Kate Garraway

Celebrity Traitors stars Kate Garraway and Tom Daley have opened up about their experiences on the BBC show – as the Good Morning Britain star opens up about how healing it was for her

Celebrity Traitors has kept us on the edge of our seats for weeks with backstabbing, betrayal and Traitor like ways. However, it was quite the healing experience for Kate Garraway.

Kate tragically lost her husband Derek Draper following a lengthy health battle and was instantly launched into being a single mum to their beloved children Darcey and Billy. Whilst many would find Celebrity Traitors difficult and mentally draining, Kate actually found it therapeutic and said it really gave her time to slow down and think.

Speaking about the show, Kate said: “The process was fun, intense and eye-opening. It was a rollercoaster. It was also a wonderful time to do some thinking of my own.

“No phones, access to the internet or live TV were allowed, and my wonderful sister-in-law was with the kids. So I could distract myself from the worries of the past few years and immerse myself in game play but also take stock and let my mind wander and dream about the next chapter of my life.”

Kate is adamant to keep Derek a huge part of her and the kids’ life despite his tragic death. Speaking to Prima, Kate added: “As a family, we think about Derek and I think about him all the time.

“We’ve ended up with this strange conversation that takes place where Derek’s almost there. So, if Darcey is asking to do something or suggesting something, I’ll say, ‘What do you reckon Dad would think about that?’ And she’ll say, ‘Well, I think Dad would think this. But actually, I think he’s wrong because of this.’ I quite like that because it feels as though he’s still constantly involved.”

Olympic diver Tom Daley had a much shorter stint on the show but in the time off screen, he was able to focus on his other passion in life – knitting. He explained: “Yeah, any time I was in the hotel I was just knitting, knitting, knitting.

“You get your phone taken off you, you can’t talk to anyone, you’re just in your room, so I was very glad I had knitting because I think lots of people were bored. We wanted to do a knitting lesson in our downtime, but we never quite got around to it.”

His son Robbie is a huge fan of the show. He told Radio Times: “Robbie is a huge fan of The Traitors, and the boys spent some time on the Game of Wool set. Phoenix is only two! He’s definitely not into it [knitting] yet. He likes grabbing the wool, then running away with it and unravelling everything. Robbie, to be fair, has made a hat with a knitting loom machine and has crocheted a chain.”

The December 2025 issue of Prima is on sale today and Tom’s full interview is available in the new edition of Radio Times.

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Jonathan Ross’s position as a Traitor is looking precarious as the the other two form an plan to ditch him if necessary

As three more Faithfula were removed from the The Celebrity Traitors’ castle tonight, the Traitors were revelling in their own success.

But it might not be long before one of them gets their comeuppance, with Alan Carr and Cat Burns seeming to form an alliance against fellow Traitor Jonathan Ross because his name is being mentioned by other players. The pair were seen by viewers plotting to “throw him under the bus” if his streak of having heat on him continues.

As he became the second player to be murdered, Olympic diver Tom Daley admitted he was “so sad” to go. Speaking afterwards, he said he would have fared better as a Traitor because when he and his family play at home he never gets detected in the baddie role, but always gets wrongly accused when he’s a Faithful.

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He realised too late that he was being overly forthright with his accusations, with were largely directed at Kate Garraway. “Every time I’ve played as a Faithful, people thought I was a Traitor because I was always trying to figure out who the Traitors were,” he said. “I can perhaps be a little too vocal with my ideas in pursuit of them, which is exactly what has happened here.”

Dad of two Tom, 31, said he felt both “confused” and “disappointed” to go out so early – but questioned the Traitors’ tactics in getting rid of him when there was already heat directed his way.

“It was so sad when I saw the letter on the chair and I instantly knew I’d been murdered,” he explained. “I was very confused about what The Traitors are doing because I clearly would be someone that would get banished at the Round Table. If any of the Traitors just planted that seed, I’m sure I would be banished.

