Banished Traitors star Hannah Fry revealed she is actually related to one of her co-stars and shared her true opinions of them after leaving Ardross Castle
Hannah Fry was banished from the Traitors castle(Image: BBC)
The aim of the game is for faithfuls to hunt out the Traitors, but for one contestant, they discovered more than they bargained for in the latest series of Celebrity Traitors.
Recently ousted traitor Hannah Fry was part of the group of famous faces battling it out to bag a big lump sum for charity in the second celeb offering of the BBC show.
Thursday’s episode of the saw Hannah feel the force as fellow Traitors Maya Jama and James Acaster turned on her in a bid to save themselves. The mathematician and author, 42, discovered she is related to one of her co-stars.
When she was asked who she was closest to in the Ardross Castle, Hannah said: “I really like Joanne. We actually discovered that we’re cousins, by marriage. So her cousin is married to my cousin.”
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She then joked: “We’re basically sisters. I really loved her so much. She described herself as how she came out of the womb as a show pony.
“That’s the perfect description of that woman. She is phenomenal. She knows exactly who she is, and she is totally unapologetic about it. I cannot tell you how much I admire her. She’s phenomenal.”
In the same episode as Hannah being banished, comedian Rob Beckett was also murdered. He admitted he found being murdered funny. but Hannah she’d cried more during her five days of playing the game than at any other point in her life.
Speaking in the immediate aftermath of her leaving the castle, she said she found the whole experience a rollercoaster of emotions. Hannah said: “I laughed more, cried more and got more excited than I ever have in the entirety of the rest of my life combined.
“I really preferred being Faithful. I think it’s just a much more authentic experience.” She went on to say hat one of the lessons learned was that she hated “lying to people’s faces”.
She continued: “I think there’s actually some pride in being a rubbish Traitor.” And she admitted she knew she wasn’t destined to last long in the game.
“On the first day, I asked Michael Sheen who he would murder, and he said, ‘You’. At that point I knew I was really in trouble,” she said.
Rob’s murder left all the Faithful confused while banished Hannah admitted her spreadsheets hadn’t helped her as a Traitor
Beckett’s kicked the bucket – as Claudia described his murder
While comedian Rob Beckett found being murdered funny in The Celebrity Traitors, Professor Hannah Fry said she’d cried more during her five days of playing the game than at any other point in her life.
Hannah was banished at the round table last night with 12 of the 15 remaining players writing her name on the slate – giving them a landslide 80% victory. Speaking straight after leaving the castle, she admitted that she’d found her time there to be a rollercoaster of emotions. “I laughed more, cried more and got more excited than I ever have in the entirety of the rest of my life combined,” she explained.
“I really preferred being Faithful. I think it’s just a much more authentic experience,” she added, saying that one of the lessons learned was that she hated “lying to people’s faces”. “I think there’s actually some pride in being a rubbish Traitor.”
The maths guru, who has two daughters aged eight and six with her ex-husband, said that being a Traitor had been far harder than playing as a Faithful – which is what she’d gone into the game to do. “One of the reasons why I didn’t want to be a Traitor is because the only way your game ends is by being banished or winning – having people vote for you and having heat on you is part of the role of being a Traitor.”
Hannah confessed she’d avoided voting for Julie Hesmondhalgh out of guilt because the actress was “lovely” and had instead gone for Jerry Hall as “the one person on that whole table who could handle being voted for”.
The 42-year-old said she always knew she might not last long in the game. “On the first day, I asked Michael Sheen who he would murder, and he said, ‘You’. At that point I knew I was really in trouble.”
And the BBC presenter also confessed that getting the roman numerals right in her final mission – to help with the group £8,000 – had been far tougher than it looked. “I knew that everyone was going to expect me to be the one to solve it, but I think people have this image in their heads that mathematicians just sit around thinking of big numbers all day – it couldn’t be further from the truth. I haven’t used a number since I was about 16, I’m all about the x’s and y’s.”
Along with the trickier moments, there was also some highs. “Killing Rob Beckett was one of the best evenings I’ve had in my entire life,” she laughed. “I was running through the woods in the middle of the night, opening the door to Rob’s face. It was delightful.”
Speaking after being killed face-to-face with the traitors, dad-of-two Rob said that he cared less about the game and more about the juicy stories the other celebs were sharing in the castle. “What I loved most was meeting everyone and talking to them,” he explained. “When you have Michael Sheen, Richard E . Grant, Jerry Hall, James Blunt, I don’t care who’s a Traitor. Give me the anecdotes, I want the gossip. So everyone was going back to the hotel writing ideas of who it might be in their notepad, and I’ve got a notepad full of anecdotes that they told me that can only get wheeled out when I’m drunk at a party.”
When The Traitors arrived as his crypt to tell him he’d been murdered, he responded jovially: “Thank you very much James Acaster!” But he did say he expected comedy sidekick Romesh Ranganathan to “avenge my death”.
Rob, 40, reckoned the only Traitor he’d potentially identified at the start was Richard E Grant – so was “gutted” when the actor blurted it out. But the funnyman realised too late how James Acaster had been giving him a wide berth. “I gave James the benefit of the doubt because he desperately wanted to be a Faithful, but then that’s the oldest trick in the book, saying that. He had been really quiet, and on reflection, he’d avoided me a lot which makes sense, because I know him quite well. And then Maya Jama does not change her personality, whatever’s happening. So she’s going to be a great Traitor, I think she could win it.”
