scenes

Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is exercising power without appearing in public or allowing his voice to be heard. Since succeeding his father in March, he has governed through written statements and decrees, while reports of his meetings with senior officials offer a glimpse into how he exercises power.

The meetings announced in May and August appeared intended primarily to reassure Iranians that their new leader was alive and exercising authority. But a series of four meetings announced within 11 days in October, involving the heads of Iran’s parliament, judiciary and national security establishment, as well as senior military commanders, suggests something more: a new system of decision-making taking shape.

The meetings come as Tehran weighs its options between negotiations and renewed confrontation with the United States and Israel. They also invite comparisons with the consultations that preceded the 2015 nuclear agreement. The question is whether Iran’s new leadership is preparing for a similarly consequential decision, and whether this system is capable of making one.

The new Khameneism

For nearly 37 years, Ali Khamenei’s rule rested on his direct personal presence: speeches setting red lines, public meetings with commanders, political elites and ordinary Iranians. His son came to power in different circumstances. Injured in the February 28 strike that killed his father, he was advised, according to sources close to him quoted by Reuters, not to appear or release audio recordings for fear of being tracked.

His rule has taken shape through decrees rebuilding institutions, decisions channelled through a narrow circle of trusted officials, and the testimony of others in place of personal appearances.

The October meetings followed appointments to replace military and security commanders killed in the war. In August, Khamenei appointed his military adviser, Mohsen Rezaei, as his representative on the Supreme National Security Council; Rezaei later became its secretary. Six military appointments followed, including Ali Abdollahi as chief of the Armed Forces General Staff, Ahmad Vahidi as commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Ali Azmaei as IRGC Navy commander. Abdollahi was also instructed to complete the merger of the General Staff with Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.

The sequence of Khamenei’s reported meetings is revealing. Those announced in May with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Abdollahi, then head of Khatam al-Anbiya, and another with Pezeshkian announced in August, served chiefly to reassure Iranians that the new leader was alive and exercising his duties. October’s meetings appear to have constituted a systematic round of consultations reaching from constitutional institutions to the armed forces.

At his first reported meeting with the military leadership he had reconstituted, announced on October 31, Abdollahi, army commander Amir Hatami and Vahidi reportedly briefed Khamenei on military readiness in the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman.

Iran thus appears to be moving from reconstruction to operation: activating a decision-making system rather than merely establishing the leader’s presence.

These consultations unfolded alongside intensive mediation, with each stage of internal consultation following an external diplomatic development.

On October 20, Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, carried a Qatari-Pakistani compromise proposal to Tehran. According to Arab media reports, it envisaged unannounced inspections of nuclear facilities in exchange for Iran receiving the interest on its frozen funds in Qatar. Khamenei’s meeting with Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s chief negotiator, was announced the following day.

On October 26, Munir returned with Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin. Their discussions produced an understanding that regional security was the responsibility of the region’s own states. Rezaei also announced that Tehran had sent Washington a proposal concerning the Strait of Hormuz with a seven-day deadline. Khamenei’s meeting with Rezaei, who had received a letter from US Vice President JD Vance, was announced the next day.

On October 30, Qatari mediators held 12 hours of talks in Tehran, coordinated with the White House, after US envoy Tom Barrack suggested an initial understanding was close. Khamenei’s meeting with military commanders was announced the following day.

This timing suggests that internal consultation has become the other side of external mediation.

The statements from these meetings carry two parallel, not contradictory, messages. In the meeting with Rezaei, Khamenei insisted on Iran’s conditions for ending the war, escaping the debilitating state of “neither war nor peace” and managing the Strait of Hormuz. In his instructions to the commanders, he demanded immediate retaliation against any threat without geographical limits, an expanded list of US and Israeli targets, and emphasised that Iran would decide when any renewed confrontation ended.

Repeated appeals for unity suggest an awareness of competing views within the political elite over war and negotiations.

Yet the meetings appear to have defined the upper and lower limits of Iran’s choices, rather than settled on a particular course: at one end, rejecting an intolerable continuation of “neither war nor peace”; at the other, preparing to widen the war if attacks resume. Between these limits lie a settlement on Iranian terms, pursued through Ghalibaf, Rezaei and the mediators, or continued mutual pressure while strengthening the domestic front.

