Celia

Celia Imrie, who was in Thursday Murder Club, shared suspicions Jonathan Ross could be a villain in the BBC’s Celebrity Traitors, during which Welsh singer Charlotte Church was “murdered” yesterday

Veteran actress Celia Imrie told Jonathan Ross she has “a bit of a crush” on him during last night’s Celebrity Traitors.

The performer, who was in Thursday Murder Club this year, made the admission as she considered Ross, 64, could be a traitor. Imrie, 73, voted to boot him out following the roundtable discussion on Wednesday’s drama-packed episode.

Imrie, who has been in popular dramas and films for the past five decades, said: “This is a bit tricky because I’ve got a bit of a crush on you right now, but I put you Jonathan because I think you have the chutzpah and brilliance to be a traitor.”

After two rounds of voting that ended with Scottish actor Mark Bonnar and historian David Olusoga receiving an equal amount of votes, presenter Claudia Winkleman announced the banishment would be left to chance.

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The episode ended before the result of the banishment, which takes place following a roundtable discussion that sees contestants debate the identity of the secret traitors who meet at night to plot their next “murder”, in a bid to take the charity prize pot from the faithfuls.

A number of scenes with Imrie have gone viral, including when she audibly passed wind during a stressful mission in a cabin, prompting gales of laughter from her fellow cast members, as well as viewers around the country.

Another clip of Imrie, which showed her howling down a well while mimicking the sound of a banshee for a challenge, was turned into a meme.

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She prompted further laughs when, before the challenge, comedian Lucy Beaumont said “you know what you do in a well, don’t you?”, to which she replied: “Put the pussy in.”

Until Imrie’s confession, none of the Traitors – Ross, Alan Carr, and Cat Burns – had really even been suspected – but is their time running out and are the Faithfuls finally onto them?

Earlier in the episode, Welsh singer Charlotte Church became the latest contestant to be “murdered” by the traitors – comedian Alan Carr, TV presenter Jonathan Ross and singer Cat Burns – who had plotted their next move during last Thursday’s episode.

Reacting to her murder, Church, 39, said: “I thought I was going to be murdered. I’m outspoken at the round table, and I’m outspoken with my opinions, not that I was successful in being much of a threat to the traitors. But as the game progressed, I hope that I would’ve been. I hope that that’s why they’ve gotten rid of me. Well played traitors.”

Celia Imrie is one of several famous faces appearing on the BBC’s Celebrity Traitors, and in the past, the beloved actress, who’s appeared in Bridget Jones, has shared glimpses of her life

Celia Imrie had no wishes to marry – or date, but after wanting a child took a slightly unconventional route to motherhood. The actress is one of the famous faces starring in BBC hit Celebrity Traitors.

She’s joined in the castle by the likes of Alan Carr, Charlotte Church, Kate Garraway, Lucy Beaumont, Jonathan Ross, Clare Balding, Cat Burns and Stephen Fry. Celia believes being an actor gives her “quite an advantage” to the game, but has shared a number of personal revelations in the series so far.

Celia has spoken of her special arrangement with the late actor, Benjamin Whitrow. Celia has made it no secret that she had no intentions of getting married, but had always wanted to be a mum. She and Benjamin welcomed son Angus, also an actor, who has appeared in Station Jim, The Crown and Flea Bag.

Now, 73, when she was in her 40s, Celia asked Whitrow for a child but revealed she didn’t expect him to contribute towards their son’s life. Instead, she made the decision that she would raise their child completley alone. Speaking about her deal with Whitrow, she told the Telegraph: “Angus was devoted to his father and, though I’ve never really said it properly, Ben and I did have a romance.

“I wanted to have his baby before it was too late, and he [Whitrow] was very, very honest with him [Angus], and he accepted that and was a wonderful father.” Whitrow, known for playing Mr Bennett in Pride and Prejudice, died in September 2017, aged 80.

She said it was “very tough” and that she had lost “a very darling friend”. Prior to his death, Celia had insisted that they were just friends. She and Whitrow, who was divorced with two adult children, met in the 1990s, and it was during a walk on the beach when she asked him to father her son.

Reflecting on this, she said in her memoir, Happy Hoofer: “We gradually got to know each other and grew very fond. He thought perhaps in time…but because Ben had a grown-up family I was very anxious not to upset them.

“Ben and I walked on the beach one day as I laid out my terms. As long as he understood I would not ask for anything, I wouldn’t want to live with him, or marry him, would never ask for money for the child and I would be responsible for choosing and paying for the child’s education, accommodation, clothing – everything.

“I was trying to be clear and true. Some people might say calculated, but I would say I was being honest. If Ben could take all that on board, I said, then his offer to fulfil my wish for a child would be wonderful. He has proved to be a marvellous father to Angus. And his whole family has been very welcoming.”

Celia has been very clear that she prefers friendship to sex and has no desire to marry. Speaking to the Telegraph in 2013, she said: “I have a horror of boring someone or, worse still, of someone boring me. I said to my mother when I was seven, ‘But, Mums, if it was only my husband and me in the house together, what would we talk about?’ I’ve never wanted to answer my own question, and doubt I’ll bother now.”

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