the negotiations.</a> \"She will be very keen to do this, I\'m told it\'s a personal ambition of hers as well.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although Winkleman is seemingly being positioned as Norton\'s successor, there would be no direct clash. Her show would be broadcast in the months The Graham Norton Show - still a huge draw for audiences on TV and socials <b id=\"-\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">-</b> is off air.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Kanter notes that <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0028dnj/the-graham-norton-show-series-32-episode-20\" target=\"_self\">Winkleman stepped in for Norton</a> on an episode of his chat show earlier this year. \"I\'m sure that would\'ve been either a catalyst or starting point for some of these discussions,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They would\'ve seen what she did, the BBC would\'ve liked it, and I\'m sure they have done other work behind the scenes to make sure the format is right with her.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The BBC declined to comment on reports of the chat show when asked by BBC News, which is editorially independent from the corporation. So Television were also approached for a response.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A chat show would, however, be a logical next step given Winkleman\'s current hot streak, which comes after her three-decade rise through television.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Fringe benefits</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman is the daughter of newspaper editor Eve Pollard and book publisher Barry Winkleman. She studied art history at Cambridge, before launching a TV career in her twenties.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Willing to turn her hand to anything, she became a familiar face in the 1990s on BBC travel series Holiday, and her CV expanded with gameshows, dating formats and children\'s programmes.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in typically self-deprecating fashion, Winkleman suggested her haircut had more to do with her success than her on-screen ability.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You may loathe my fringe, but, and I\'m being perfectly serious here, it\'s given me a career,\" she wrote in her 2020 memoir, Quite.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I\'m sure I got work because all those times producers were in a room ruminating on the next TV show, handing round digestives and they couldn\'t remember names, they said, \'We could always get the orange one with the fringe\'.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Believe me, it\'s not because I read out loud better than anyone else... It\'s because I have a thing, an epithet, a focus.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4693 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/dbd07e20-bb2a-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Early in her career, Winkleman was also used as a pundit on daytime TV shows. In 1996, for example, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h7me5ewyBsI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she was billed as a \"chat-up connoisseur\"</a> during a dating segment on Good Morning with Anne and Nick.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It is a fascinating clip. Aged 24, Winkleman\'s voice is higher than it is today, and her cut-glass English accent more refined. But she was comfortable on camera, and, three decades later, her appeal remains the same now as it was then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"First and foremost, she\'s funny,\" says Frances Taylor, TV previews editor at Radio Times. \"She has that natural comic timing and ability to be entertaining.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And an extra layer on top of that is how self-deprecating that sense of humour is, that\'s her secret weapon to me, she\'s always willing to make herself the butt of the joke.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She\'s also \"incredibly authentic\", Kanter adds. \"When you see her at industry events, she is her TV persona. She\'s the best friend you\'d love to have. She\'s fun, empathetic, understanding, sharp, and those qualities exude from the screen.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4694 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/9f53b460-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-200x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although her salary is <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dn6kxxqxko\" target=\"_self\">no longer published by the BBC,</a> Winkleman is<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>among the corporation\'s top earners. She was listed as making more than £450,000 in 2017.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But not everything she\'s done has been a hit.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Britain\'s Best Home Cook on BBC One, for instance, achieved relatively middling ratings despite the combined star power of Winkleman and Mary Berry.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Meanwhile, some felt she was less successful in Radio 2\'s Saturday morning slot than Norton, her predecessor. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/claudia-winkleman-s-new-radio-2-show-gets-off-to-a-brainless-start/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Spectator described</a> the show as \"brainless\", suggesting Winkleman \"gushed\" over her guests and asked obvious questions.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She also hosts Channel 4 quiz show<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>One Question, notes Taylor. \"But not many people have heard of it, and not many people watched it.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Away from the screen, London-based Winkleman shares three children with her husband of 25 years, film producer Kris Thykier. She<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>has often spoken of her close-knit family life, including a <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67600011\" target=\"_self\">desire to spend more time at home</a> with her children.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The family have also faced personal struggles. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32723504\" target=\"_self\">Her daughter Matilda was seriously injured in 2014</a> when, aged eight, the witch\'s costume she was wearing for Halloween caught fire while she was out trick-or-treating.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman, who put out the flames with another parent, took a short break from Strictly, and later campaigned for tougher fire safety laws on fancy dress costumes. Matilda, now 19, has gone on to study at the University of Bath.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">\'Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion\'</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Unlike some of her peers such as Gary Lineker or Rylan Clark, Winkleman is almost never involved in controversy. She doesn\'t share her political views and rarely grants interviews with news outlets.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do have opinions, but opinions are never a good idea, are they?\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/claudia-winkleman/id1527545442?i=1000489817358\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she told Gabby Logan\'s podcast The Mid Point.</a> \"Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion, is my general view.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And also, I don\'t think I\'ve got anything that interesting to say. So I\'m happy to talk about napping and my love of eyeliner. I have nothing to add, I really don\'t.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She has, however, still had to navigate the occasional tricky situation, such as when she was a presenter on the BBC\'s entertainment bulletin Liquid News.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">During a 2003 interview with S Club 7 about their impending break-up, Winkleman asked a delicate question about reports they were unhappy with their earnings. The group\'s publicist <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m8UJMYjcTk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">walked into the studio and halted the interview</a>.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4695 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/7a98a0e0-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But despite her rise, audiences could be seeing less of Winkleman in the future, and not just because Strictly is losing its Clauditorium.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"The more successful you become, the less work you do, for a variety of reasons,\" says Segal.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you get to a certain level, you become above a lot of stuff. Your rates go up financially. Also, the more work you take on, the more risk you have of failing. And sometimes, the way you limit that risk is to do less.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Segal suspects there are \"a lot of shows out there hosted by other people that Claudia was first choice for\", adding that Winkleman is \"probably inundated daily with new ideas, and she will have to say no to 99% of them\" - chat show or not.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Peak Claudia?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Of course, Winkleman\'s popularity doesn\'t guarantee she will make a successful chat show host. Norton makes it look easy, but he is a master of his craft.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Even Davina McCall, a highly capable and popular presenter, struggled with her own chat show in 2006 - saying later it <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qh32ID8Dt0&amp;t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">was the career move she most regretted.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Davina was as hot then as Claudia is now, but her chat show didn\'t work for the audience,\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disney-departs-doctor-who-winkleman-norton-to-become/id1807814349?i=1000734310339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said former BBC One controller Peter Fincham</a> on his podcast Insiders.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Chat shows hosted by people who are currently riding high on television in other sorts of shows, don\'t necessarily work.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And as Claudia\'s stardom continues to rise, doing less may help save her from something else - the risk of public fatigue - which Kanter cautions \"is a thing\" for presenters at her level.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Are we getting to the point of peak Claudia? Possibly,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"So that is something that I\'m sure she and her agent are giving some thought to.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CKz-2efG55ADFWHPDQkdxOIgOw\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','\'The best friend you\'d love to have\' - How Claudia Winkleman conquered TV 4','','publish','closed','closed','','the-best-friend-youd-love-to-have-how-claudia-winkleman-conquered-tv-4','','','2025-11-10 13:01:04','2025-11-10 13:01:04','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4762',0,'news','',0),(4763,1,'2025-11-10 13:01:07','2025-11-10 13:01:07','<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"there\'s-a-famous-motto-in-the-cut-throat-world-of-television-that-many-presenters-live-by:-&quot;don\'t-quit-a-hit.&quot;\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">There\'s a famous motto in the cut-throat world of television that many presenters live by: \"Don\'t quit a hit.\"</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It\'s one of the reasons Claudia Winkleman\'s departure from Strictly Come Dancing, along with Tess Daly, took many by surprise when it was announced last month.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in Winkleman\'s case, the huge Saturday night hit she\'d co-hosted for 15 years had actually been eclipsed by an even bigger one.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The Traitors, which Winkleman began fronting in 2022, has become the jewel in the BBC\'s crown, with its recent celebrity spin-off attracting more than 13 million viewers.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The show has proven a perfect vehicle for Winkleman to showcase her range. She\'s stern and severe, with a dark side viewers hadn\'t previously seen, but also silly, camp and warm - always seeming to be genuinely on the side of the contestants.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'d be hard to argue against her being the number one presenter in the country right now,\" says Alex Segal, managing director of talent agency InterTalent.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Yes, you can of course still make a case for Ant and Dec, but in terms of the number of great shows, her trajectory, the love for her... people watch a show for her as much as they watch it for the format, I think she\'s in that moment now.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In an average year, viewers see Winkleman bouncing between a Scottish castle, a Hertfordshire ballroom and a train station piano (the latter, for Channel 4’s The Piano, which she also fronts). But another place the 53-year-old might soon be popping up is on her own chat show.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4692 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f92cabc0-bb1f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Industry reports suggest Winkleman is in advanced talks to host her own talk series - with Graham Norton\'s own production company So Television, which also makes his chat show for the BBC, said to be potentially producing it.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s an endorsement of Claudia\'s meteoric rise over the last few years,\" says Deadline’s Jake Kanter, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://deadline.com/2025/10/claudia-winkleman-bbc-chat-show-graham-norton-show-producer-1236596242/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">who reported the negotiations.</a> \"She will be very keen to do this, I\'m told it\'s a personal ambition of hers as well.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although Winkleman is seemingly being positioned as Norton\'s successor, there would be no direct clash. Her show would be broadcast in the months The Graham Norton Show - still a huge draw for audiences on TV and socials <b id=\"-\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">-</b> is off air.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Kanter notes that <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0028dnj/the-graham-norton-show-series-32-episode-20\" target=\"_self\">Winkleman stepped in for Norton</a> on an episode of his chat show earlier this year. \"I\'m sure that would\'ve been either a catalyst or starting point for some of these discussions,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They would\'ve seen what she did, the BBC would\'ve liked it, and I\'m sure they have done other work behind the scenes to make sure the format is right with her.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The BBC declined to comment on reports of the chat show when asked by BBC News, which is editorially independent from the corporation. So Television were also approached for a response.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A chat show would, however, be a logical next step given Winkleman\'s current hot streak, which comes after her three-decade rise through television.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Fringe benefits</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman is the daughter of newspaper editor Eve Pollard and book publisher Barry Winkleman. She studied art history at Cambridge, before launching a TV career in her twenties.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Willing to turn her hand to anything, she became a familiar face in the 1990s on BBC travel series Holiday, and her CV expanded with gameshows, dating formats and children\'s programmes.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in typically self-deprecating fashion, Winkleman suggested her haircut had more to do with her success than her on-screen ability.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You may loathe my fringe, but, and I\'m being perfectly serious here, it\'s given me a career,\" she wrote in her 2020 memoir, Quite.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I\'m sure I got work because all those times producers were in a room ruminating on the next TV show, handing round digestives and they couldn\'t remember names, they said, \'We could always get the orange one with the fringe\'.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Believe me, it\'s not because I read out loud better than anyone else... It\'s because I have a thing, an epithet, a focus.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4693 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/dbd07e20-bb2a-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Early in her career, Winkleman was also used as a pundit on daytime TV shows. In 1996, for example, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h7me5ewyBsI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she was billed as a \"chat-up connoisseur\"</a> during a dating segment on Good Morning with Anne and Nick.