The gap remains wide. Washington wants nuclear concessions before negotiations resume; Tehran first wants the naval blockade lifted, frozen assets released and oil exports restored.

Significantly, Khamenei spoke of conditions “set by the country’s officials”, not by himself. The wording distributes responsibility among institutions and preserves room for him to embrace or disown an eventual outcome.

The comparison with 2015

There are echoes here of the lengthy consultations before the nuclear agreement of July 14, 2015.

A secret channel in Muscat opened with Ali Khamenei’s approval. On September 17, 2013, he spoke to IRGC commanders of “heroic flexibility”, reassuring the military before negotiations. In June 2015, he set out his red lines, and in October he issued a letter of conditional approval. Responsibility for the nuclear file passed from the Supreme National Security Council to the Foreign Ministry under Mohammad Javad Zarif, a sign that the political decision had been made.

The resemblance is clear: a supreme leader establishes red lines, delegates negotiations to trusted figures and brings the military into the process before a major shift.

The differences are deeper. The earlier process lasted around two years under sanctions, not war. Today’s consultations were compressed into 11 days amid armed confrontation, a naval blockade and the approaching November 3 US midterm elections.

Ali Khamenei spoke in his own voice; his son speaks through written statements. Diplomats led the earlier negotiations; now two figures with IRGC backgrounds, Ghalibaf and Rezaei, play central roles. Where the earlier backchannel ran through Oman, today mediation involves Qatar and the countries of the Mecca Agreement, signed on August 7.

Above all, “heroic flexibility” was presented to commanders as preparation for an agreement. Today, conditions for a settlement sit alongside an expanded list of military targets.

The deficit of trust has also deepened. If the legacy of 1979 shaped Washington’s view of Tehran, and the US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement in 2018 shaped Tehran’s view of Washington, the wars of June 2025 and February 2026 have added a layer of mistrust that no technical agreement can easily overcome.

The consultations thus resemble those of 2013 in form but not function. Then, they prepared the ground for negotiations; now, they prepare for a choice between negotiation and escalation.

The seven reported meetings suggest that the new Khameneism may be more than an attempt to fill a leadership vacuum. Its decision-making machinery appears to be in place and functioning, even though the supreme leader’s presence can be established only through others.

Yet every announcement intended to dispel doubts produces more of them, without photographs or details of exactly when and where the meetings took place. The legitimacy of decisions remains partly dependent on the legitimacy of the leader’s presence.

Can this system, with its new commanders and parallel messages of compromise and deterrence, make a decision as consequential as the one taken in 2015, when war has raised the political cost of flexibility beyond what a leader who has yet to appear publicly may be able to bear?

The father saw and was seen; the son makes his presence felt through endorsements and influence from behind protective barriers.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

As Coronation Street villain Idris Nazir takes cruel action against Underworld owner Carla Connor-Swain, actress Alison King has revealed ‘devastation and disaster’ ahead

Carla Connor-Swain will be cruelly targeted by a Coronation Street villain very soon.

Now, actress Alison King, who has played Carla for 20 years, has teased “devastation and disaster” ahead. While Carla’s wife Lisa Connor-Swain will be there to support her, Carla faces rough times.

With her business, Underworld, facing ruin, villain Idris Nazir goes out of his way to steal it from her, including by sabotaging her plans. Soon, Carla has a fight on her hands with her livelihood at risk.

Ali shared: “She’s trying her absolute best to keep a lid on how stressed she is so she doesn’t panic everyone. But with inflation, everything is tight.

“The orders haven’t been coming in, and they haven’t been winning the contracts they wanted. She’s keeping it under her hat, but they are really struggling.

“She’s been trying to be strong and deal with it on her own, but she’s had a lot coming at her. I think she’s taken her eye off the game a bit and hasn’t been as invested.