Confessing he was happy to go home because he’d been missing his kids, aged eight and 10, Rob said his highlight in the castle has been hitting it off with Jerry Hall. “I love her. She’s got such an amazing energy. She’s just so chilled. We just floated on together. She tells me her life motto probably every eight minutes, and that is ‘what will be, will be’.”
He now wants Jerry, 70, to win – along with his close pal Romesh. “Jerry Hall’s my pick, a rank outsider, but she’s my pick. The ultimate finale would be Leigh-Anne, Jerry and Romesh staring down Acaster. Three on one and they take his sorry ass to the cleaners.”
He believes his relaxed way of playing the game far outweighs the high-pressure path that Hannah had been forced down. ”I’d say, don’t stress yourself about it. All the money goes to charity. Have a good time for a long time.”
One of the surprising things Hannah discovered in The Celebrity Traitors was that she is actually related to Irish comedian Joanne McNally because their cousins are married. “We’re basically sisters,” she laughed. “I really loved her so much. She described herself as coming out of the womb as a show pony – that’s the perfect description of that woman. She is phenomenal. She knows exactly who she is, and she is totally unapologetic about it. I cannot tell you how much I admire her.”
While she’d like to see Joanne win, Hannah now thinks that fellow Traitor Maya or Faithful Leigh-Anne are the most likely to reach the final. “I think Maya is playing the most amazing game. When someone looks like that, I think that you expect her to have a bit of a chip on her shoulder because she’s one of the most beautiful women alive, but she’s also just so much fun. No airs and graces, totally delightful to be around.”
She also believes that Leigh-Anne has a great chance in the game, because she’s been woefully underestimated. “My God, that woman hasn’t got a single thing wrong. She’s the most perceptive person I’ve ever come across in my entire life. Is she psychic?
“Leigh-Anne needs to keep quiet about how good she is because I don’t think people have necessarily noticed. As soon as Maya notices that Leigh-Anne is that good, she’s going to kill her.”
Last night’s episode ended with boxer turned YouTube star King Kenny being recruited into the turret – much to his enormous surprise. “Being a Faithful was fun, but being a Traitor is going to be better,” he declared.
Urging Maya Jama and James Acaster not to double-cross him, he admitted he had concerns about joining them halfway through the game. “I worry the Traitors can switch on me at any time.”
REVIEW: The recruited comedian has bragged that he hasn’t told one lie during his time in the game but surely he’ll come unstuck soon?
21:06, 15 Oct 2026Updated 21:07, 15 Oct 2026
James never wanted to be a Traitor and so it’s fair enough that he is struggling to behave like one
James Acaster is playing Celebrity Traitors in a brand new way, having been recruited to the dark side very much against his will. But against all expectation, he’s acing it.
The comedian, who told host Claudia Winkleman that he had no desire to be a Traitor at the start of the show, was picked to be one anyway, by Maya Jama and short-lived eejit Richard E Grant.
And while it was almost annoying when he simply refused to join in with Maya’s murderous glee as they pulled the plug on Bella Ramsey, I’ve come around to the idea so much that I’m finding his gameplay quite admirable.
Somehow James is managing to succeed as a Traitor while playing as a Faithful. Yes, it’s quite weird, but against the odds he’s making it work. And watching him try to justify every little thing he does – presumably so he can sleep at night and also so he can point this out to everyone afterwards – is fascinating.
In tonight’s episode he told King Kenny, the latest Faithful to make it through the turret’s revolving door: “I’m basically playing the game as a Faithful – I haven’t told a single lie yet, but I’m protecting Maya.”
He seemed almost happy, presumeably on the back of the previous night’s murder having gone so well. Because while Ross Kemp would have been FURIOUS to get murdered, and Romesh Ranganathan might have been a bit miffed too, Rob Beckett just laughed at them.
Afterwards James said he wished ALL the murders could be done face to face, because it had helped to ease his conscience when he saw that Rob, at least, was very much remembering it was all just a game.
Because he’s more Faithful than Traitor James has had no qualms about voting out two fellow baddies so far – Richard E Grant and Hannah Fry. So Kenny is right to be worried about being double crossed by him or Maya Jama, but for now James is genuinely delighted to have the fellow avid Faithful on board. “I’m feeling much more relaxed now that Kenny’s on the case,” he said. “You know when you get someone who comes in at work who you know will actually do all the jobs – and you can just hold a broom and look like you’re doing something.” Yup, James is going to hide behind Kenny for all he’s worth.
Meanwhile Maya is having a tough time of it because the Traitors are dropping like flies. I mean yes, she does keep voting for them too. But still, she must be feeling a bit lonely.
Now the Faithful are all pumped up again and Bash (Sebastian Croft) keeps mentioning James Acaster as a potential Trator so it might not be long before he’s forced to defend himself.
I wish someone would just ask him: “Are you a Traitor?” because if he can’t lie, it’ll be Richard E Grant all over again. Roll on tomorrow’s episode…
Celebrity Traitors fans think that comedienne Joanne McNally will be banished from the castle next after she made something of a huge mistake during the roundtable
21:38, 15 Oct 2026Updated 21:38, 15 Oct 2026
Celebrity Traitors fans think Joanne McNally will be banished from the castle next(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/BBC Creative)
Celebrity Traitors fans think Joanne McNally will be banished from the castle next.