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It is a fascinating clip. Aged 24, Winkleman\'s voice is higher than it is today, and her cut-glass English accent more refined. But she was comfortable on camera, and, three decades later, her appeal remains the same now as it was then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"First and foremost, she\'s funny,\" says Frances Taylor, TV previews editor at Radio Times. \"She has that natural comic timing and ability to be entertaining.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And an extra layer on top of that is how self-deprecating that sense of humour is, that\'s her secret weapon to me, she\'s always willing to make herself the butt of the joke.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She\'s also \"incredibly authentic\", Kanter adds. \"When you see her at industry events, she is her TV persona. She\'s the best friend you\'d love to have. She\'s fun, empathetic, understanding, sharp, and those qualities exude from the screen.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4694 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/9f53b460-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-200x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although her salary is <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dn6kxxqxko\" target=\"_self\">no longer published by the BBC,</a> Winkleman is<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>among the corporation\'s top earners. She was listed as making more than £450,000 in 2017.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But not everything she\'s done has been a hit.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Britain\'s Best Home Cook on BBC One, for instance, achieved relatively middling ratings despite the combined star power of Winkleman and Mary Berry.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Meanwhile, some felt she was less successful in Radio 2\'s Saturday morning slot than Norton, her predecessor. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/claudia-winkleman-s-new-radio-2-show-gets-off-to-a-brainless-start/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Spectator described</a> the show as \"brainless\", suggesting Winkleman \"gushed\" over her guests and asked obvious questions.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She also hosts Channel 4 quiz show<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>One Question, notes Taylor. \"But not many people have heard of it, and not many people watched it.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Away from the screen, London-based Winkleman shares three children with her husband of 25 years, film producer Kris Thykier. She<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>has often spoken of her close-knit family life, including a <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67600011\" target=\"_self\">desire to spend more time at home</a> with her children.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The family have also faced personal struggles. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32723504\" target=\"_self\">Her daughter Matilda was seriously injured in 2014</a> when, aged eight, the witch\'s costume she was wearing for Halloween caught fire while she was out trick-or-treating.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman, who put out the flames with another parent, took a short break from Strictly, and later campaigned for tougher fire safety laws on fancy dress costumes. Matilda, now 19, has gone on to study at the University of Bath.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">\'Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion\'</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Unlike some of her peers such as Gary Lineker or Rylan Clark, Winkleman is almost never involved in controversy. She doesn\'t share her political views and rarely grants interviews with news outlets.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do have opinions, but opinions are never a good idea, are they?\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/claudia-winkleman/id1527545442?i=1000489817358\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she told Gabby Logan\'s podcast The Mid Point.</a> \"Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion, is my general view.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And also, I don\'t think I\'ve got anything that interesting to say. So I\'m happy to talk about napping and my love of eyeliner. I have nothing to add, I really don\'t.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She has, however, still had to navigate the occasional tricky situation, such as when she was a presenter on the BBC\'s entertainment bulletin Liquid News.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">During a 2003 interview with S Club 7 about their impending break-up, Winkleman asked a delicate question about reports they were unhappy with their earnings. The group\'s publicist <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m8UJMYjcTk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">walked into the studio and halted the interview</a>.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4695 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/7a98a0e0-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But despite her rise, audiences could be seeing less of Winkleman in the future, and not just because Strictly is losing its Clauditorium.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"The more successful you become, the less work you do, for a variety of reasons,\" says Segal.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you get to a certain level, you become above a lot of stuff. Your rates go up financially. Also, the more work you take on, the more risk you have of failing. And sometimes, the way you limit that risk is to do less.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Segal suspects there are \"a lot of shows out there hosted by other people that Claudia was first choice for\", adding that Winkleman is \"probably inundated daily with new ideas, and she will have to say no to 99% of them\" - chat show or not.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Peak Claudia?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Of course, Winkleman\'s popularity doesn\'t guarantee she will make a successful chat show host. Norton makes it look easy, but he is a master of his craft.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Even Davina McCall, a highly capable and popular presenter, struggled with her own chat show in 2006 - saying later it <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qh32ID8Dt0&amp;t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">was the career move she most regretted.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Davina was as hot then as Claudia is now, but her chat show didn\'t work for the audience,\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disney-departs-doctor-who-winkleman-norton-to-become/id1807814349?i=1000734310339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said former BBC One controller Peter Fincham</a> on his podcast Insiders.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Chat shows hosted by people who are currently riding high on television in other sorts of shows, don\'t necessarily work.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And as Claudia\'s stardom continues to rise, doing less may help save her from something else - the risk of public fatigue - which Kanter cautions \"is a thing\" for presenters at her level.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Are we getting to the point of peak Claudia? Possibly,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"So that is something that I\'m sure she and her agent are giving some thought to.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CKz-2efG55ADFWHPDQkdxOIgOw\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','\'The best friend you\'d love to have\' - How Claudia Winkleman conquered TV 3','','publish','closed','closed','','the-best-friend-youd-love-to-have-how-claudia-winkleman-conquered-tv-3','','','2025-11-10 13:01:07','2025-11-10 13:01:07','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4763',0,'news','',0),(4764,1,'2025-11-10 13:01:14','2025-11-10 13:01:14','<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"there\'s-a-famous-motto-in-the-cut-throat-world-of-television-that-many-presenters-live-by:-&quot;don\'t-quit-a-hit.&quot;\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">There\'s a famous motto in the cut-throat world of television that many presenters live by: \"Don\'t quit a hit.\"</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It\'s one of the reasons Claudia Winkleman\'s departure from Strictly Come Dancing, along with Tess Daly, took many by surprise when it was announced last month.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in Winkleman\'s case, the huge Saturday night hit she\'d co-hosted for 15 years had actually been eclipsed by an even bigger one.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The Traitors, which Winkleman began fronting in 2022, has become the jewel in the BBC\'s crown, with its recent celebrity spin-off attracting more than 13 million viewers.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The show has proven a perfect vehicle for Winkleman to showcase her range. She\'s stern and severe, with a dark side viewers hadn\'t previously seen, but also silly, camp and warm - always seeming to be genuinely on the side of the contestants.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'d be hard to argue against her being the number one presenter in the country right now,\" says Alex Segal, managing director of talent agency InterTalent.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Yes, you can of course still make a case for Ant and Dec, but in terms of the number of great shows, her trajectory, the love for her... people watch a show for her as much as they watch it for the format, I think she\'s in that moment now.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In an average year, viewers see Winkleman bouncing between a Scottish castle, a Hertfordshire ballroom and a train station piano (the latter, for Channel 4’s The Piano, which she also fronts). But another place the 53-year-old might soon be popping up is on her own chat show.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4692 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f92cabc0-bb1f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Industry reports suggest Winkleman is in advanced talks to host her own talk series - with Graham Norton\'s own production company So Television, which also makes his chat show for the BBC, said to be potentially producing it.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s an endorsement of Claudia\'s meteoric rise over the last few years,\" says Deadline’s Jake Kanter, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://deadline.com/2025/10/claudia-winkleman-bbc-chat-show-graham-norton-show-producer-1236596242/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">who reported the negotiations.</a> \"She will be very keen to do this, I\'m told it\'s a personal ambition of hers as well.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although Winkleman is seemingly being positioned as Norton\'s successor, there would be no direct clash. Her show would be broadcast in the months The Graham Norton Show - still a huge draw for audiences on TV and socials <b id=\"-\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">-</b> is off air.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Kanter notes that <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0028dnj/the-graham-norton-show-series-32-episode-20\" target=\"_self\">Winkleman stepped in for Norton</a> on an episode of his chat show earlier this year. \"I\'m sure that would\'ve been either a catalyst or starting point for some of these discussions,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They would\'ve seen what she did, the BBC would\'ve liked it, and I\'m sure they have done other work behind the scenes to make sure the format is right with her.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The BBC declined to comment on reports of the chat show when asked by BBC News, which is editorially independent from the corporation. So Television were also approached for a response.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A chat show would, however, be a logical next step given Winkleman\'s current hot streak, which comes after her three-decade rise through television.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Fringe benefits</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman is the daughter of newspaper editor Eve Pollard and book publisher Barry Winkleman. She studied art history at Cambridge, before launching a TV career in her twenties.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Willing to turn her hand to anything, she became a familiar face in the 1990s on BBC travel series Holiday, and her CV expanded with gameshows, dating formats and children\'s programmes.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in typically self-deprecating fashion, Winkleman suggested her haircut had more to do with her success than her on-screen ability.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You may loathe my fringe, but, and I\'m being perfectly serious here, it\'s given me a career,\" she wrote in her 2020 memoir, Quite.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I\'m sure I got work because all those times producers were in a room ruminating on the next TV show, handing round digestives and they couldn\'t remember names, they said, \'We could always get the orange one with the fringe\'.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Believe me, it\'s not because I read out loud better than anyone else... It\'s because I have a thing, an epithet, a focus.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4693 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/dbd07e20-bb2a-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Early in her career, Winkleman was also used as a pundit on daytime TV shows. In 1996, for example, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h7me5ewyBsI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she was billed as a \"chat-up connoisseur\"</a> during a dating segment on Good Morning with Anne and Nick.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It is a fascinating clip. Aged 24, Winkleman\'s voice is higher than it is today, and her cut-glass English accent more refined. But she was comfortable on camera, and, three decades later, her appeal remains the same now as it was then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"First and foremost, she\'s funny,\" says Frances Taylor, TV previews editor at Radio Times. \"She has that natural comic timing and ability to be entertaining.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And an extra layer on top of that is how self-deprecating that sense of humour is, that\'s her secret weapon to me, she\'s always willing to make herself the butt of the joke.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She\'s also \"incredibly authentic\", Kanter adds. \"When you see her at industry events, she is her TV persona. She\'s the best friend you\'d love to have. She\'s fun, empathetic, understanding, sharp, and those qualities exude from the screen.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4694 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/9f53b460-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-200x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although her salary is <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dn6kxxqxko\" target=\"_self\">no longer published by the BBC,</a> Winkleman is<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>among the corporation\'s top earners. She was listed as making more than £450,000 in 2017.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But not everything she\'s done has been a hit.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Britain\'s Best Home Cook on BBC One, for instance, achieved relatively middling ratings despite the combined star power of Winkleman and Mary Berry.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Meanwhile, some felt she was less successful in Radio 2\'s Saturday morning slot than Norton, her predecessor. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/claudia-winkleman-s-new-radio-2-show-gets-off-to-a-brainless-start/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Spectator described</a> the show as \"brainless\", suggesting Winkleman \"gushed\" over her guests and asked obvious questions.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She also hosts Channel 4 quiz show<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>One Question, notes Taylor. \"But not many people have heard of it, and not many people watched it.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Away from the screen, London-based Winkleman shares three children with her husband of 25 years, film producer Kris Thykier. She<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>has often spoken of her close-knit family life, including a <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67600011\" target=\"_self\">desire to spend more time at home</a> with her children.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The family have also faced personal struggles. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32723504\" target=\"_self\">Her daughter Matilda was seriously injured in 2014</a> when, aged eight, the witch\'s costume she was wearing for Halloween caught fire while she was out trick-or-treating.