“We also haven’t had the full team together, Sarah’s been awaiting her trial. There’s been a lot of turmoil for everyone.” Lisa’s there for Carla, but it leads to tension between them, with Ali adding: “Lisa is very literal, so she says things coming from a place of love, but it really rubs Carla the wrong way.

“Carla is learning to deal with that and understand what Lisa actually means, but she hated the thought of that. The factory is a huge part of Carla’s identity, it’s everything to her. It’s that or nothing.

“She lives very much in the present, and that fight-or-flight mode keeps her going.” Of course Idris is doing his best to get to Carla, with him after Underworld. Ali said: “Idris instantly rubbed her up the wrong way.

“Just the fact that he chimed in as if he knew anything about her, the way he speaks to her, and how he carries himself, everything about him annoys her right from the off. It was very abrupt, and there was almost literal hatred there from the start.

“She doesn’t know she’s underestimated him yet because she doesn’t realise he was behind [what happens]. Carla fights fire with fire and isn’t frightened of someone like him, but she underestimates just how nasty and manipulative he can be.

“Her instincts about bad people are usually spot on, but at the moment, he doesn’t scare her because she doesn’t know what lengths he will go to.” Carla hopes to salvage things before they are lost though.

Ali said: “Everything is on track if she can get this massive order out. That would tide them over into the next contract, and they’d be fine. This new client is someone she’s been wanting to work with for ages, and she knows anyone in the industry would vouch for Underworld’s track record. She’s really looking forward to working with him.”

But things change as devastation strikes, while fans will have to wait and see what happens. Ali went on: “She loves her workforce, they mean everything to her. They’re like her children, especially after giving her the most beautiful wedding.

“So having to let them down, especially financially right before Christmas, is absolutely devastating for her. She’s completely gutted. She’s devastated. She keeps it to herself for as long as she can before having to confess that the insurance won’t cover it.

“She simply overlooked it because her head was full with everything else, Sarah, Betsy, and keeping things running. Given past trauma like the roof collapse, it’s a massive trigger for her. At this point, she genuinely thinks it was just a terrible, tragic accident.”

Carla will not go down without a fight though. Ali said: “Running it with someone else wouldn’t be her first choice, but if it’s her only option to keep everyone above water, she’d do it. What’s driving her to save it is the panic of having no plan B, not wanting to play second fiddle to Lisa, and feeling a massive responsibility toward her staff and being a role model for Betsy.

“But she does not want Idris involved at any cost.” Ali has enjoyed playing Carla’s “vulnerable” side in the scenes too. She said: “Bringing vulnerable Carla out of the box reminds everyone of who she really is.

“Every time she goes through a crisis like this, she comes back a bit more understanding and empathetic toward others, even if she still loses her temper along the way!” On her future if Underworld does close, she added: “Her default seems to be helping Roy in the cafe, I would love that, she could live the dream running a cafe.

“But she likes the day to day cut and thrust of running the factory so it might not keep her satisfied for too long. She isn’t ready to slow down.”

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Omar has come under fire this week with Big Brother fans after they previously hit out at uncomfortable scenes

A Big Brother housemate has been issued a warning after fans slammed their recent behaviour.

Omar has come under fire with fans lately regarding his negative comments and behaviour towards Rhianna. The two have been growing closer since the start of the show, also admitting their love for one another.

Big Brother previously issued a statement in response to recent calls from a number of fans who called for Omar to be removed from the house. It came after this week saw the two hitting rocky ground with Rihanna describing them like a ‘divorced couple’.

The pair seemed to break off their relationship but at one point Omar went over to her, lowered his head and told her to stop talking about him before leaving the room.

It comes after previous comments from Omar about him not teaching his co-star “how to respect a man”. But amidst the backlash, Big Brother issued Omar with a warning in tonight’s episode (October 21).

Being called to the Diary Room, Big Brother told Omar: “At times it feels you are dismissive about your housemates’ experiences.” They later added that Omar’s language used “on more than one occasion could cause offence to housemates or the fellow public.”

However, Omar hit out at the warning, adding: “I fully understand… I’ve never dismissed housemates feelings in all honesty.” He later said that he didn’t dismiss feelings but rather tell them the truth.

