Claudia Winkleman Arrives at GQ Awards With Smudged Eye Makeup, Messy Hair and Uneven Tan

At 41, the television presenter arrived with heavily smudged eye makeup, windswept hair and a dramatically uneven fake tan that would have made Friends’ Ross Geller proud. Her beauty routine clearly had not gone to plan.

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It was possible, however, that the unusual finish was not the work of a professional makeup artist at all. Perhaps Claudia had attempted a hurried DIY application in the back of the car on her way to the men’s magazine awards.

Much like Bridget Jones in The Edge of Reason, the rushed makeup may have seemed less noticeable inside the vehicle that brought her to the ceremony.

But beneath the bright flash photography and against the stark black-and-white backdrop, the look became far more obvious. Claudia appeared a long way from the polished presenter audiences were familiar with from Film 2013.

Good friend you have there: Kirsty Young either failed to notice the makeup mishap behind her glasses or chose not to draw attention to it

Images of Winkleman quickly made their way online, prompting plenty of surprised reactions across the Twittersphere.

One user, @katy_bamber, asked: ‘Why does Claudia Winkleman always look like she’s just woken up in last night’s makeup?’

Another, @JustKyleMc, posed an equally blunt question:‘At what point did Claudia Winkleman look in the mirror and think, “I look good”?’

Her friend, Big Brother presenter Kirsty Young, did not appear to comment before they faced the photographers. With an expression suggesting her own makeup was perfectly in place, she posed with Winkleman, who was otherwise stylishly dressed in a backless jumpsuit and white stilettos.

By the next morning, Claudia had acknowledged the makeup malfunction herself and suggested that her signature eye makeup might need to be toned down:

‘Oh my. They’re not wrong. Eyeliner going in the bin. Ish,’ she posted on Twitter.

The Strictly Come Dancing Result show co-host missed the BBC 1 talent show's red carpet extravaganza to attend the GQ Awards.

But even though the likes of Daisy Lowe and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley stole the show, Claudia could certainly feel secure in the knowledge that at least on that night, she had the perfect face for her BBC Radio 2 show.