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman, who put out the flames with another parent, took a short break from Strictly, and later campaigned for tougher fire safety laws on fancy dress costumes. Matilda, now 19, has gone on to study at the University of Bath.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">\'Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion\'</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Unlike some of her peers such as Gary Lineker or Rylan Clark, Winkleman is almost never involved in controversy. She doesn\'t share her political views and rarely grants interviews with news outlets.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do have opinions, but opinions are never a good idea, are they?\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/claudia-winkleman/id1527545442?i=1000489817358\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she told Gabby Logan\'s podcast The Mid Point.</a> \"Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion, is my general view.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And also, I don\'t think I\'ve got anything that interesting to say. So I\'m happy to talk about napping and my love of eyeliner. I have nothing to add, I really don\'t.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She has, however, still had to navigate the occasional tricky situation, such as when she was a presenter on the BBC\'s entertainment bulletin Liquid News.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">During a 2003 interview with S Club 7 about their impending break-up, Winkleman asked a delicate question about reports they were unhappy with their earnings. The group\'s publicist <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m8UJMYjcTk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">walked into the studio and halted the interview</a>.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4695 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/7a98a0e0-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But despite her rise, audiences could be seeing less of Winkleman in the future, and not just because Strictly is losing its Clauditorium.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"The more successful you become, the less work you do, for a variety of reasons,\" says Segal.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you get to a certain level, you become above a lot of stuff. Your rates go up financially. Also, the more work you take on, the more risk you have of failing. And sometimes, the way you limit that risk is to do less.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Segal suspects there are \"a lot of shows out there hosted by other people that Claudia was first choice for\", adding that Winkleman is \"probably inundated daily with new ideas, and she will have to say no to 99% of them\" - chat show or not.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Peak Claudia?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Of course, Winkleman\'s popularity doesn\'t guarantee she will make a successful chat show host. Norton makes it look easy, but he is a master of his craft.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Even Davina McCall, a highly capable and popular presenter, struggled with her own chat show in 2006 - saying later it <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qh32ID8Dt0&amp;t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">was the career move she most regretted.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Davina was as hot then as Claudia is now, but her chat show didn\'t work for the audience,\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disney-departs-doctor-who-winkleman-norton-to-become/id1807814349?i=1000734310339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said former BBC One controller Peter Fincham</a> on his podcast Insiders.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Chat shows hosted by people who are currently riding high on television in other sorts of shows, don\'t necessarily work.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And as Claudia\'s stardom continues to rise, doing less may help save her from something else - the risk of public fatigue - which Kanter cautions \"is a thing\" for presenters at her level.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Are we getting to the point of peak Claudia? Possibly,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"So that is something that I\'m sure she and her agent are giving some thought to.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CKz-2efG55ADFWHPDQkdxOIgOw\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','\'The best friend you\'d love to have\' - How Claudia Winkleman conquered TV 2','','publish','closed','closed','','the-best-friend-youd-love-to-have-how-claudia-winkleman-conquered-tv-2','','','2025-11-10 13:01:14','2025-11-10 13:01:14','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4764',0,'news','',0),(4765,1,'2025-11-10 13:01:17','2025-11-10 13:01:17','<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"there\'s-a-famous-motto-in-the-cut-throat-world-of-television-that-many-presenters-live-by:-&quot;don\'t-quit-a-hit.&quot;\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">There\'s a famous motto in the cut-throat world of television that many presenters live by: \"Don\'t quit a hit.\"</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It\'s one of the reasons Claudia Winkleman\'s departure from Strictly Come Dancing, along with Tess Daly, took many by surprise when it was announced last month.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in Winkleman\'s case, the huge Saturday night hit she\'d co-hosted for 15 years had actually been eclipsed by an even bigger one.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The Traitors, which Winkleman began fronting in 2022, has become the jewel in the BBC\'s crown, with its recent celebrity spin-off attracting more than 13 million viewers.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The show has proven a perfect vehicle for Winkleman to showcase her range. She\'s stern and severe, with a dark side viewers hadn\'t previously seen, but also silly, camp and warm - always seeming to be genuinely on the side of the contestants.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'d be hard to argue against her being the number one presenter in the country right now,\" says Alex Segal, managing director of talent agency InterTalent.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Yes, you can of course still make a case for Ant and Dec, but in terms of the number of great shows, her trajectory, the love for her... people watch a show for her as much as they watch it for the format, I think she\'s in that moment now.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In an average year, viewers see Winkleman bouncing between a Scottish castle, a Hertfordshire ballroom and a train station piano (the latter, for Channel 4’s The Piano, which she also fronts). But another place the 53-year-old might soon be popping up is on her own chat show.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4692 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f92cabc0-bb1f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Industry reports suggest Winkleman is in advanced talks to host her own talk series - with Graham Norton\'s own production company So Television, which also makes his chat show for the BBC, said to be potentially producing it.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s an endorsement of Claudia\'s meteoric rise over the last few years,\" says Deadline’s Jake Kanter, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://deadline.com/2025/10/claudia-winkleman-bbc-chat-show-graham-norton-show-producer-1236596242/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">who reported the negotiations.</a> \"She will be very keen to do this, I\'m told it\'s a personal ambition of hers as well.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although Winkleman is seemingly being positioned as Norton\'s successor, there would be no direct clash. Her show would be broadcast in the months The Graham Norton Show - still a huge draw for audiences on TV and socials <b id=\"-\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">-</b> is off air.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Kanter notes that <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0028dnj/the-graham-norton-show-series-32-episode-20\" target=\"_self\">Winkleman stepped in for Norton</a> on an episode of his chat show earlier this year. \"I\'m sure that would\'ve been either a catalyst or starting point for some of these discussions,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They would\'ve seen what she did, the BBC would\'ve liked it, and I\'m sure they have done other work behind the scenes to make sure the format is right with her.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The BBC declined to comment on reports of the chat show when asked by BBC News, which is editorially independent from the corporation. So Television were also approached for a response.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A chat show would, however, be a logical next step given Winkleman\'s current hot streak, which comes after her three-decade rise through television.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Fringe benefits</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman is the daughter of newspaper editor Eve Pollard and book publisher Barry Winkleman. She studied art history at Cambridge, before launching a TV career in her twenties.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Willing to turn her hand to anything, she became a familiar face in the 1990s on BBC travel series Holiday, and her CV expanded with gameshows, dating formats and children\'s programmes.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in typically self-deprecating fashion, Winkleman suggested her haircut had more to do with her success than her on-screen ability.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You may loathe my fringe, but, and I\'m being perfectly serious here, it\'s given me a career,\" she wrote in her 2020 memoir, Quite.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I\'m sure I got work because all those times producers were in a room ruminating on the next TV show, handing round digestives and they couldn\'t remember names, they said, \'We could always get the orange one with the fringe\'.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Believe me, it\'s not because I read out loud better than anyone else... It\'s because I have a thing, an epithet, a focus.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4693 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/dbd07e20-bb2a-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Early in her career, Winkleman was also used as a pundit on daytime TV shows. In 1996, for example, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h7me5ewyBsI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she was billed as a \"chat-up connoisseur\"</a> during a dating segment on Good Morning with Anne and Nick.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It is a fascinating clip. Aged 24, Winkleman\'s voice is higher than it is today, and her cut-glass English accent more refined. But she was comfortable on camera, and, three decades later, her appeal remains the same now as it was then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"First and foremost, she\'s funny,\" says Frances Taylor, TV previews editor at Radio Times. \"She has that natural comic timing and ability to be entertaining.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And an extra layer on top of that is how self-deprecating that sense of humour is, that\'s her secret weapon to me, she\'s always willing to make herself the butt of the joke.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She\'s also \"incredibly authentic\", Kanter adds. \"When you see her at industry events, she is her TV persona. She\'s the best friend you\'d love to have. She\'s fun, empathetic, understanding, sharp, and those qualities exude from the screen.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4694 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/9f53b460-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-200x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although her salary is <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dn6kxxqxko\" target=\"_self\">no longer published by the BBC,</a> Winkleman is<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>among the corporation\'s top earners. She was listed as making more than £450,000 in 2017.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But not everything she\'s done has been a hit.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Britain\'s Best Home Cook on BBC One, for instance, achieved relatively middling ratings despite the combined star power of Winkleman and Mary Berry.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Meanwhile, some felt she was less successful in Radio 2\'s Saturday morning slot than Norton, her predecessor. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/claudia-winkleman-s-new-radio-2-show-gets-off-to-a-brainless-start/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Spectator described</a> the show as \"brainless\", suggesting Winkleman \"gushed\" over her guests and asked obvious questions.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She also hosts Channel 4 quiz show<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>One Question, notes Taylor. \"But not many people have heard of it, and not many people watched it.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Away from the screen, London-based Winkleman shares three children with her husband of 25 years, film producer Kris Thykier. She<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>has often spoken of her close-knit family life, including a <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67600011\" target=\"_self\">desire to spend more time at home</a> with her children.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The family have also faced personal struggles. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32723504\" target=\"_self\">Her daughter Matilda was seriously injured in 2014</a> when, aged eight, the witch\'s costume she was wearing for Halloween caught fire while she was out trick-or-treating.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman, who put out the flames with another parent, took a short break from Strictly, and later campaigned for tougher fire safety laws on fancy dress costumes. Matilda, now 19, has gone on to study at the University of Bath.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">\'Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion\'</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Unlike some of her peers such as Gary Lineker or Rylan Clark, Winkleman is almost never involved in controversy. She doesn\'t share her political views and rarely grants interviews with news outlets.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do have opinions, but opinions are never a good idea, are they?\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/claudia-winkleman/id1527545442?i=1000489817358\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she told Gabby Logan\'s podcast The Mid Point.</a> \"Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion, is my general view.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And also, I don\'t think I\'ve got anything that interesting to say. So I\'m happy to talk about napping and my love of eyeliner. I have nothing to add, I really don\'t.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She has, however, still had to navigate the occasional tricky situation, such as when she was a presenter on the BBC\'s entertainment bulletin Liquid News.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">During a 2003 interview with S Club 7 about their impending break-up, Winkleman asked a delicate question about reports they were unhappy with their earnings. The group\'s publicist <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m8UJMYjcTk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">walked into the studio and halted the interview</a>.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4695 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/7a98a0e0-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But despite her rise, audiences could be seeing less of Winkleman in the future, and not just because Strictly is losing its Clauditorium.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"The more successful you become, the less work you do, for a variety of reasons,\" says Segal.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you get to a certain level, you become above a lot of stuff. Your rates go up financially. Also, the more work you take on, the more risk you have of failing. And sometimes, the way you limit that risk is to do less.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Segal suspects there are \"a lot of shows out there hosted by other people that Claudia was first choice for\", adding that Winkleman is \"probably inundated daily with new ideas, and she will have to say no to 99% of them\" - chat show or not.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Peak Claudia?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Of course, Winkleman\'s popularity doesn\'t guarantee she will make a successful chat show host. Norton makes it look easy, but he is a master of his craft.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Even Davina McCall, a highly capable and popular presenter, struggled with her own chat show in 2006 - saying later it <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qh32ID8Dt0&amp;t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">was the career move she most regretted.