The Irish comedienne, 43, is currently playing as a Faithful on Claudia Winkleman’s hit BBC game show but one tactic she seems to have employed at the roundtable has seemingly sealed her fate. During Thursday’s episode of the programme, she voted for actor Sebastian Croft to be banished, thereby claiming she believed he was a Traitor.
But the majority of the players had correctly guessed that scientist Dr Hannah Fry was in fact a Traitor, and this was not the first time Joanne had gone against the status quo. She said: “I feel like we’re getting into the habit of punishing vocal Faithfuls, and, at the roundtable, you cannot.”
In the turret, Maya told fellow Traitor James Acaster: “She could blow the whole thing up but no one is expecting her because she’s so all over the place.”
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Earlier in the episode, Joanne seemed to raise suspicion that she was a Traitor, accidentally claming that she had been the Hide & Seek game when Ross Kemp said: “I looked at everybody when we got out of those cars and I thought I was going home, and it was honestly, an awful experience.”
It was then that Joanne bizarrely chimed in with: “It was horrible…it was…I wasn’t there I mean but I was watching.”
At the roundtable, Hannah had claimed that Traitors tend to deflect attention from themselves by voting against the grain.
Reacting to the apparent tactic, one fan wrote on X: “Hannah bringing up traitors voting for random people followed by Joanne voting for Bash… babes.”
Another said: “i do fear joanne is absolutely f***** at the next round table though, especially after throwing out a random vote for bash when almost everyone else had gone for hannah, even the actual traitors. it’s not looking good for her.”
A thrid wrote: “Joanne on another planet because her logic is nonexistent lmao,” and another said: “One of the traitors could wear their traitors cloak to the roundtable and Joanne would somehow vote Claudia.”
A fifth said: “Hannah’s point about traitors not voting for who everyone else seems to vote for is a good point, but why is Joanne not being questioned when she keeps doing exactly that.”
I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! will be back on screens from November 2026 and, as always, several huge names from the world of showbiz have been rumoured to be entering the jungle
Ant and Dec will soon be back with I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!(Image: James Gourley/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
From November, the Geordie duo will come live from Australia with a fresh batch of stars braving all that the outback has to offer in a bid to become the latest King or Queen of the Jungle. Over the years, the programme has bolstered the careers of TV favourites like ex-Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona, Geordie Shore’s Vicky Pattison and former X Factor star Stacey Solomon.
Last year, Emmerdale star Lisa Riley, who plays Mandy Dingle, just missed out on a place in the final. As the nation prepares for the 2026 series, The Mirror takes a look at the stars who could be heading into the jungle this time around…
Wayne Rooney
Two years ago Wayne’s wife Coleen entered the jungle, which came on the back of her infamous Wagatha Christie trial against Rebekah Vardy and saw her bag what was reported to be one of the highest paycheques in the history of the show,
Now the football legend himself could be about to sign up for I’m A Celeb. It was recently claimed that bosses had been in “negotiations with him for some time,” but on a recent appearance on This Morning, he simply said fans would “have to wait and see.”
In other words: he did not deny it!
AJ Odudu
AJ is currently fronting Big Brother with Will Best but, like her co-host, currently competing on Strictly Come Dancing, she could also be about to become a contestant on one of the nation’s biggest reality shows.
A source said: “She’s had early conversations about taking part and has made it clear she can absolutely make the dates they need her to.”
Jesy Nelson
Best known as part of Little Mix, Jesy, 35, last year gave birth to their twin daughters Ocean and Story. both born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) type 1.
She successfully lobbied the government and joined forces with the Mirror to campaign to have all newborns tested for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) when her twin girls were diagnosed too late after irreversible nerve damage.
Speaking to The Sun, a source said: “Continuing to raise awareness around SMA for her girls is something Jesy is very keen to do, and she knows she can use a platform like I’m A Celebrity to reach millions.”
Along with Luba Mushtuk, Karen Hauer, and Michelle Tsiakkas, Nadyia fell victim to the so-called Strictly Come Dancing bloodbath last year after serving as a professional for a number of series.
It was said at the time that TV offers had been “coming in thick and fast” for the star, and she had been “in talks” with show bosses for a turn in the I’m A Celeb jungle.
Olivia Attwood
Olivia Attwood has enjoyed quite the TV career since she shot to fame on Love Island in 2017. Over the last few years, she has become a Loose Women panellist and fronted a number of investigative documentaries for ITV2.
She first entered the jungle in 2022 but had to withdraw on medical grounds after just 24 hours. She has previously said she would be open to the idea of a return if she could fit it into her pack schedule.
Su-Elise Nash
Su-Elise could be about to become the second member of Mis-Teeq to enter the jungle, after her bandmate Sabrina Washington competed in 2009 and has apparently been in early talks with I’m A Celeb bosses, especially after the Scandalous hitmakers reunited at Capital Summertime Ball.
Ricky Wilson
Ricky Wilson is known for huge hits like Ruby and I Predict a Riot as part of the Kaiser Chiefs. The Sun previously reported that he had “always politely declined” the jungle before, but could now have changed his mind.
Ben Stokes
Legendary cricketer Ben announced his retirement from the sport earlier this year, and could just be about to head into the I’m A Celeb jungle a matter of months later. Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “Ben Stokes could soon be swapping cricket for crickets, if the latest odds are anything to go by.”
James Acaster has revealed the real reason Julie Hesmondhalgh was banished from the Celebrity Traitors castle and claimed it was edited out of the final broadcast.
