Traitors fans stunned as old footage of Claudia Winkleman without a fringe resurfaces online

When you think of Claudia Winkleman, three things are likely to pop into your head - full fringe, fake tan and eyeliner.

The look is so distinctive for The Traitors presenter that it's hard to imagine a world where Winkleman hasn't been rocking her iconic look.

It's bad enough to think that she won't be helming Strictly Come Dancing after this year, so the thought of a Claudia Winkleman without a fringe seems almost unbelievable.

And yet, thanks to the beauty of the internet, images of the presenter pre-fringe do exist and resurface every couple of months, ready to shock unsuspecting Brits at any given moment.

As Winkleman's name surges in popularity amid the ongoing season of The Celebrity Traitors, it was only a matter of time until old images and videos floated to the top of internet chatter.

It's a look we're all used to (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for BFI)

Once such a clip recently emerged on social media, showing Winkleman being interviewed on the BBC's 90s chat show Good Morning With Anne and Nick back in 1996.

The clip sees Winkleman referred to as a 'chat-up connoisseur' and asked for her opinions on how people can improve their flirting game.

But let's be honest, no one is watching the video to hear Winkleman's advice on asking people for a lighter or pretending to recognise someone as a way to start a conversation.

We're all focused on the definitive proof that the presenter's forehead actually exists.

In the clip, Winkleman's hair appears to be her natural shade of brown, with a pretty extreme side parting and fringe to cover the upper part of her forehead. She's also missing the famous fake tan and eyeliner, instead sporting a more natural look.

Take a look at the clip below to acquaint yourself with pre-fringe Claudia:

The clip made its way onto TikTok in the past couple of days, with viewers completely shocked to see the presenter sporting a different look.

"I would never have known that was Claudia," wrote one person in the comments, while a second joked: "So when does claudia winkleman come in?"

"Did Claudia invent the millennial emo fringe?!" a third added.

Proof that Winkleman hasn't always had a fringe (BBC)

So why does Winkleman insist on sticking to her distinctive look?

It's a question she's given numerous answers to over the years, including saying it was to hide her 'massive forehead' or even joking that it was now part of her identity.

"I haven't seen my forehead for about 15 years," she previously told Hello. "I don't even know what's under my fringe - there could be squirrels, parrots - I've got no idea."