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Davina was as hot then as Claudia is now, but her chat show didn\'t work for the audience,\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disney-departs-doctor-who-winkleman-norton-to-become/id1807814349?i=1000734310339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said former BBC One controller Peter Fincham</a> on his podcast Insiders.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Chat shows hosted by people who are currently riding high on television in other sorts of shows, don\'t necessarily work.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And as Claudia\'s stardom continues to rise, doing less may help save her from something else - the risk of public fatigue - which Kanter cautions \"is a thing\" for presenters at her level.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Are we getting to the point of peak Claudia? Possibly,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"So that is something that I\'m sure she and her agent are giving some thought to.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CKz-2efG55ADFWHPDQkdxOIgOw\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','\'The best friend you\'d love to have\' - How Claudia Winkleman conquered TV 1','','publish','closed','closed','','the-best-friend-youd-love-to-have-how-claudia-winkleman-conquered-tv-1','','','2025-11-10 13:01:17','2025-11-10 13:01:17','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4765',0,'news','',0),(4766,1,'2025-11-10 13:01:01','2025-11-10 13:01:01','<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"there\'s-a-famous-motto-in-the-cut-throat-world-of-television-that-many-presenters-live-by:-&quot;don\'t-quit-a-hit.&quot;\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">There\'s a famous motto in the cut-throat world of television that many presenters live by: \"Don\'t quit a hit.\"</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It\'s one of the reasons Claudia Winkleman\'s departure from Strictly Come Dancing, along with Tess Daly, took many by surprise when it was announced last month.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in Winkleman\'s case, the huge Saturday night hit she\'d co-hosted for 15 years had actually been eclipsed by an even bigger one.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The Traitors, which Winkleman began fronting in 2022, has become the jewel in the BBC\'s crown, with its recent celebrity spin-off attracting more than 13 million viewers.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The show has proven a perfect vehicle for Winkleman to showcase her range. She\'s stern and severe, with a dark side viewers hadn\'t previously seen, but also silly, camp and warm - always seeming to be genuinely on the side of the contestants.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'d be hard to argue against her being the number one presenter in the country right now,\" says Alex Segal, managing director of talent agency InterTalent.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Yes, you can of course still make a case for Ant and Dec, but in terms of the number of great shows, her trajectory, the love for her... people watch a show for her as much as they watch it for the format, I think she\'s in that moment now.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In an average year, viewers see Winkleman bouncing between a Scottish castle, a Hertfordshire ballroom and a train station piano (the latter, for Channel 4’s The Piano, which she also fronts). But another place the 53-year-old might soon be popping up is on her own chat show.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4692 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f92cabc0-bb1f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Industry reports suggest Winkleman is in advanced talks to host her own talk series - with Graham Norton\'s own production company So Television, which also makes his chat show for the BBC, said to be potentially producing it.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s an endorsement of Claudia\'s meteoric rise over the last few years,\" says Deadline’s Jake Kanter, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://deadline.com/2025/10/claudia-winkleman-bbc-chat-show-graham-norton-show-producer-1236596242/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">who reported the negotiations.</a> \"She will be very keen to do this, I\'m told it\'s a personal ambition of hers as well.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although Winkleman is seemingly being positioned as Norton\'s successor, there would be no direct clash. Her show would be broadcast in the months The Graham Norton Show - still a huge draw for audiences on TV and socials <b id=\"-\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">-</b> is off air.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Kanter notes that <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0028dnj/the-graham-norton-show-series-32-episode-20\" target=\"_self\">Winkleman stepped in for Norton</a> on an episode of his chat show earlier this year. \"I\'m sure that would\'ve been either a catalyst or starting point for some of these discussions,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They would\'ve seen what she did, the BBC would\'ve liked it, and I\'m sure they have done other work behind the scenes to make sure the format is right with her.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The BBC declined to comment on reports of the chat show when asked by BBC News, which is editorially independent from the corporation. So Television were also approached for a response.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A chat show would, however, be a logical next step given Winkleman\'s current hot streak, which comes after her three-decade rise through television.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Fringe benefits</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman is the daughter of newspaper editor Eve Pollard and book publisher Barry Winkleman. She studied art history at Cambridge, before launching a TV career in her twenties.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Willing to turn her hand to anything, she became a familiar face in the 1990s on BBC travel series Holiday, and her CV expanded with gameshows, dating formats and children\'s programmes.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in typically self-deprecating fashion, Winkleman suggested her haircut had more to do with her success than her on-screen ability.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You may loathe my fringe, but, and I\'m being perfectly serious here, it\'s given me a career,\" she wrote in her 2020 memoir, Quite.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I\'m sure I got work because all those times producers were in a room ruminating on the next TV show, handing round digestives and they couldn\'t remember names, they said, \'We could always get the orange one with the fringe\'.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Believe me, it\'s not because I read out loud better than anyone else... It\'s because I have a thing, an epithet, a focus.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4693 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/dbd07e20-bb2a-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Early in her career, Winkleman was also used as a pundit on daytime TV shows. In 1996, for example, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h7me5ewyBsI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she was billed as a \"chat-up connoisseur\"</a> during a dating segment on Good Morning with Anne and Nick.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It is a fascinating clip. Aged 24, Winkleman\'s voice is higher than it is today, and her cut-glass English accent more refined. But she was comfortable on camera, and, three decades later, her appeal remains the same now as it was then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"First and foremost, she\'s funny,\" says Frances Taylor, TV previews editor at Radio Times. \"She has that natural comic timing and ability to be entertaining.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And an extra layer on top of that is how self-deprecating that sense of humour is, that\'s her secret weapon to me, she\'s always willing to make herself the butt of the joke.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She\'s also \"incredibly authentic\", Kanter adds. \"When you see her at industry events, she is her TV persona. She\'s the best friend you\'d love to have. She\'s fun, empathetic, understanding, sharp, and those qualities exude from the screen.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4694 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/9f53b460-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-200x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although her salary is <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dn6kxxqxko\" target=\"_self\">no longer published by the BBC,</a> Winkleman is<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>among the corporation\'s top earners. She was listed as making more than £450,000 in 2017.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But not everything she\'s done has been a hit.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Britain\'s Best Home Cook on BBC One, for instance, achieved relatively middling ratings despite the combined star power of Winkleman and Mary Berry.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Meanwhile, some felt she was less successful in Radio 2\'s Saturday morning slot than Norton, her predecessor. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/claudia-winkleman-s-new-radio-2-show-gets-off-to-a-brainless-start/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Spectator described</a> the show as \"brainless\", suggesting Winkleman \"gushed\" over her guests and asked obvious questions.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She also hosts Channel 4 quiz show<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>One Question, notes Taylor. \"But not many people have heard of it, and not many people watched it.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Away from the screen, London-based Winkleman shares three children with her husband of 25 years, film producer Kris Thykier. She<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>has often spoken of her close-knit family life, including a <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67600011\" target=\"_self\">desire to spend more time at home</a> with her children.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The family have also faced personal struggles. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32723504\" target=\"_self\">Her daughter Matilda was seriously injured in 2014</a> when, aged eight, the witch\'s costume she was wearing for Halloween caught fire while she was out trick-or-treating.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman, who put out the flames with another parent, took a short break from Strictly, and later campaigned for tougher fire safety laws on fancy dress costumes. Matilda, now 19, has gone on to study at the University of Bath.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">\'Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion\'</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Unlike some of her peers such as Gary Lineker or Rylan Clark, Winkleman is almost never involved in controversy. She doesn\'t share her political views and rarely grants interviews with news outlets.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do have opinions, but opinions are never a good idea, are they?\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/claudia-winkleman/id1527545442?i=1000489817358\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she told Gabby Logan\'s podcast The Mid Point.</a> \"Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion, is my general view.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And also, I don\'t think I\'ve got anything that interesting to say. So I\'m happy to talk about napping and my love of eyeliner. I have nothing to add, I really don\'t.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She has, however, still had to navigate the occasional tricky situation, such as when she was a presenter on the BBC\'s entertainment bulletin Liquid News.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">During a 2003 interview with S Club 7 about their impending break-up, Winkleman asked a delicate question about reports they were unhappy with their earnings. The group\'s publicist <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m8UJMYjcTk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">walked into the studio and halted the interview</a>.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4695 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/7a98a0e0-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But despite her rise, audiences could be seeing less of Winkleman in the future, and not just because Strictly is losing its Clauditorium.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"The more successful you become, the less work you do, for a variety of reasons,\" says Segal.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you get to a certain level, you become above a lot of stuff. Your rates go up financially. Also, the more work you take on, the more risk you have of failing. And sometimes, the way you limit that risk is to do less.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Segal suspects there are \"a lot of shows out there hosted by other people that Claudia was first choice for\", adding that Winkleman is \"probably inundated daily with new ideas, and she will have to say no to 99% of them\" - chat show or not.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Peak Claudia?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Of course, Winkleman\'s popularity doesn\'t guarantee she will make a successful chat show host. Norton makes it look easy, but he is a master of his craft.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Even Davina McCall, a highly capable and popular presenter, struggled with her own chat show in 2006 - saying later it <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qh32ID8Dt0&amp;t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">was the career move she most regretted.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Davina was as hot then as Claudia is now, but her chat show didn\'t work for the audience,\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disney-departs-doctor-who-winkleman-norton-to-become/id1807814349?i=1000734310339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said former BBC One controller Peter Fincham</a> on his podcast Insiders.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Chat shows hosted by people who are currently riding high on television in other sorts of shows, don\'t necessarily work.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And as Claudia\'s stardom continues to rise, doing less may help save her from something else - the risk of public fatigue - which Kanter cautions \"is a thing\" for presenters at her level.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Are we getting to the point of peak Claudia? Possibly,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"So that is something that I\'m sure she and her agent are giving some thought to.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CKz-2efG55ADFWHPDQkdxOIgOw\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','\'The best friend you\'d love to have\' - How Claudia Winkleman conquered TV 5','','inherit','closed','closed','','4761-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 13:01:01','2025-11-10 13:01:01','',4761,'https://asiance.co/?p=4766',0,'revision','',0),(4767,1,'2025-11-10 13:01:04','2025-11-10 13:01:04','<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"there\'s-a-famous-motto-in-the-cut-throat-world-of-television-that-many-presenters-live-by:-&quot;don\'t-quit-a-hit.&quot;\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">There\'s a famous motto in the cut-throat world of television that many presenters live by: \"Don\'t quit a hit.\"</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It\'s one of the reasons Claudia Winkleman\'s departure from Strictly Come Dancing, along with Tess Daly, took many by surprise when it was announced last month.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in Winkleman\'s case, the huge Saturday night hit she\'d co-hosted for 15 years had actually been eclipsed by an even bigger one.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The Traitors, which Winkleman began fronting in 2022, has become the jewel in the BBC\'s crown, with its recent celebrity spin-off attracting more than 13 million viewers.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The show has proven a perfect vehicle for Winkleman to showcase her range. She\'s stern and severe, with a dark side viewers hadn\'t previously seen, but also silly, camp and warm - always seeming to be genuinely on the side of the contestants.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'d be hard to argue against her being the number one presenter in the country right now,\" says Alex Segal, managing director of talent agency InterTalent.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Yes, you can of course still make a case for Ant and Dec, but in terms of the number of great shows, her trajectory, the love for her... people watch a show for her as much as they watch it for the format, I think she\'s in that moment now.