He replied: “Let’s be honest here we’re not talking about housemates, we’re talking about me and Rhianna.” He then continued to say he had done “nothing but look out for her and care for her” before going on to say: “Like I said, I’ve acknowledged my housemates feelings.”

Big Brother replied: “You must always be mindful of the impact your language and behaviour can have on others.”

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Later, speaking to Rhianna, Omar said: “Have I ever controlled you in any way, or limited you in any way?” Rhianna said: “I am my own person, no-one can control me. I don’t feel controlled by you.”

Viewers at home expressed their frustrations as one person wrote on X: “Big Brother please boot Omar out, he’s not even giving a f*** about Rhianna’s feelings.”

Another fumed: “This is deeply uncomfortable to watch. Rhianna needs to get far away from Omar as soon as this show’s over.” A third added: “Omar tryna save himself lol, he’s finished.”

It comes after Women’s Aid issued a statement on Instagram, alleging the reality star of displaying controlling behaviour in the house. They wrote: “We’re seeing coercive and controlling behaviours being given a platform in popular media like Big Brother. We’ve been contacted by many viewers who have expressed concern. Not only does Big Brother risk minimising survivors’ experiences, it also risks presenting abuse as a form of entertainment.

“Producers should understand their responsibility to keep contestants emotionally and physically safe. The women in these programmes are real people and need real support. We continue to urge television companies such as ITV to engage with experts like Women’s Aid to understand the nature of abuse and how they can do better to protect contestants.”

However, Big Brother released a statement confirming all housemates “receive Respect and Inclusion training and an extensive briefing from the Big Brother Senior team to prepare them for living in the House and to set out Big Brother’s expectations for appropriate behaviour and language”.

Big Brother continues tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

Big Brother fans were not happy and demanded one housemate be removed

Fans rushed to complain after the latest scenes described as ‘scary to watch’.

Big Brother has been hit with thousands of complaints to Ofcom after what viewers said were ‘disturbing’ scenes. The regulator has once again updated its weekly stats of those received between the dates of October 13 and October 19.

The number of complaints range from just dozens up to thousands. It means that one of the most recent instalments of ITV’s reality series has attracted the most ire from fans throughout the entire run of the current series.

That was following the episode which aired on ITV2 on October 19. This attracted a staggering 7,138 complaints. This is an extraordinary amount even compared to the episode which gained the second most complaints over the last week, which was October 18 which received 658.

Ofcom have confirmed that complaints on October 19 related to Omar’s behaviour towards Rhianna. Meanwhile those on October 18 were over alleged bullying behaviour by Philip.

Scenes involving Omar and Rihanna on Monday this week caused a big stir among viewers. The couple seemed to cool things off with their relationship while Rihanna at one point claimed Omar was ‘acting weird’.

Later Omar told Rihanna to stop talking about him with others. Afterwards, he had his own conversation with Lynx about Rihanna,.

Before bed, he invited Rihanna for a chat, claiming he ‘could not sleep on it’. In the store room Rihanna told him: “From eviction night, up until now I feel like you’ve been acting weird with me.”

She was eventually called to the Diary Room to check if she was OK. She said: “I’m not that good but I’ll be fine. Obviously me and Omar have not been good over the last few days and sometimes I don’t like the way he speaks to me.”

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Fans were not pleased with what they saw. A thread on Big Brother UK subreddit saw several admit that they made a complaint to Ofcom.

One person said: “I’ve just put my complaint in. That was so disturbing and scary to watch.” Another added: “I’ve never made an ofcom complaint before but it feels so important to do something… if there’s any chance this can pressure BB production into removing Omar. . . So so dark.”

Women’s Aid released a statement following the backlash and said: “We’re seeing coercive and controlling behaviours being given a platform in popular media like Big Brother. We’ve been contacted by many viewers who have expressed concern. Not only does Big Brother risk minimising survivors’ experiences, it also risks presenting abuse as a form of entertainment.

“Producers should understand their responsibility to keep contestants emotionally and physically safe. The women in these programmes are real people and need real support. We continue to urge television companies such as ITV to engage with experts like Women’s Aid to understand the nature of abuse and how they can do better to protect contestants.”