James Acaster has opened up about an unseen moment on Celebrity Traitors
James Acaster has revealed the real reason Julie Hesmondhalgh was banished from Celebrity Traitors – and said it was not shown in the final edit of the show.
The actress, best known for previously starring as Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, was the latest victim of the round table in the hit BBC series, after a campaign led by singer James Blunt, and revealed she had been a Faithful the whole time.
He told The Times: “In the edit James Blunt’s reason was that Julie was given the first shield. What actually happened is that when they did the shoulder tap for the Traitors ’ pick at the beginning, James told Julie who he thought was acting suspiciously around the table.”
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James spoke to Julie soon afterwards and told her that at that stage in the game, before the traitors knew who each other were, they would not be sharing theories because they might inadvertently incriminate an ally. He suggested that they should take note of who was not being forthcoming.
He continued: “Then Julie went into the room where James [Blunt] was, puts this to everyone, and says, ‘Like you, James. You’re not sharing your theories with anyone’, and James is thinking, ‘Well that’s not true, because I just shared mine with you at the table’.”
James said that when Julie was voted out, the You’re Beautiful singer presented this as evidence of lying. He added: “That’s why Julie got voted off. Which isn’t in the edit. If I was him, I’d be pretty gutted.”
Comedian James also revealed some behind-the-scenes detail about the filming of the hit show, saying contestants stay in a “Travelodge-level hotel about an hour from the castle in the Scottish Highlands, which is a bit of a trek each morning and night”.
They cannot leave the hotel without being chaperoned and have ten minutes each morning to FaceTime a friend or family member. He added: “A member of the production team is there with you, so you can’t have an authentic conversation because you can’t tell them anything that’s happening.
“At one point my partner said, ‘Have you caught the sun?’ I was saying, ‘Oh yeah, we were outside for one of the missions’. I was told I couldn’t even tell her that.”
A spokesperson for The Celebrity Traitors said: “Everyone experiences their own game in their individual way with many differing theories, opinions and multiple discussions throughout the day.
“Naturally, we could never include every minute of a day’s filming in any one episode where we need to focus on the key story moments.
“The round table offers an open forum for all of those theories to be presented and it is there that we see the most salient points come to the fore that succinctly convey how players reach the decision on who to banish in that moment.”
Celebrity Traitors continues on BBC One on Thursday at 8pm.
If you’re one of the (very rare) people who haven’t seen the first few episodes of the Celebrity Traitors, here’s what happened at the end of the last episode…
(Image: BBC)
The three Traitors – James Acaster, Maya Jama and Hannah Fry – had a big decision to make. They chose to play a fatal game of Hide and Seek with four of the Faithfuls. They were allowed to put themselves amongst the four but chose not to, hoping suspicion might fall on one of their chosen Faithfuls and they can safely slip under the radar…
They chose four stars – Leigh-Anne, Ross, Rob and Romesh – and will ‘kill’ one. However, they don’t know that Leigh-Anne has a special key which protects her from being murdered…
BBC sitcom Daddy Issues will come to an end after the third series has aired but not before a star-studded lineup of guest stars has joined the cast for its final outing
22:21, 14 Oct 2026Updated 22:58, 14 Oct 2026
Daddy Issues will come to an end after the third and final series has aired(Image: BBC/Fudge Park Productions/James Stack)
Daddy Issues will come to an end after the third and final series has aired, the broadcaster has confirmed. The BBC Three sitcom stars Aimee Lou Wood as Gemma and David Morrissey as Malcolm, following a pregnant party girl who moves into a flat share with her recently-divorced father.
But the programme, which is Danielle Ward and co-written with David Reed has confirmed a string of guest stars for its final outing. Men Behaving Badly star Neil Morrissey will be amongst those joining the cast, taking on the role of as Malcolm’s new friend Ellis.
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Shobna Gulati, best known as Sunita Alahan in Coronation Street and Anita in dinnerladies, will play new neighbour Odette whilst former Peep Show star Sophie Winkleman will play campsite owner Mary.
Sarah Hadland, best known for her role as Stevie Sutton in Miranda and for her Strictly Come Dancing stint, will be back as Rita, joining fellow returning cast members David Fynn as Derek, Taj Atwal as Cherry and Celebrity Traitors star Sharon Rooney as Catherine.
The new run of six episodes will focus on Gemma’s newfound set of calamities as she tries to settle into her new promotion at the salon whilst daughter Sadie thrives at nursery. Chaos ensues when the flat she still shares with her dad floods, and a new romance leaves her stuck in a web of lies.
Over the last few years, actress Aimee, who the BAFTA Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance after making her screen debut in Netflix hit Sex Education, has enjoyed global success with US comedy drama The White Lotus.
Through her role as Chelsea, she earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. Aimee has also hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live UK, starred as Sally Bowles in the West End production of Cabaret and is due to appear in a string of Hollywood films including The Beatles, Anxious People, and The Idiots.
Speaking about the series coming back, Aimee shared nothing but excitement as she expressed her joy at being part of the comedy series.
She said: “I’m so happy to be back with David and the brilliant Daddy Issues cast for one final time. Gemma and Malcolm are one of the funniest and sweetest comedy double acts on TV, and I’ve loved being a part of it.”
Meanwhile, David Morrissey added: “I love doing Daddy Issues so much, such a great cast and crew! So I’m delighted to be coming back to have more adventures with Gemma, Malcolm and the gang!”