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In an average year, viewers see Winkleman bouncing between a Scottish castle, a Hertfordshire ballroom and a train station piano (the latter, for Channel 4’s The Piano, which she also fronts). But another place the 53-year-old might soon be popping up is on her own chat show.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4692 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f92cabc0-bb1f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Industry reports suggest Winkleman is in advanced talks to host her own talk series - with Graham Norton\'s own production company So Television, which also makes his chat show for the BBC, said to be potentially producing it.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s an endorsement of Claudia\'s meteoric rise over the last few years,\" says Deadline’s Jake Kanter, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://deadline.com/2025/10/claudia-winkleman-bbc-chat-show-graham-norton-show-producer-1236596242/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">who reported the negotiations.</a> \"She will be very keen to do this, I\'m told it\'s a personal ambition of hers as well.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although Winkleman is seemingly being positioned as Norton\'s successor, there would be no direct clash. Her show would be broadcast in the months The Graham Norton Show - still a huge draw for audiences on TV and socials <b id=\"-\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">-</b> is off air.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Kanter notes that <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0028dnj/the-graham-norton-show-series-32-episode-20\" target=\"_self\">Winkleman stepped in for Norton</a> on an episode of his chat show earlier this year. \"I\'m sure that would\'ve been either a catalyst or starting point for some of these discussions,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They would\'ve seen what she did, the BBC would\'ve liked it, and I\'m sure they have done other work behind the scenes to make sure the format is right with her.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The BBC declined to comment on reports of the chat show when asked by BBC News, which is editorially independent from the corporation. So Television were also approached for a response.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A chat show would, however, be a logical next step given Winkleman\'s current hot streak, which comes after her three-decade rise through television.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Fringe benefits</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman is the daughter of newspaper editor Eve Pollard and book publisher Barry Winkleman. She studied art history at Cambridge, before launching a TV career in her twenties.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Willing to turn her hand to anything, she became a familiar face in the 1990s on BBC travel series Holiday, and her CV expanded with gameshows, dating formats and children\'s programmes.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in typically self-deprecating fashion, Winkleman suggested her haircut had more to do with her success than her on-screen ability.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You may loathe my fringe, but, and I\'m being perfectly serious here, it\'s given me a career,\" she wrote in her 2020 memoir, Quite.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I\'m sure I got work because all those times producers were in a room ruminating on the next TV show, handing round digestives and they couldn\'t remember names, they said, \'We could always get the orange one with the fringe\'.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Believe me, it\'s not because I read out loud better than anyone else... It\'s because I have a thing, an epithet, a focus.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4693 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/dbd07e20-bb2a-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Early in her career, Winkleman was also used as a pundit on daytime TV shows. In 1996, for example, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h7me5ewyBsI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she was billed as a \"chat-up connoisseur\"</a> during a dating segment on Good Morning with Anne and Nick.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It is a fascinating clip. Aged 24, Winkleman\'s voice is higher than it is today, and her cut-glass English accent more refined. But she was comfortable on camera, and, three decades later, her appeal remains the same now as it was then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"First and foremost, she\'s funny,\" says Frances Taylor, TV previews editor at Radio Times. \"She has that natural comic timing and ability to be entertaining.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And an extra layer on top of that is how self-deprecating that sense of humour is, that\'s her secret weapon to me, she\'s always willing to make herself the butt of the joke.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She\'s also \"incredibly authentic\", Kanter adds. \"When you see her at industry events, she is her TV persona. She\'s the best friend you\'d love to have. She\'s fun, empathetic, understanding, sharp, and those qualities exude from the screen.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4694 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/9f53b460-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-200x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although her salary is <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dn6kxxqxko\" target=\"_self\">no longer published by the BBC,</a> Winkleman is<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>among the corporation\'s top earners. She was listed as making more than £450,000 in 2017.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But not everything she\'s done has been a hit.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Britain\'s Best Home Cook on BBC One, for instance, achieved relatively middling ratings despite the combined star power of Winkleman and Mary Berry.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Meanwhile, some felt she was less successful in Radio 2\'s Saturday morning slot than Norton, her predecessor. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/claudia-winkleman-s-new-radio-2-show-gets-off-to-a-brainless-start/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Spectator described</a> the show as \"brainless\", suggesting Winkleman \"gushed\" over her guests and asked obvious questions.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She also hosts Channel 4 quiz show<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>One Question, notes Taylor. \"But not many people have heard of it, and not many people watched it.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Away from the screen, London-based Winkleman shares three children with her husband of 25 years, film producer Kris Thykier. She<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>has often spoken of her close-knit family life, including a <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67600011\" target=\"_self\">desire to spend more time at home</a> with her children.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The family have also faced personal struggles. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32723504\" target=\"_self\">Her daughter Matilda was seriously injured in 2014</a> when, aged eight, the witch\'s costume she was wearing for Halloween caught fire while she was out trick-or-treating.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman, who put out the flames with another parent, took a short break from Strictly, and later campaigned for tougher fire safety laws on fancy dress costumes. Matilda, now 19, has gone on to study at the University of Bath.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">\'Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion\'</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Unlike some of her peers such as Gary Lineker or Rylan Clark, Winkleman is almost never involved in controversy. She doesn\'t share her political views and rarely grants interviews with news outlets.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do have opinions, but opinions are never a good idea, are they?\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/claudia-winkleman/id1527545442?i=1000489817358\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she told Gabby Logan\'s podcast The Mid Point.</a> \"Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion, is my general view.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And also, I don\'t think I\'ve got anything that interesting to say. So I\'m happy to talk about napping and my love of eyeliner. I have nothing to add, I really don\'t.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She has, however, still had to navigate the occasional tricky situation, such as when she was a presenter on the BBC\'s entertainment bulletin Liquid News.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">During a 2003 interview with S Club 7 about their impending break-up, Winkleman asked a delicate question about reports they were unhappy with their earnings. The group\'s publicist <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m8UJMYjcTk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">walked into the studio and halted the interview</a>.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4695 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/7a98a0e0-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But despite her rise, audiences could be seeing less of Winkleman in the future, and not just because Strictly is losing its Clauditorium.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"The more successful you become, the less work you do, for a variety of reasons,\" says Segal.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you get to a certain level, you become above a lot of stuff. Your rates go up financially. Also, the more work you take on, the more risk you have of failing. And sometimes, the way you limit that risk is to do less.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Segal suspects there are \"a lot of shows out there hosted by other people that Claudia was first choice for\", adding that Winkleman is \"probably inundated daily with new ideas, and she will have to say no to 99% of them\" - chat show or not.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Peak Claudia?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Of course, Winkleman\'s popularity doesn\'t guarantee she will make a successful chat show host. Norton makes it look easy, but he is a master of his craft.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Even Davina McCall, a highly capable and popular presenter, struggled with her own chat show in 2006 - saying later it <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qh32ID8Dt0&amp;t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">was the career move she most regretted.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Davina was as hot then as Claudia is now, but her chat show didn\'t work for the audience,\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disney-departs-doctor-who-winkleman-norton-to-become/id1807814349?i=1000734310339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said former BBC One controller Peter Fincham</a> on his podcast Insiders.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Chat shows hosted by people who are currently riding high on television in other sorts of shows, don\'t necessarily work.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And as Claudia\'s stardom continues to rise, doing less may help save her from something else - the risk of public fatigue - which Kanter cautions \"is a thing\" for presenters at her level.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Are we getting to the point of peak Claudia? Possibly,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"So that is something that I\'m sure she and her agent are giving some thought to.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CKz-2efG55ADFWHPDQkdxOIgOw\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','\'The best friend you\'d love to have\' - How Claudia Winkleman conquered TV 4','','inherit','closed','closed','','4762-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 13:01:04','2025-11-10 13:01:04','',4762,'https://asiance.co/?p=4767',0,'revision','',0),(4768,1,'2025-11-10 13:01:07','2025-11-10 13:01:07','<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"there\'s-a-famous-motto-in-the-cut-throat-world-of-television-that-many-presenters-live-by:-&quot;don\'t-quit-a-hit.&quot;\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">There\'s a famous motto in the cut-throat world of television that many presenters live by: \"Don\'t quit a hit.\"</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It\'s one of the reasons Claudia Winkleman\'s departure from Strictly Come Dancing, along with Tess Daly, took many by surprise when it was announced last month.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in Winkleman\'s case, the huge Saturday night hit she\'d co-hosted for 15 years had actually been eclipsed by an even bigger one.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The Traitors, which Winkleman began fronting in 2022, has become the jewel in the BBC\'s crown, with its recent celebrity spin-off attracting more than 13 million viewers.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The show has proven a perfect vehicle for Winkleman to showcase her range. She\'s stern and severe, with a dark side viewers hadn\'t previously seen, but also silly, camp and warm - always seeming to be genuinely on the side of the contestants.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'d be hard to argue against her being the number one presenter in the country right now,\" says Alex Segal, managing director of talent agency InterTalent.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Yes, you can of course still make a case for Ant and Dec, but in terms of the number of great shows, her trajectory, the love for her... people watch a show for her as much as they watch it for the format, I think she\'s in that moment now.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In an average year, viewers see Winkleman bouncing between a Scottish castle, a Hertfordshire ballroom and a train station piano (the latter, for Channel 4’s The Piano, which she also fronts). But another place the 53-year-old might soon be popping up is on her own chat show.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4692 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f92cabc0-bb1f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Industry reports suggest Winkleman is in advanced talks to host her own talk series - with Graham Norton\'s own production company So Television, which also makes his chat show for the BBC, said to be potentially producing it.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s an endorsement of Claudia\'s meteoric rise over the last few years,\" says Deadline’s Jake Kanter, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://deadline.com/2025/10/claudia-winkleman-bbc-chat-show-graham-norton-show-producer-1236596242/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">who reported the negotiations.</a> \"She will be very keen to do this, I\'m told it\'s a personal ambition of hers as well.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although Winkleman is seemingly being positioned as Norton\'s successor, there would be no direct clash. Her show would be broadcast in the months The Graham Norton Show - still a huge draw for audiences on TV and socials <b id=\"-\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">-</b> is off air.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Kanter notes that <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0028dnj/the-graham-norton-show-series-32-episode-20\" target=\"_self\">Winkleman stepped in for Norton</a> on an episode of his chat show earlier this year. \"I\'m sure that would\'ve been either a catalyst or starting point for some of these discussions,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They would\'ve seen what she did, the BBC would\'ve liked it, and I\'m sure they have done other work behind the scenes to make sure the format is right with her.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The BBC declined to comment on reports of the chat show when asked by BBC News, which is editorially independent from the corporation. So Television were also approached for a response.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A chat show would, however, be a logical next step given Winkleman\'s current hot streak, which comes after her three-decade rise through television.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Fringe benefits</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman is the daughter of newspaper editor Eve Pollard and book publisher Barry Winkleman. She studied art history at Cambridge, before launching a TV career in her twenties.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Willing to turn her hand to anything, she became a familiar face in the 1990s on BBC travel series Holiday, and her CV expanded with gameshows, dating formats and children\'s programmes.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in typically self-deprecating fashion, Winkleman suggested her haircut had more to do with her success than her on-screen ability.