Knitted Strictly host Claudia Winkleman recycled for Christmas

A knitted Claudia Winkleman has been separated from co-host Tess Daly and turned into a Christmas character

BBC TV's Strictly co-host Claudia Winkleman might have finished her latest TV series but her knitted namesake lives on as a Christmas fairy sitting on top of a festive postbox.

Knitted Winkleman is the creation of Kathleen Shannon and friend Jackie Monk, from Great Dunmow in Essex.

They made a Strictly Come Dancing topper for the start of the series.

Winkleman has now been "recycled", with added fairy lights, and is bringing some glitterball glamour to the town.

Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly were captured in knitted form with a large glitterball

Mrs Shannon and her friend have been decorating the town's postboxes for years and create scenes to celebrate occasions such as Christmas and Halloween, and to mark others such as Remembrance, and popular shows like Strictly Come Dancing.

She likes to "recycle and repurpose" some of the many characters she has displayed, and the knitted Winkleman has been parted from knitted co-host Tess Daly to become the fairy on the top of a tree on a postbox in the town.

A knitted gingerbread house is one of this year's festive postbox toppers

Ms Shannon took one of her creations back to her hometown in County Kildare in Ireland earlier this month

Penguins feature on another postbox in the Essex town

If she did not re-use some characters and pieces, Mrs Shannon admitted there would be no room left in the house she shares with her husband and son.

Kathleen Shannon said her hobby had taken over the whole house

"They joke that I'm a mad knitting lady," she said.

"The loft is full of pieces, and there's wool stored all over the house, including the conservatory, cupboards and at the top of the stairs."

"Kevin the carrot" characters have also been "repurposed" for another festive scene

The rest of her household does not get involved with any actual knitting.

"It's taken over the whole house, but they do love what I do," Mrs Shannon added.

Asked if he wished to comment on his wife's hobby, her husband John Shannon simply replied: "Help."

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