A source has claimed that even though the line-up of The Celebrity Traitors signed NDAs while filming the show, the finalists have become ‘a hot topic’ at showbiz events
22:50, 10 Oct 2026Updated 23:00, 10 Oct 2026
Claudia Winkleman hosts the popular BBC show(Image: BBC )
The Celebrity Traitors has been thrown into chaos with the finalists being “leaked”. The leaks have reportedly become “a hot topic at showbiz parties”, as bosses scramble to protect the identities.
On Friday, October 9, the BBC released record-breaking audience figures for the popular show, revealing that the third episode achieved a peak audience of 10.3 million viewers. Then, on Friday night, an estimated 9.6 million fans watched the fourth episode of the show, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, 54 – but this could all be in jeopardy if the names get out.
While the all-star line-up signed non-disclosure agreements pledging to keep the game’s results secret until the episodes air, a source claimed that news of the final has leaked. Because of this, executives at the BBC are said to be on edge as the finalists are discussed at various celebrity events, with bosses hoping the names don’t become public knowledge.
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“Because of the leak, who makes the final is now a hot topic at showbiz parties,” the insider told The Sun. “It’s also spread how certain players get on, not helped by the fact that another source has been suggesting who’s been placed for interviews around the final.
“It’s vital the leaks don’t make it to gossip forums online and on social media, where fans can find the information. The BBC is hoping that anyone happening upon the info or hearing it from friends will help keep the secrets of the castle and stay quiet.”
The source added: “The problem is a small group will be aware of The Celebrity Traitors’ secrets, including those who work on the show, the celebrities who ran the course and possibly their close family and friends.”
The BBC show is so popular that even Prince William and Kate Middleton are said to be obsessed with it. Speaking on Palace Confidential on YouTube, Daily Mail royal editor Rebecca English revealed that the Prince and Princess of Wales are huge fans of The Celebrity Traitors, which has an IMDb rating of 8.7.
“Now, William and Catherine are massive Traitors fans. I can tell you that now. They love the programme. Absolutely glued to it,” Rebecca said.
The 2026 celebrity spin-off of the psychological reality game show takes place at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, where a star-studded cast plays for a £100,000 charity prize pot. The show is currently in the middle of its broadcast run, following the massive success of Series 1 in late 2025, which was won by Traitor Alan Carr.
Currently, there are three Traitors – comedian James Acaster, 41, TV presenter Maya Jama, 32, and mathematician Hannah Fry, 42 – on the show. Actor Richard E. Grant, 69, was banished by the Faithful during the first roundtable.
Episodes air weekly on BBC One and are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
The conclusion was to banish Hesmondhalgh, who, in her parting words, said it had been an “immense experience”.
“Alas,” she continued, confirming her fidelity as tears appeared in eyes around the table: “It may mean I am not a phenomenal actor.”
Singer Blunt, who had led the charge against her, appears to have now put himself in the frame. He told the group: “I’m so sorry, that’s my fault.”
“He’s been wrong about every theory he’s came up with,” said Rooney.
“So have I,” added a frustrated Croft.
Hart declared that “everything is up in the air” now, following Hesmondhalgh’s eviction, which King Kenny called the team’s “biggest loss” so far.
But what of the traitors?
First recruit, Acaster’s strategy is to simply continue playing the game as if he is a faithful, he said. Jama is clearly loving life on the dark side and leaning into it, while Fry, it’s fair to say, is finding it tougher.
“You two saved me,” Fry told the other two of her stressful day, while back in the turret in their cloaks.
Jama, who is now firmly the ringleader of the tormentors, demanded that her conscripted co-conspirators now “snap into murder mode”.
The episode ended not with a murder but a fresh twist – the promise of a deathly game of hide-and-seek for four chosen contestants.
Like many buff-bodied Traitors hunks before him… Tom Daley… Freddie Fraser… James Blunt stepped up to take on the pensive shower cutaway scene in this year’s series.
Viewers were left in hysterics by James’ take – nipples out, thoughtfully scrubbing himself in a very awkward manner and donning a shower cap – all while puzzling over whether he’d be next for murder.
Fans took to X to share their excitement at the scenes.
“Not James Blunt in the shower!!!” cried one.
Others soon chimed in:
“James Blunt with a shower cap and huge brush was just not on my 2026 bingo card.”
“Can only assume that James Blunt is taking his first ever shower and is more of a bath man.”
“All of these shower scenes from previous seasons have nothing on James Blunt and his haircap and scrubber.”
Fans are hoping it doesn’t mean the end for the British Army Captain. In last year’s Celebrity edition, poor Tom Daley was murdered hours after he stripped off.
If we’ve learned anything it’s that you can be too squeaky clean when it comes to the Traitors.
As viewers tuned into tonight’s episode of The Celebrity Traitors, the Mirror takes a look at some of the strong ties that bind this year’s batch of stars, which could take them all the way to the end
19:36, 08 Oct 2026Updated 19:56, 08 Oct 2026
There are plenty of friendships on the show already(Image: BBC)
The Celebrity Traitors is well underway and it’s already brimming with wild twists and turns – including a self-confessing traitor and a weird adversion to physical touch.
We’re only two episodes in, but fans will have already spotted that a number of stars seem chummy even before getting themselves settled in the iconic Scottish Highlands castle.
Friendliness isn’t always a superpower on the show – the sneakiest often prevail once it really gets going – but loyalty can go a long, long way.