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You may loathe my fringe, but, and I\'m being perfectly serious here, it\'s given me a career,\" she wrote in her 2020 memoir, Quite.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I\'m sure I got work because all those times producers were in a room ruminating on the next TV show, handing round digestives and they couldn\'t remember names, they said, \'We could always get the orange one with the fringe\'.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Believe me, it\'s not because I read out loud better than anyone else... It\'s because I have a thing, an epithet, a focus.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4693 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/dbd07e20-bb2a-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Early in her career, Winkleman was also used as a pundit on daytime TV shows. In 1996, for example, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h7me5ewyBsI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she was billed as a \"chat-up connoisseur\"</a> during a dating segment on Good Morning with Anne and Nick.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It is a fascinating clip. Aged 24, Winkleman\'s voice is higher than it is today, and her cut-glass English accent more refined. But she was comfortable on camera, and, three decades later, her appeal remains the same now as it was then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"First and foremost, she\'s funny,\" says Frances Taylor, TV previews editor at Radio Times. \"She has that natural comic timing and ability to be entertaining.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And an extra layer on top of that is how self-deprecating that sense of humour is, that\'s her secret weapon to me, she\'s always willing to make herself the butt of the joke.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She\'s also \"incredibly authentic\", Kanter adds. \"When you see her at industry events, she is her TV persona. She\'s the best friend you\'d love to have. She\'s fun, empathetic, understanding, sharp, and those qualities exude from the screen.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4694 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/9f53b460-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-200x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although her salary is <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dn6kxxqxko\" target=\"_self\">no longer published by the BBC,</a> Winkleman is<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>among the corporation\'s top earners. She was listed as making more than £450,000 in 2017.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But not everything she\'s done has been a hit.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Britain\'s Best Home Cook on BBC One, for instance, achieved relatively middling ratings despite the combined star power of Winkleman and Mary Berry.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Meanwhile, some felt she was less successful in Radio 2\'s Saturday morning slot than Norton, her predecessor. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/claudia-winkleman-s-new-radio-2-show-gets-off-to-a-brainless-start/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Spectator described</a> the show as \"brainless\", suggesting Winkleman \"gushed\" over her guests and asked obvious questions.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She also hosts Channel 4 quiz show<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>One Question, notes Taylor. \"But not many people have heard of it, and not many people watched it.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Away from the screen, London-based Winkleman shares three children with her husband of 25 years, film producer Kris Thykier. She<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>has often spoken of her close-knit family life, including a <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67600011\" target=\"_self\">desire to spend more time at home</a> with her children.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The family have also faced personal struggles. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32723504\" target=\"_self\">Her daughter Matilda was seriously injured in 2014</a> when, aged eight, the witch\'s costume she was wearing for Halloween caught fire while she was out trick-or-treating.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman, who put out the flames with another parent, took a short break from Strictly, and later campaigned for tougher fire safety laws on fancy dress costumes. Matilda, now 19, has gone on to study at the University of Bath.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">\'Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion\'</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Unlike some of her peers such as Gary Lineker or Rylan Clark, Winkleman is almost never involved in controversy. She doesn\'t share her political views and rarely grants interviews with news outlets.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do have opinions, but opinions are never a good idea, are they?\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/claudia-winkleman/id1527545442?i=1000489817358\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she told Gabby Logan\'s podcast The Mid Point.</a> \"Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion, is my general view.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And also, I don\'t think I\'ve got anything that interesting to say. So I\'m happy to talk about napping and my love of eyeliner. I have nothing to add, I really don\'t.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She has, however, still had to navigate the occasional tricky situation, such as when she was a presenter on the BBC\'s entertainment bulletin Liquid News.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">During a 2003 interview with S Club 7 about their impending break-up, Winkleman asked a delicate question about reports they were unhappy with their earnings. The group\'s publicist <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m8UJMYjcTk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">walked into the studio and halted the interview</a>.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4695 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/7a98a0e0-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But despite her rise, audiences could be seeing less of Winkleman in the future, and not just because Strictly is losing its Clauditorium.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"The more successful you become, the less work you do, for a variety of reasons,\" says Segal.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you get to a certain level, you become above a lot of stuff. Your rates go up financially. Also, the more work you take on, the more risk you have of failing. And sometimes, the way you limit that risk is to do less.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Segal suspects there are \"a lot of shows out there hosted by other people that Claudia was first choice for\", adding that Winkleman is \"probably inundated daily with new ideas, and she will have to say no to 99% of them\" - chat show or not.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Peak Claudia?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Of course, Winkleman\'s popularity doesn\'t guarantee she will make a successful chat show host. Norton makes it look easy, but he is a master of his craft.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Even Davina McCall, a highly capable and popular presenter, struggled with her own chat show in 2006 - saying later it <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qh32ID8Dt0&amp;t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">was the career move she most regretted.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Davina was as hot then as Claudia is now, but her chat show didn\'t work for the audience,\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disney-departs-doctor-who-winkleman-norton-to-become/id1807814349?i=1000734310339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said former BBC One controller Peter Fincham</a> on his podcast Insiders.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Chat shows hosted by people who are currently riding high on television in other sorts of shows, don\'t necessarily work.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And as Claudia\'s stardom continues to rise, doing less may help save her from something else - the risk of public fatigue - which Kanter cautions \"is a thing\" for presenters at her level.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Are we getting to the point of peak Claudia? Possibly,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"So that is something that I\'m sure she and her agent are giving some thought to.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CKz-2efG55ADFWHPDQkdxOIgOw\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','\'The best friend you\'d love to have\' - How Claudia Winkleman conquered TV 3','','inherit','closed','closed','','4763-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 13:01:07','2025-11-10 13:01:07','',4763,'https://asiance.co/?p=4768',0,'revision','',0),(4769,1,'2025-11-10 13:01:14','2025-11-10 13:01:14','<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"there\'s-a-famous-motto-in-the-cut-throat-world-of-television-that-many-presenters-live-by:-&quot;don\'t-quit-a-hit.&quot;\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">There\'s a famous motto in the cut-throat world of television that many presenters live by: \"Don\'t quit a hit.\"</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It\'s one of the reasons Claudia Winkleman\'s departure from Strictly Come Dancing, along with Tess Daly, took many by surprise when it was announced last month.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in Winkleman\'s case, the huge Saturday night hit she\'d co-hosted for 15 years had actually been eclipsed by an even bigger one.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The Traitors, which Winkleman began fronting in 2022, has become the jewel in the BBC\'s crown, with its recent celebrity spin-off attracting more than 13 million viewers.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The show has proven a perfect vehicle for Winkleman to showcase her range. She\'s stern and severe, with a dark side viewers hadn\'t previously seen, but also silly, camp and warm - always seeming to be genuinely on the side of the contestants.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'d be hard to argue against her being the number one presenter in the country right now,\" says Alex Segal, managing director of talent agency InterTalent.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Yes, you can of course still make a case for Ant and Dec, but in terms of the number of great shows, her trajectory, the love for her... people watch a show for her as much as they watch it for the format, I think she\'s in that moment now.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In an average year, viewers see Winkleman bouncing between a Scottish castle, a Hertfordshire ballroom and a train station piano (the latter, for Channel 4’s The Piano, which she also fronts). But another place the 53-year-old might soon be popping up is on her own chat show.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4692 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f92cabc0-bb1f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Industry reports suggest Winkleman is in advanced talks to host her own talk series - with Graham Norton\'s own production company So Television, which also makes his chat show for the BBC, said to be potentially producing it.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s an endorsement of Claudia\'s meteoric rise over the last few years,\" says Deadline’s Jake Kanter, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://deadline.com/2025/10/claudia-winkleman-bbc-chat-show-graham-norton-show-producer-1236596242/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">who reported the negotiations.</a> \"She will be very keen to do this, I\'m told it\'s a personal ambition of hers as well.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although Winkleman is seemingly being positioned as Norton\'s successor, there would be no direct clash. Her show would be broadcast in the months The Graham Norton Show - still a huge draw for audiences on TV and socials <b id=\"-\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">-</b> is off air.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Kanter notes that <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0028dnj/the-graham-norton-show-series-32-episode-20\" target=\"_self\">Winkleman stepped in for Norton</a> on an episode of his chat show earlier this year. \"I\'m sure that would\'ve been either a catalyst or starting point for some of these discussions,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They would\'ve seen what she did, the BBC would\'ve liked it, and I\'m sure they have done other work behind the scenes to make sure the format is right with her.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The BBC declined to comment on reports of the chat show when asked by BBC News, which is editorially independent from the corporation. So Television were also approached for a response.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A chat show would, however, be a logical next step given Winkleman\'s current hot streak, which comes after her three-decade rise through television.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Fringe benefits</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman is the daughter of newspaper editor Eve Pollard and book publisher Barry Winkleman. She studied art history at Cambridge, before launching a TV career in her twenties.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Willing to turn her hand to anything, she became a familiar face in the 1990s on BBC travel series Holiday, and her CV expanded with gameshows, dating formats and children\'s programmes.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in typically self-deprecating fashion, Winkleman suggested her haircut had more to do with her success than her on-screen ability.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You may loathe my fringe, but, and I\'m being perfectly serious here, it\'s given me a career,\" she wrote in her 2020 memoir, Quite.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I\'m sure I got work because all those times producers were in a room ruminating on the next TV show, handing round digestives and they couldn\'t remember names, they said, \'We could always get the orange one with the fringe\'.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Believe me, it\'s not because I read out loud better than anyone else... It\'s because I have a thing, an epithet, a focus.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4693 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/dbd07e20-bb2a-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Early in her career, Winkleman was also used as a pundit on daytime TV shows. In 1996, for example, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h7me5ewyBsI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she was billed as a \"chat-up connoisseur\"</a> during a dating segment on Good Morning with Anne and Nick.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It is a fascinating clip. Aged 24, Winkleman\'s voice is higher than it is today, and her cut-glass English accent more refined. But she was comfortable on camera, and, three decades later, her appeal remains the same now as it was then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"First and foremost, she\'s funny,\" says Frances Taylor, TV previews editor at Radio Times. \"She has that natural comic timing and ability to be entertaining.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And an extra layer on top of that is how self-deprecating that sense of humour is, that\'s her secret weapon to me, she\'s always willing to make herself the butt of the joke.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She\'s also \"incredibly authentic\", Kanter adds. \"When you see her at industry events, she is her TV persona. She\'s the best friend you\'d love to have. She\'s fun, empathetic, understanding, sharp, and those qualities exude from the screen.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4694 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/9f53b460-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-200x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although her salary is <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dn6kxxqxko\" target=\"_self\">no longer published by the BBC,</a> Winkleman is<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>among the corporation\'s top earners. She was listed as making more than £450,000 in 2017.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But not everything she\'s done has been a hit.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Britain\'s Best Home Cook on BBC One, for instance, achieved relatively middling ratings despite the combined star power of Winkleman and Mary Berry.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Meanwhile, some felt she was less successful in Radio 2\'s Saturday morning slot than Norton, her predecessor. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/claudia-winkleman-s-new-radio-2-show-gets-off-to-a-brainless-start/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Spectator described</a> the show as \"brainless\", suggesting Winkleman \"gushed\" over her guests and asked obvious questions.