Strictly Come Dancing and BBC Radio 2 presenter Claudia Winkleman, 50, has credited her “girlfriends” for their support when she had to say goodbye to a beloved family member. The star admitted that despite wanting to stay strong, she broke down after leaving her eldest son Jake Thykier, 18, at university for the first time.Claudia shares Jake, Arthur Thykier, 10, and Matilda Martha Thykier, 16, with her husband Kris Thykier.Reflecting on the heartbreaking time while chatting to Lorraine Candy and Trish Halpin on the Postcards From Midlife Podcast, Claudia explained her close friends “held her up” after Jake left home.The Strictly host said: “I remember my mum dropping me off at university and she could not stop crying, and I was like, ‘I won’t do that, I’ll be brave’. “And, of course, I fell apart, because they’re my life and I know I’m boring and I sound like a stuck record.“That is why girlfriends… lots of people expect girlfriends to land in our lap and everything will be easy peasy, and often it is.“But I think the more effort we can make with our girls, like you would, you know, when you first meet a boy and you really fancy him and you’re like, ‘maybe I’m going to wear this top, or maybe I’m going to make Moussaka’.“Me and my girls do that for each other, not that we make moussaka, ever!“But we look after each other.” The star added: “We’re there for each other, and they held me up when Jake left because I was a wreck.”It comes after Claudia humorously opened up on how her family survived the third coronavirus lockdown together. The BBC favourite, who has been married to husband Kris since June 2000, admitted she sometimes questions “why or how” they are still together.Explaining her doubts, Claudia revealed she