“They could have murdered someone that they know would never have gotten banished at the Round Table. Maybe they thought of me as a threat. Maybe I was getting too close to the right answers.

“I just thought, if I notice something I’m going to say it. However, I must have said a few too many things in front of the wrong people!”

YouTuber and prankster Niko Omilana looked gutted as he became the second Faithful to be selected for banishment at the Round Table, in a plot carefully constructed by the Traitors. He summed up his short time in the castle with the three words: ”Betrayal. Set-up. And loser.”

But he said one positive he was taking away was that he’d overcome his long-held fear of public speaking. “At the table, I was quite nervous when I first started talking, but then as it went on, I felt more confident,” he said. “I’m quite chuffed with that, because I really don’t like public speaking.

“It’s one of my big fears. Seeing everyone staring at me, having to defend myself and really making sure I didn’t go down without a fight. I think I did that. That was something I learned about myself, which I’m happy about.”

And at the end of the show, EastEnders star Tameka Empson suffered the same fate, much to the agony of the remaining Faithfuls in the room. The actress, 48, admitted to finding it all quite tough after the accusations against her were led by actor Mark Bonnar. “I was very emotional,” she confessed once she had left the castle.

“In my mind, I thought, ‘I’m not going out’. I was sad to leave the game, because in this industry you get to know people to a certain point but in this environment, it was really lovely to spend this length of time and really get to know everyone.”

And despite him being a Traitor, she laughed: “Jonathan is a big teddy bear.”

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Claudia Winkleman is hosting The Celebrity Traitors with 19 famous faces all trying to win £100,000 for their chosen charity – but Claudia isn’t her usual bubbly self

Nineteen huge stars are taking part in The Celebrity Traitors – but all eyes will be on Claudia Winkleman’s fierce fashion choices. Wearing faux fur coats, structured layers and statement knitwear, Claudia has honed a look that’s all her own, and reinvented

it for the celebrity version. “It’s absolutely nuts,” says Claudia. “Unhinged in taffeta was where we went.”

Alan Carr, Cat Burns, Celia Imrie, Charlotte Church, Clare Balding, David Olusoga, Joe Marler, Joe Wilkinson, Jonathan Ross, Kate Garraway, Lucy Beaumont, Mark Bonnar, Nick Mohammed, Niko Omilana, Paloma Faith, Ruth Codd, Stephen Fry, Tameka Empson and Tom Daley are all signed up for the gothic game show, each vying to win £100,000 for their chosen charity.

It’s the spin-off fans have been begging for – but at first Strictly host Claudia was against the idea of yet another celebrity format. “I was scared,” she admits. “Only because I’m in love with this show and I wanted to keep it small. Once a year or maybe once every two years felt like enough. My bosses, thank goodness, ignored everything I said.”

When she saw the calibre of celebrity queuing up to play traitors and faithfuls, even Claudia had to agree the show was a good idea. Working with Stephen Fry was a dream come true for Claudia and bearded comic Joe Wilkinson left her especially starstruck. “I could barely breathe when I saw them all in the Highlands. I’m such a fan of every single one of them,” shares Claudia, 53.

“The whole team were just in awe, it was hard not to scream, ‘You’re here!’ When I talked to Stephen Fry I almost welled up, I told him this was my dream. We’re incredibly lucky to have the cast that we have. Each one of them is tremendous. My family and I are obsessed with Joe Wilkinson, I had to stop myself getting his autograph for my son.”

Claudia oversees the games on the show but admits she finds it a challenge not to get too chummy with the players. “The biggest challenge was being strict,” says Claudia. “All I wanted to do was chat and be friendly but my role is aloof and grumpy. I found it hard not to just sit down with them and have a cup of tea.”

And she finds the urge to help them with the missions overwhelming. “Sometimes I try and drop big clues, but my producer tells me off,” Claudia confesses.

To help her maintain her distance from the stars, Claudia channels two classic villains. “[I’m] Cruella de Vil with a touch of Miss Trunchbull!” she laughs.