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She also hosts Channel 4 quiz show<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>One Question, notes Taylor. \"But not many people have heard of it, and not many people watched it.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Away from the screen, London-based Winkleman shares three children with her husband of 25 years, film producer Kris Thykier. She<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>has often spoken of her close-knit family life, including a <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67600011\" target=\"_self\">desire to spend more time at home</a> with her children.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The family have also faced personal struggles. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32723504\" target=\"_self\">Her daughter Matilda was seriously injured in 2014</a> when, aged eight, the witch\'s costume she was wearing for Halloween caught fire while she was out trick-or-treating.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman, who put out the flames with another parent, took a short break from Strictly, and later campaigned for tougher fire safety laws on fancy dress costumes. Matilda, now 19, has gone on to study at the University of Bath.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">\'Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion\'</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Unlike some of her peers such as Gary Lineker or Rylan Clark, Winkleman is almost never involved in controversy. She doesn\'t share her political views and rarely grants interviews with news outlets.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do have opinions, but opinions are never a good idea, are they?\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/claudia-winkleman/id1527545442?i=1000489817358\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she told Gabby Logan\'s podcast The Mid Point.</a> \"Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion, is my general view.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And also, I don\'t think I\'ve got anything that interesting to say. So I\'m happy to talk about napping and my love of eyeliner. I have nothing to add, I really don\'t.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She has, however, still had to navigate the occasional tricky situation, such as when she was a presenter on the BBC\'s entertainment bulletin Liquid News.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">During a 2003 interview with S Club 7 about their impending break-up, Winkleman asked a delicate question about reports they were unhappy with their earnings. The group\'s publicist <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m8UJMYjcTk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">walked into the studio and halted the interview</a>.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4695 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/7a98a0e0-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But despite her rise, audiences could be seeing less of Winkleman in the future, and not just because Strictly is losing its Clauditorium.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"The more successful you become, the less work you do, for a variety of reasons,\" says Segal.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you get to a certain level, you become above a lot of stuff. Your rates go up financially. Also, the more work you take on, the more risk you have of failing. And sometimes, the way you limit that risk is to do less.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Segal suspects there are \"a lot of shows out there hosted by other people that Claudia was first choice for\", adding that Winkleman is \"probably inundated daily with new ideas, and she will have to say no to 99% of them\" - chat show or not.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Peak Claudia?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Of course, Winkleman\'s popularity doesn\'t guarantee she will make a successful chat show host. Norton makes it look easy, but he is a master of his craft.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Even Davina McCall, a highly capable and popular presenter, struggled with her own chat show in 2006 - saying later it <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qh32ID8Dt0&amp;t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">was the career move she most regretted.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Davina was as hot then as Claudia is now, but her chat show didn\'t work for the audience,\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disney-departs-doctor-who-winkleman-norton-to-become/id1807814349?i=1000734310339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said former BBC One controller Peter Fincham</a> on his podcast Insiders.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Chat shows hosted by people who are currently riding high on television in other sorts of shows, don\'t necessarily work.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And as Claudia\'s stardom continues to rise, doing less may help save her from something else - the risk of public fatigue - which Kanter cautions \"is a thing\" for presenters at her level.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Are we getting to the point of peak Claudia? Possibly,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"So that is something that I\'m sure she and her agent are giving some thought to.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CKz-2efG55ADFWHPDQkdxOIgOw\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','\'The best friend you\'d love to have\' - How Claudia Winkleman conquered TV 2','','inherit','closed','closed','','4764-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 13:01:14','2025-11-10 13:01:14','',4764,'https://asiance.co/?p=4769',0,'revision','',0),(4770,1,'2025-11-10 13:01:17','2025-11-10 13:01:17','<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"there\'s-a-famous-motto-in-the-cut-throat-world-of-television-that-many-presenters-live-by:-&quot;don\'t-quit-a-hit.&quot;\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">There\'s a famous motto in the cut-throat world of television that many presenters live by: \"Don\'t quit a hit.\"</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It\'s one of the reasons Claudia Winkleman\'s departure from Strictly Come Dancing, along with Tess Daly, took many by surprise when it was announced last month.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in Winkleman\'s case, the huge Saturday night hit she\'d co-hosted for 15 years had actually been eclipsed by an even bigger one.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The Traitors, which Winkleman began fronting in 2022, has become the jewel in the BBC\'s crown, with its recent celebrity spin-off attracting more than 13 million viewers.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The show has proven a perfect vehicle for Winkleman to showcase her range. She\'s stern and severe, with a dark side viewers hadn\'t previously seen, but also silly, camp and warm - always seeming to be genuinely on the side of the contestants.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'d be hard to argue against her being the number one presenter in the country right now,\" says Alex Segal, managing director of talent agency InterTalent.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Yes, you can of course still make a case for Ant and Dec, but in terms of the number of great shows, her trajectory, the love for her... people watch a show for her as much as they watch it for the format, I think she\'s in that moment now.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In an average year, viewers see Winkleman bouncing between a Scottish castle, a Hertfordshire ballroom and a train station piano (the latter, for Channel 4’s The Piano, which she also fronts). But another place the 53-year-old might soon be popping up is on her own chat show.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4692 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f92cabc0-bb1f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Industry reports suggest Winkleman is in advanced talks to host her own talk series - with Graham Norton\'s own production company So Television, which also makes his chat show for the BBC, said to be potentially producing it.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s an endorsement of Claudia\'s meteoric rise over the last few years,\" says Deadline’s Jake Kanter, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://deadline.com/2025/10/claudia-winkleman-bbc-chat-show-graham-norton-show-producer-1236596242/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">who reported the negotiations.</a> \"She will be very keen to do this, I\'m told it\'s a personal ambition of hers as well.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although Winkleman is seemingly being positioned as Norton\'s successor, there would be no direct clash. Her show would be broadcast in the months The Graham Norton Show - still a huge draw for audiences on TV and socials <b id=\"-\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">-</b> is off air.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Kanter notes that <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0028dnj/the-graham-norton-show-series-32-episode-20\" target=\"_self\">Winkleman stepped in for Norton</a> on an episode of his chat show earlier this year. \"I\'m sure that would\'ve been either a catalyst or starting point for some of these discussions,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They would\'ve seen what she did, the BBC would\'ve liked it, and I\'m sure they have done other work behind the scenes to make sure the format is right with her.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The BBC declined to comment on reports of the chat show when asked by BBC News, which is editorially independent from the corporation. So Television were also approached for a response.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A chat show would, however, be a logical next step given Winkleman\'s current hot streak, which comes after her three-decade rise through television.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Fringe benefits</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman is the daughter of newspaper editor Eve Pollard and book publisher Barry Winkleman. She studied art history at Cambridge, before launching a TV career in her twenties.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Willing to turn her hand to anything, she became a familiar face in the 1990s on BBC travel series Holiday, and her CV expanded with gameshows, dating formats and children\'s programmes.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in typically self-deprecating fashion, Winkleman suggested her haircut had more to do with her success than her on-screen ability.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You may loathe my fringe, but, and I\'m being perfectly serious here, it\'s given me a career,\" she wrote in her 2020 memoir, Quite.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I\'m sure I got work because all those times producers were in a room ruminating on the next TV show, handing round digestives and they couldn\'t remember names, they said, \'We could always get the orange one with the fringe\'.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Believe me, it\'s not because I read out loud better than anyone else... It\'s because I have a thing, an epithet, a focus.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4693 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/dbd07e20-bb2a-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Early in her career, Winkleman was also used as a pundit on daytime TV shows. In 1996, for example, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h7me5ewyBsI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she was billed as a \"chat-up connoisseur\"</a> during a dating segment on Good Morning with Anne and Nick.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It is a fascinating clip. Aged 24, Winkleman\'s voice is higher than it is today, and her cut-glass English accent more refined. But she was comfortable on camera, and, three decades later, her appeal remains the same now as it was then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"First and foremost, she\'s funny,\" says Frances Taylor, TV previews editor at Radio Times. \"She has that natural comic timing and ability to be entertaining.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And an extra layer on top of that is how self-deprecating that sense of humour is, that\'s her secret weapon to me, she\'s always willing to make herself the butt of the joke.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She\'s also \"incredibly authentic\", Kanter adds. \"When you see her at industry events, she is her TV persona. She\'s the best friend you\'d love to have. She\'s fun, empathetic, understanding, sharp, and those qualities exude from the screen.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4694 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/9f53b460-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-200x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although her salary is <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dn6kxxqxko\" target=\"_self\">no longer published by the BBC,</a> Winkleman is<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>among the corporation\'s top earners. She was listed as making more than £450,000 in 2017.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But not everything she\'s done has been a hit.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Britain\'s Best Home Cook on BBC One, for instance, achieved relatively middling ratings despite the combined star power of Winkleman and Mary Berry.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Meanwhile, some felt she was less successful in Radio 2\'s Saturday morning slot than Norton, her predecessor. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/claudia-winkleman-s-new-radio-2-show-gets-off-to-a-brainless-start/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Spectator described</a> the show as \"brainless\", suggesting Winkleman \"gushed\" over her guests and asked obvious questions.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She also hosts Channel 4 quiz show<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>One Question, notes Taylor. \"But not many people have heard of it, and not many people watched it.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Away from the screen, London-based Winkleman shares three children with her husband of 25 years, film producer Kris Thykier. She<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>has often spoken of her close-knit family life, including a <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67600011\" target=\"_self\">desire to spend more time at home</a> with her children.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The family have also faced personal struggles. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32723504\" target=\"_self\">Her daughter Matilda was seriously injured in 2014</a> when, aged eight, the witch\'s costume she was wearing for Halloween caught fire while she was out trick-or-treating.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman, who put out the flames with another parent, took a short break from Strictly, and later campaigned for tougher fire safety laws on fancy dress costumes. Matilda, now 19, has gone on to study at the University of Bath.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">\'Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion\'</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Unlike some of her peers such as Gary Lineker or Rylan Clark, Winkleman is almost never involved in controversy. She doesn\'t share her political views and rarely grants interviews with news outlets.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do have opinions, but opinions are never a good idea, are they?\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/claudia-winkleman/id1527545442?i=1000489817358\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she told Gabby Logan\'s podcast The Mid Point.</a> \"Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion, is my general view.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And also, I don\'t think I\'ve got anything that interesting to say. So I\'m happy to talk about napping and my love of eyeliner. I have nothing to add, I really don\'t.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She has, however, still had to navigate the occasional tricky situation, such as when she was a presenter on the BBC\'s entertainment bulletin Liquid News.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">During a 2003 interview with S Club 7 about their impending break-up, Winkleman asked a delicate question about reports they were unhappy with their earnings. The group\'s publicist <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m8UJMYjcTk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">walked into the studio and halted the interview</a>.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4695 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/7a98a0e0-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But despite her rise, audiences could be seeing less of Winkleman in the future, and not just because Strictly is losing its Clauditorium.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"The more successful you become, the less work you do, for a variety of reasons,\" says Segal.