As we’ve seen in previous seasons (Hello Rachel Duffy and Stephen Libby), forging an alliance can make all the difference when all eyes are on you at the Round Table. And it sometimes takes just one strong ally to sway the opinion of the group.
Here, the Mirror takes a look at some of the strongest bonds in Celebrity Traitors this year, and how they might shake things up…
Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan
Starting off with possibly the best-known connection in the show, comedians Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan already feel like a package deal, with their friendship dating back to their early days on the 2010 comedy circuit.
Rob first learned of Romesh’s comedic talents through a friend and headed out to see his set at his dad’s pub. His initial feeling was that of annoyance, having “wanted to be the only good one at comedy”. But this irritation quickly blossomed into a friendship that would see them right to the top of their profession.
Both feeling like “outsiders” in a middle-class industry, Rob and Romesh secured a solid bond before hitting the big time. Reminiscing in a 2021 address to the Royal Television Society, Rob, now 40, shared: “Coming up through comedy and telly, which is quite a middle-class world, we bonded because we both felt we didn’t belong. We really did get on…Having a mate that you can share the madness with was great.”
Having built impressive careers independently, becoming familiar faces on the likes of A League of Their Own, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Mock the Week, and Taskmaster, it soon became clear that viewers loved the pair’s natural on-screen dynamic.
In 2019, Rob and Romesh were snapped up by Sky Television for Rob and Romesh Vs…, a series which sees the two funnymen plunged into unfamiliar territory together.
One episode saw the pals perform a country song in Nashville after meeting Shania Twain, while another followed them as they performed Hollywood-style stunts for Hollyoaks.
Summing up their relationship as the Traitors’ games began, Rob quipped: “I know Rob very, very well. I mean, I’ve sat next to him as he’s had a colonic.”
It’s clear nothing much fazes the duo, who are able to adapt to pretty much any situation imaginable – from dancing in Swan Lake to training with the NFL. Will their bond and shared chameleon abilities prove to be one of this season’s greatest weapons? We’ll have to wait and see.
Richard E. Grant and Jerry Hall
Another friendship that has also come under the spotlight is that of Richard E. Grant and Jerry Hall. Neighbours over in swanky Richmond and friends for 30 years, Richard was a guest at Jerry’s 2016 wedding to media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, whom she divorced in 2022.
Jerry has spoken fondly of the fun she shared with the Withnail & I thespian on the set of the 2004 kids’ fantasy film, Tooth, which delves into the lives of tooth fairies living in ‘Fairytopia’.
Describing the critically reviled movie as “ridiculous” ahead of their Traitors reunion, Jerry chuckled: “We had such a laugh, and I went on holiday with him earlier this year, just after Christmas, to Africa with some friends. And we danced all night. We had so much fun! Little did we know back then that we’d both be here!”
Richard, 69, had viewers’ jaws firmly on their living room floors after proudly outing himself as a traitor in the very first episode, followed by plenty of backtracking. While many faithfuls were less than convinced by the Academy Award winner’s subsequent performance, supermodel Jerry stood firmly by her pal.
Jerry, 70, insisted: “I just don’t believe Richard’s a Traitor. I know Richard, I’ve known him 30 years and he’s my neighbour. He says and does eccentric things. He’s an amazing guy, but I think he’s acting out because he’s not been chosen.”
While en route to their shipwreck challenge, Jerry was quick to agree with Industry actress Myha’la, who said, “I really, really genuinely do not think he’s a traitor,” declaring, “I don’t either.”
This show of loyalty may prove very useful to Richard when it comes to quashing some very understandable doubts over his faithfulness.
Of course, fans of a more cynical bent could also argue that Richard and Jerry could have discussed tactics beforehand in one of their neighbourly chats, and that a long game could well be afoot to see them both splitting the prize…
Bella Ramsey and Sebastian Croft
Having braved the tangled feudal webs of Westeros together, Bella Ramsey and Sebastian Croft will likely feel prepared for the cloak-and-dagger world of the Traitor’s Castle. And their established friendship could prove to be a powerful alliance.
Bella, now 23, was just 11 years old when they astonished Game of Thrones fans with their portrayal of the pint-sized yet formidable head of House Mormont, Lyanna Mormont.
Sebastatian, known as ‘Bash’ to pals, made his Thrones debut in 2016 – the same year as Bella – giving a brief but memorable performance as a young Ned Stark.
While the pair never got to share a scene, Sebastian, 24, could barely contain his excitement as he pictured the two of them plotting together. The star, who is known to be a huge Traitors buff, enthused: “I love Bella! Imagine us in the turret together. That would be the dream.”
Being well-used to sticky endings in their former shared set, you can guarantee that these two won’t be too horrified by increasingly frequent dispatches of their castlemates. But they also know that sometimes it’s the ones you care for the most who can leave you with a Valyrian steel sword in the back.
In a private castle exchange in episode two, Bella admitted, “I go back and forth on you, Bash”, making their suspicions clear. Bash was quick to refute this, signalling their closeness as he argued, “I genuinely think you’d know if I was.” Bella considered this and noted that they thought Sebastian would know too, if it were the other way around.
Both actors pledged to have each other’s backs, but it was evident that neither one of them left the conversation feeling 100 per cent at ease. During a piece to camera segment, Bella shared: “I know Sebastian, who I know as Bash. We met quite a few years ago, I think at an awards thing we were both at. I mostly trust Bash, but there’s something just a little bit unsettling that I just have to keep in the back of my [mind].” They added, “I can’t trust everybody. This is a game. Nothing is personal”
Sebastian, too, is erring on the side of caution, telling the camera: “I love Bella, and I’ve tried to make myself as little of a threat to them, but as much of an asset, because Bella is a formidable player. That’s someone I’m definitely keeping an eye on.”