Hosting such a huge show is a dream come true for Claudia, but she admits she found the celebrity version tougher than the main show. “It was scarier, because all I wanted to do was chat to them and make them like me,” she says. “But of course, I have to be extremely unlikeable. It was tricky!”

Claudia can’t praise the celebrity contestants enough for the energy they put into the show. “They’re incredibly smart and kind,” she says. “They play the game beautifully and were fully engulfed in it. It was an extraordinary experience and we’re so so lucky this 19 said yes. It’s something we never take for granted and are so grateful for.”

The contestants on the UK’s three regular series of The Traitors happily kept schtum when told to by producers – but the famous faces are finding it a little bit harder

The stars taking part in Celebrity Traitors have all been sworn to secrecy about what went on inside the famous Scottish castle. But while that tactic worked weil for the regular version, the celebs are finding it harder to hold their tongues about the much-anticipated BBC show, due to air this autumn.

Ted Lasso actor Nick Mohammed has revealed how one celebrity threw a tantrum because TV chiefs would not tell them the time. He said: “When we were in the castle you’d be like ‘What’s the time?’ And they’d say ‘It’s Traitors time.’ That was their response..

“Every single member of production had to answer with that until someone kicked off. And then someone said it is basically all right and you can tell us the time.” Speaking on a podcast, he added: ”I do think it’s going to be good telly. To see these celebrities together and interacting in this game will be really interesting.”

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The lineup of stars trying to identify the Traitors among the Faithful includes Jonathan Ross, Alan Carr, Clare Balding, Paloma Faith, Kate Garraway, Mark Bonner and Charlotte Church.

Netflix actress Ruth Codd has let slip that she wasn’t keen on every single person taking part. She teased: “Some of the people on it were really, really nice.”

And the Irish star of hit dramas The Midnight Club and Fall of the House of Usher claimed producers grilled her before filming to find out whether she was a good liar – so they could work out whether to make her a Traitor.

She added: “They do ask ‘Are you good at lying? Are you a good judge of character?’ I said, ‘Maybe, because I’m an actor..’”

Olympic diver Tom Daley has revealed that the dramatic music played when the contestants all sit around the big table is not added on after filming – it is actually played when they are there to increase the tension. He said: “You know how when you are watching the show they always play a song at the beginning when the camera goes around the table and shows everyone, well they actually play that.

“So what you see on TV and you think ‘Oh that’s just music added over the top’. No! That’s happening! It makes you go like ‘Ohhhhh!!!”

Comedian Alan Carr compared the show to ‘rehab’ because all the celebrities had their phones and electronic gadgets taken off them. Speaking during one of his podcasts, he laughed :“It was like rehab. It’s cheaper than rehab. They took my phone away. They took my laptop.

“When I got the phone back I was like ‘S**t’ Now I get a lot of spam but I was like.. ‘2000 emails? Oh my god!’ and you start thinking ‘My mum and dad aren’t well’ but then it’s like ‘Hi. Do you wanna buy a freezer?’”

And he teased TV chiefs who told him not to breathe a word about what happened on the show before it gets broadcast, adding: “I’m bezzie mates with Rebekah Vardy who I’ve given all The Traitors gossip to and I know I feel safe with her knowing that!” Rebekah was famously caught up in the “Wagatha Christie” scandal where she was accused of leaking secrets from ex pal Coleen Rooney’s Instagram account.

Author and raconteur Stephen Fry loved being on the star-studded special hosted by Claudia Winkleman, comparing it with being back at boarding school. The national treasure – who narrates the Harry Potter audiobooks – joked that the regular series with members of the public was “the Muggle version”. One insider said the biggest fear from show bosses was that the stars wouldn’t put their all into the gameplay and the missions – but found that they needn’t have worried. “The first mission showed just how committed they were to doing it properly,” one source said. “They gave 100%. It was fantastic to see.”

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