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you get to a certain level, you become above a lot of stuff. Your rates go up financially. Also, the more work you take on, the more risk you have of failing. And sometimes, the way you limit that risk is to do less.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Segal suspects there are \"a lot of shows out there hosted by other people that Claudia was first choice for\", adding that Winkleman is \"probably inundated daily with new ideas, and she will have to say no to 99% of them\" - chat show or not.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Peak Claudia?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Of course, Winkleman\'s popularity doesn\'t guarantee she will make a successful chat show host. Norton makes it look easy, but he is a master of his craft.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Even Davina McCall, a highly capable and popular presenter, struggled with her own chat show in 2006 - saying later it <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qh32ID8Dt0&amp;t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">was the career move she most regretted.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Davina was as hot then as Claudia is now, but her chat show didn\'t work for the audience,\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disney-departs-doctor-who-winkleman-norton-to-become/id1807814349?i=1000734310339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said former BBC One controller Peter Fincham</a> on his podcast Insiders.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Chat shows hosted by people who are currently riding high on television in other sorts of shows, don\'t necessarily work.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And as Claudia\'s stardom continues to rise, doing less may help save her from something else - the risk of public fatigue - which Kanter cautions \"is a thing\" for presenters at her level.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Are we getting to the point of peak Claudia? Possibly,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"So that is something that I\'m sure she and her agent are giving some thought to.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CKz-2efG55ADFWHPDQkdxOIgOw\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','\'The best friend you\'d love to have\' - How Claudia Winkleman conquered TV 1','','inherit','closed','closed','','4765-revision-v1','','','2025-11-10 13:01:17','2025-11-10 13:01:17','',4765,'https://asiance.co/?p=4770',0,'revision','',0),(4772,1,'2025-11-10 13:06:39','2025-11-10 13:06:39','<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b id=\"there\'s-a-famous-motto-in-the-cut-throat-world-of-television-that-many-presenters-live-by:-&quot;don\'t-quit-a-hit.&quot;\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">There\'s a famous motto in the cut-throat world of television that many presenters live by: \"Don\'t quit a hit.\"</b></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It\'s one of the reasons Claudia Winkleman\'s departure from Strictly Come Dancing, along with Tess Daly, took many by surprise when it was announced last month.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in Winkleman\'s case, the huge Saturday night hit she\'d co-hosted for 15 years had actually been eclipsed by an even bigger one.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The Traitors, which Winkleman began fronting in 2022, has become the jewel in the BBC\'s crown, with its recent celebrity spin-off attracting more than 13 million viewers.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The show has proven a perfect vehicle for Winkleman to showcase her range. She\'s stern and severe, with a dark side viewers hadn\'t previously seen, but also silly, camp and warm - always seeming to be genuinely on the side of the contestants.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'d be hard to argue against her being the number one presenter in the country right now,\" says Alex Segal, managing director of talent agency InterTalent.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Yes, you can of course still make a case for Ant and Dec, but in terms of the number of great shows, her trajectory, the love for her... people watch a show for her as much as they watch it for the format, I think she\'s in that moment now.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In an average year, viewers see Winkleman bouncing between a Scottish castle, a Hertfordshire ballroom and a train station piano (the latter, for Channel 4’s The Piano, which she also fronts). But another place the 53-year-old might soon be popping up is on her own chat show.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-text-wrapper\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4692 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f92cabc0-bb1f-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Industry reports suggest Winkleman is in advanced talks to host her own talk series - with Graham Norton\'s own production company So Television, which also makes his chat show for the BBC, said to be potentially producing it.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"It\'s an endorsement of Claudia\'s meteoric rise over the last few years,\" says Deadline’s Jake Kanter, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://deadline.com/2025/10/claudia-winkleman-bbc-chat-show-graham-norton-show-producer-1236596242/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">who reported the negotiations.</a> \"She will be very keen to do this, I\'m told it\'s a personal ambition of hers as well.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although Winkleman is seemingly being positioned as Norton\'s successor, there would be no direct clash. Her show would be broadcast in the months The Graham Norton Show - still a huge draw for audiences on TV and socials <b id=\"-\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">-</b> is off air.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Kanter notes that <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0028dnj/the-graham-norton-show-series-32-episode-20\" target=\"_self\">Winkleman stepped in for Norton</a> on an episode of his chat show earlier this year. \"I\'m sure that would\'ve been either a catalyst or starting point for some of these discussions,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"They would\'ve seen what she did, the BBC would\'ve liked it, and I\'m sure they have done other work behind the scenes to make sure the format is right with her.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The BBC declined to comment on reports of the chat show when asked by BBC News, which is editorially independent from the corporation. So Television were also approached for a response.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A chat show would, however, be a logical next step given Winkleman\'s current hot streak, which comes after her three-decade rise through television.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Fringe benefits</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman is the daughter of newspaper editor Eve Pollard and book publisher Barry Winkleman. She studied art history at Cambridge, before launching a TV career in her twenties.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Willing to turn her hand to anything, she became a familiar face in the 1990s on BBC travel series Holiday, and her CV expanded with gameshows, dating formats and children\'s programmes.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But in typically self-deprecating fashion, Winkleman suggested her haircut had more to do with her success than her on-screen ability.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"You may loathe my fringe, but, and I\'m being perfectly serious here, it\'s given me a career,\" she wrote in her 2020 memoir, Quite.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I\'m sure I got work because all those times producers were in a room ruminating on the next TV show, handing round digestives and they couldn\'t remember names, they said, \'We could always get the orange one with the fringe\'.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Believe me, it\'s not because I read out loud better than anyone else... It\'s because I have a thing, an epithet, a focus.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4693 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/dbd07e20-bb2a-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Early in her career, Winkleman was also used as a pundit on daytime TV shows. In 1996, for example, <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h7me5ewyBsI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she was billed as a \"chat-up connoisseur\"</a> during a dating segment on Good Morning with Anne and Nick.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It is a fascinating clip. Aged 24, Winkleman\'s voice is higher than it is today, and her cut-glass English accent more refined. But she was comfortable on camera, and, three decades later, her appeal remains the same now as it was then.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"First and foremost, she\'s funny,\" says Frances Taylor, TV previews editor at Radio Times. \"She has that natural comic timing and ability to be entertaining.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And an extra layer on top of that is how self-deprecating that sense of humour is, that\'s her secret weapon to me, she\'s always willing to make herself the butt of the joke.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She\'s also \"incredibly authentic\", Kanter adds. \"When you see her at industry events, she is her TV persona. She\'s the best friend you\'d love to have. She\'s fun, empathetic, understanding, sharp, and those qualities exude from the screen.\"</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4694 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/9f53b460-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-200x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Although her salary is <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dn6kxxqxko\" target=\"_self\">no longer published by the BBC,</a> Winkleman is<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>among the corporation\'s top earners. She was listed as making more than £450,000 in 2017.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But not everything she\'s done has been a hit.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Britain\'s Best Home Cook on BBC One, for instance, achieved relatively middling ratings despite the combined star power of Winkleman and Mary Berry.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Meanwhile, some felt she was less successful in Radio 2\'s Saturday morning slot than Norton, her predecessor. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/claudia-winkleman-s-new-radio-2-show-gets-off-to-a-brainless-start/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Spectator described</a> the show as \"brainless\", suggesting Winkleman \"gushed\" over her guests and asked obvious questions.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She also hosts Channel 4 quiz show<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>One Question, notes Taylor. \"But not many people have heard of it, and not many people watched it.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Away from the screen, London-based Winkleman shares three children with her husband of 25 years, film producer Kris Thykier. She<b id=\"\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\"> </b>has often spoken of her close-knit family life, including a <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67600011\" target=\"_self\">desire to spend more time at home</a> with her children.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The family have also faced personal struggles. <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32723504\" target=\"_self\">Her daughter Matilda was seriously injured in 2014</a> when, aged eight, the witch\'s costume she was wearing for Halloween caught fire while she was out trick-or-treating.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Winkleman, who put out the flames with another parent, took a short break from Strictly, and later campaigned for tougher fire safety laws on fancy dress costumes. Matilda, now 19, has gone on to study at the University of Bath.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">\'Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion\'</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Unlike some of her peers such as Gary Lineker or Rylan Clark, Winkleman is almost never involved in controversy. She doesn\'t share her political views and rarely grants interviews with news outlets.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"I do have opinions, but opinions are never a good idea, are they?\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/claudia-winkleman/id1527545442?i=1000489817358\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">she told Gabby Logan\'s podcast The Mid Point.</a> \"Whatever you do, don\'t have an opinion, is my general view.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"And also, I don\'t think I\'ve got anything that interesting to say. So I\'m happy to talk about napping and my love of eyeliner. I have nothing to add, I really don\'t.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She has, however, still had to navigate the occasional tricky situation, such as when she was a presenter on the BBC\'s entertainment bulletin Liquid News.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">During a 2003 interview with S Club 7 about their impending break-up, Winkleman asked a delicate question about reports they were unhappy with their earnings. The group\'s publicist <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m8UJMYjcTk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">walked into the studio and halted the interview</a>.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-4695 aligncenter\" src=\"https://asiance.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/7a98a0e0-bb31-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But despite her rise, audiences could be seeing less of Winkleman in the future, and not just because Strictly is losing its Clauditorium.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"The more successful you become, the less work you do, for a variety of reasons,\" says Segal.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"If you get to a certain level, you become above a lot of stuff. Your rates go up financially. Also, the more work you take on, the more risk you have of failing. And sometimes, the way you limit that risk is to do less.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Segal suspects there are \"a lot of shows out there hosted by other people that Claudia was first choice for\", adding that Winkleman is \"probably inundated daily with new ideas, and she will have to say no to 99% of them\" - chat show or not.</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hNbOGD\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\r\n<h2 class=\"sc-f98b1ad2-0 gXmhTb\">Peak Claudia?</h2>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\" data-component=\"text-block\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Of course, Winkleman\'s popularity doesn\'t guarantee she will make a successful chat show host. Norton makes it look easy, but he is a master of his craft.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Even Davina McCall, a highly capable and popular presenter, struggled with her own chat show in 2006 - saying later it <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qh32ID8Dt0&amp;t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">was the career move she most regretted.</a></p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Davina was as hot then as Claudia is now, but her chat show didn\'t work for the audience,\" <a class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\" href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disney-departs-doctor-who-winkleman-norton-to-become/id1807814349?i=1000734310339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said former BBC One controller Peter Fincham</a> on his podcast Insiders.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Chat shows hosted by people who are currently riding high on television in other sorts of shows, don\'t necessarily work.\"</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">And as Claudia\'s stardom continues to rise, doing less may help save her from something else - the risk of public fatigue - which Kanter cautions \"is a thing\" for presenters at her level.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"Are we getting to the point of peak Claudia? Possibly,\" he says.</p>\r\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">\"So that is something that I\'m sure she and her agent are giving some thought to.\"</p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"sc-1b734f04-0 kNNIux\" data-testid=\"ad-unit\" data-component=\"ad-slot\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-ad active\" data-testid=\"dotcom-mid_1\" data-ad-slot=\"{}\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n<div class=\"dotcom-ad-inner\">\r\n<div id=\"dotcom-slot-mid_1\" class=\"dotcom-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CKz-2efG55ADFWHPDQkdxOIgOw\"></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','\'The best friend you\'d love to have\' - How Claudia Winkleman conquered TV 14','','publish','closed','closed','','the-best-friend-youd-love-to-have-how-claudia-winkleman-conquered-tv-14','','','2025-11-10 13:06:39','2025-11-10 13:06:39','',0,'https://asiance.co/?post_type=news&#038;p=4772',0,'news','',0),