Joe Lycett and James Acaster
Joe Lycett and James Acaster are also good pals, with their friendship dating back to their days on the pub circuit nearly 20 years ago. The comedic pair, who have appeared on numerous panel shows together, have a running joke about people frequently getting them mixed up.
Back in 2021, Joe, 38, cheekily riffed on this by putting James’ face on posters for his tour, causing some confusion amongst comedy fans. Clarifying that this wasn’t an awkward error on the part of the printers, Joe issued the following statement via X: “I would like to publicly apologise to Mr Acaster and his team for this.
“The posters were an experiment to see if my face was a deterrent to the British public and if his face would sell more tickets for my show.”
He proceeded to jest: “It is with great disappointment that I have discovered sales have shot up. Mr Acaster’s legal team contacted my representatives, and after talks we have agreed on an out-of-court settlement.”
Will the similarities between the duo prove to be a help or a hindrance this season? We shall certainly see.
Maya Jama and… half the castle
A natural leader, fans were no doubt thrilled to see Maya Jama don that infamous green cloak and make it look like a fashion moment. And it’s likely the presenter’s natural people skills will prove to be a real asset here.
Maya, 32, has crossed paths with a number of fellow Traitors celebs in the course of her work. In 2020, she competed against James Acaster on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year.
Memorably, James dislodged a safety partition screen in an humorously chaotic attempt to stop Maya’s team from seeing his written answer. It’s likely she won’t have forgotten the comedian’s competitive streak.
In March 2021, Maya appeared on Romesh’s podcast Hip Hop Saved My Life, where she discussed developing her early love of hip hop through her mum’s Eminem CDs. She also offered Romesh some tips on his makeup techniques.
Then, in February 2024, Maya was seated in the front row at Italy’s Milan Fashion Week, right next to Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock. More recently, Maya co-presented the Artist of the Year award at the BRIT Awards 2026 with none other than You’re Beautiful singer, James Blunt.
While there will be few unfamiliar faces here for Maya, she has played down any significant connections, asserting: “I’ve met a few people in the cast, but nobody really knows me, so we’re all starting from scratch.”
Nevertheless, these various brushes over the years will surely come in useful when it comes to keeping a careful eye out at the round table.
The Celebrity Traitors returns tonight at 8 pm on BBC One.
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com.
Welcome Faithfuls, come on in Traitors, and a special hello to anyone who claims to be both (Richard E Grant, we see you there in your Burberry scarf).
Celebrity Traitors is back on screens tonight for episode 3 and we dive straight back into the first banishment with the Faithfuls hoping they’ve caught a Traitor.
But it’s a battle between people taking Richard E ‘I’m a Traitor’ Grant at his word and the others that think he’s a Faithful on a wind-up, which is proving an increasingly tricky position to take.
Will he survive? Can’t see how, but this is Celebrity Traitors and Alan Carr, who couldn’t even say “I am a Faithful” without cracking up, won it! Anything could happen.
An ‘epic moment’ has reportedly caught Celebrity Traitors bosses off guard and forced them to scrap huge plans they had for the series. The change will reportedly “make great TV”
Bosses have been forced to scrap a cliffhanger but what has replaces it “will make great TV”
The Celebrity Traitors bosses have been forced to scrap a cliffhanger but what has replaces it “will make great TV” according to sources.
The show sees twenty-one famous faces head to The Traitors castle, ready to play the ultimate game of deception and betrayal in the hope of winning a cash prize of up to £100,000 for a charity of their choice.
Fans quickly become invested in the show and to keep viewers hooked it has become known for it’s cliffhangers.
Tonight, viewers will tune in to watch the result of last Friday’s cliffhanger. The all-star line-up will be casting their votes on who to banish from Ardross Castle after the Withnail and I actor battled to convince them he was a faithful.
Actor Richard E. Grant was chosen by host Claudia Winkleman to be a Traitor alongside presenter Maya Jama. However, just minutes into the game, comedian Joe Lycett casually asked him what role he had been given, to which Grant immediately replied, “Traitor!”
He then spent the rest of the premiere manically back-pedaling to convince his fellow contestants that he was actually a Faithful who had simply made a bad joke.
A source told The Sun: “Cliffhangers on The Traitors have become legendary so bosses never want to disappoint and hope to have the nation on tenterhooks all week, waiting for Thursdays to come around – that’s part of the reason the format being fed out twice a week works.
“So they plot out likely moments in gameplay that will be the Friday cliffs. But during filming, something so unbelievable happened even execs didn’t see it coming.
“It forced them to throw plans out the window to accommodate the epic moment – which should make great TV.”
Production firm Studio Lambert decide what elements of the show would make good teasers during pre-production.
Speaking at the launch of the series, executive producer Sarah Fay said: “We always have an idea before going into pre-production what might be cliffhangers but we have to be so reactive because who knows what the story is going to be.
“Last year we went to deadlock [at the Round Table] when it was down to David [Olusoga] and Mark [Bonner] where it was a tie. We never knew that that was going to happen until obviously, it was happening right before our eyes.
“I think the beauty of this game as well is every episode we’ve probably got about three options of what the cliffhanger could be because it’s so nail-biting.”
The Mirror has contacted the BBC press office for comment.
The Celebrity Traitors returns tonight at 8pm on BBC One.
Amol Rajan told The One Show his Celebrity Traitors exit was ‘absolutely horrible’ and said he would give Richard E. Grant less of a hard time if he could play again.
Paige Ingram and Lauren Del Fabbro Press Association Entertainment Reporter
03:04, 06 Oct 2026
Rajan branded it a “moment of utter madness”, admitting that if he had his time again he would “definitely” handle things differently(Image: BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry)
Broadcaster Amol Rajan has described it as “absolutely horrible” to become the first faithful booted off the new series of Celebrity Traitors, after giving “lord of chaos” actor Richard E Grant a tough ride.
The 43 year old journalist was eliminated by the traitors — Grant and TV presenter Maya Jama — during Friday’s episode of the popular BBC spin-off reality game show.
It followed his impassioned plea alongside fellow contestant and comedian James Acaster, who had secretly been recruited as the series’ third traitor.
Appearing on The One Show to discuss his departure from the Scottish castle, he said: “It’s absolutely horrible. It was horrible at the time. Just so people know when you are on The Traitors, it is your world. It’s not like a game, you are hundreds of miles from your family, you don’t have your phone, it’s so intense, it’s a little bubble.
“So as you walk into that chapel you are absolutely terrified.”
During the opening episode, which aired on Thursday, Grant sensationally revealed to his fellow contestants that he was a traitor just minutes into the competition.
The bombshell declaration left many faithfuls, Rajan included, deeply suspicious of the actor and debating whether he was bluffing or had genuinely exposed himself.
Rajan branded it a “moment of utter madness”, admitting that if he had his time again he would “definitely” handle things differently — including going easier on the “lord of chaos” himself. He said: “The one thing I would say is lots of people were giving him a hard time and I did get quite close to being recruited as a traitor.”
He also revealed that, as a journalist, he believes he was targeted due to expectations that he would ask probing questions. Rajan added: “The thing about the celebrity version, and it’s amazing TV, it’s just fantastic television, but on the celeb version people’s reputation walk in before they do.
“So I should have known I was going to be a target but I didn’t realise Richard would go quite that mad that quickly.”
Thursday’s episode made history as the most watched debut of any series of the programme in the UK, drawing an average audience of 8.9 million viewers and peaking at 9.1 million at one point.
In the smash-hit series, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, 21 celebrity contestants compete with those assigned as faithfuls attempting to root out those who have been designated as traitors, who “kill off” fellow players in the dead of night.
The celebrities are battling it out at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, with a charity cash prize of up to £100,000 up for grabs.
The Celebrity Traitors returns on BBC One and iPlayer on Thursday at 8pm.
The Celebrity Traitors got under way in dramatic fashion this week and traitor Richard E Grant admitted he ‘just went mad’ with one of his decisions.
Richard E Grant has spoke about his Traitors experience
Celebrity Traitors star Amol Rajan has said Richard E Grant told him that he “just went mad” when he decided to remove him from the game.
Writing in his newsletter Amol said he asked Richard why he chose to eliminate him and the actor replied: “To protect myself. And that’s a compliment!”
Amol replied: “But if you really wanted protection, you should have recruited me. That would have been a compliment!” He says Richard told him: “Ah yes, that makes sense. But I think I just went mad.”
Traitor Richard gave away the game almost immediately in the show’s second series when the actor admitted he was a traitor, despite the aim of the game being to hide the fact.
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Richard was picked by Claudia Winkleman to be one of two contestants picked to be a traitor – a player who attempts to “murder” others on the show while pretending to be an ordinary participant.
But rather than go under the radar, Richard announced his role as a traitor. And he has now admitted to Amol Rajan that he doesn’t know what came over him.
Richard and fellow traitor, Love Island host Maya Jama, chose to murder the former BBC presenter in episode two.
Amol explained: “He said: “I was so thrilled to be chosen as a traitor that, in my unguarded excitement, I said, ‘Of course I’m a traitor.’ I clearly need to diffuse all the heat that’s coming in my direction.”
Richard added: ““Well, the game had actually started, I was so relieved that it started because I had been so blatant about saying I came into this thing and it’s called Traitors, because I wanted to be a traitor.
“So when I walked into the bar, somebody said, ‘so you’re a faithful or a traitor?’, and I said, ‘I’m a traitor’, of course.”
While Amol admitted he would have liked to have been recruited to be a traitor, that accolade fell to comedian James Acaster.
The decision left Amol being murdered from the game and speaking on The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked on Friday, he said: “It’s hard not to watch it and think I, obviously, with 20/20 hindsight, I played the wrong game. That was a crazy, crazy once-in-a-lifetime [opportunity].”
He went on: “I think I would have been quite a good traitor because I’d actually known what it was like to be a faithful.”
And in advice to Richard he said maybe the star should have tried to stay off the radar a bit more rather than confess so blatantly. Amol said: “I think the one tactic that you should try to abide by is to keep a little bit, you know, fly under the radar a little bit for the first few days. Just shut up for the first few shows.”
After the second episode left fans wondering what was to come in a tense cliffhanger, viewers have to wait until Thursday to find out. Celebrity Traitors isn’t on again until Thursday (October 8, at 8pm), with the show once again doing a Thursday-Friday double.
The Celebrity Traitors airs on Thursdays and Fridays on BBC1 at 8pm.