A spokesperson for Big Brother said: “All Housemates receive Respect and Inclusion training and an extensive briefing from the Big Brother Senior team to prepare them for living in the House and to set out Big Brother’s expectations for appropriate behaviour and language.

“Housemates are monitored 24 hours a day and any instances of inappropriate behaviour are responded to appropriately. Welfare and safeguarding are prioritised throughout the production, with a dedicated welfare team available to support Housemates before, during and after their time in the House.”

Big Brother also received 206 complaints over the most recent live eviction show, about the alleged bullying of Rob by Rochelle and Philip. 110 complaints were also made for the episode aired on October 13 over a range of issues including comments made by Rochelle about Yasmin’s weight, Omar’s behaviour towards Yasmin and Rhianna, and Lynx’s behaviour towards Rob.

Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

BIG Brother’s Omar El Mayer will remain in the spy house despite being accused of “coercive and abusive” behaviour towards Rhianna Collins – but I’ve heard of events that have happened in the shared bedroom that feel even more worrying.

The Sun’s mole on the show has shared details of one strange action the jewellery salesman has performed before bed and how it has raised eyebrows on set amid fan outcry.

It comes as Women’s Aid have spoken out over Omar’s behaviour as viewers rush to complain to Ofcom.

Omar, 21, scolded Rhianna, also 21, for speaking about their argument to her co-stars before using “red-flag” language including “don’t talk about me”, “don’t cry”, “don’t look away from me”, “sort yourself out” and “fix up”.

Now unaired scenes can be revealed and it all hangs on Big Brother’s thorough duty of care measures.

Our source said: “If there are people sharing a bed, Big Brother has a rule that every night they individually have to show the camera a thumbs up or thumbs down to show that they consent to that situation.

“If there is no sign, or a thumbs down, Big Brother intervenes and calls them to the diary room.

“Over the last few nights Omar has been putting thumbs DOWN and so has been called into the diary room.

“When he’s in there he doesn’t really seem to explain much.”

The revelation shocked me, as a Big Brother fan as well as someone who closely reports on the show, because surely it seems more likely Rhianna would be the one flagging concern to bosses.

Our source added: “It’s raised eyebrows – if he’d done it once, fair enough, but the fact he’s done a thumbs down over a few nights suggests it’s a pattern of behaviour to control the narrative.

“There’s clearly complex emotions at play but it’s troubling.”

The revelation comes amid a rising storm around Omar remaining on the show.

As yet, bosses have not moved to remove him from the house.

A Big Brother spokesman said: “All Housemates receive Respect and Inclusion training and an extensive briefing from the Big Brother Senior team to prepare them for living in the House and to set out Big Brother’s expectations for appropriate behaviour and language.

“Housemates are monitored 24 hours a day and any instances of inappropriate behaviour are responded to appropriately.

“Welfare and safeguarding are prioritised throughout the production, with a dedicated welfare team available to support Housemates before, during and after their time in the House.”

Yesterday Women’s Aid spoke out following complaints over last night’s “worrying” scenes between Omar and Rhianna.

Spokesman Veronica Oakeshott told The Sun: “The nature of abuse means that it often begins with ‘red flag’ coercive and controlling behaviours like isolating you from friends or repeatedly putting you down, before escalating into other forms of abuse.

“Coercive control creates invisible chains and a sense of fear that impacts every element of a survivor‘s life.

“It’s worrying to see behaviours like this being given a platform in popular media like Big Brother.”

Women’s Aid has been contacted by “many viewers who have expressed concern”, added Veronica.

We also told how fans, ex-Housemates and celebrities have all demanded Omar is axed over his behaviour – with viewers in their droves contacting TV regulator, Ofcom.

She added: “We continue to urge television companies such as ITV to engage with experts like Women’s Aid to understand the nature of abuse and how they can do better to protect contestants. We would welcome a discussion with the Big Brother team.”

Scenes between Omar and Rhianna have seen her telling Omar “I don’t want to argue with you”, to which he replied “Well, then, don’t say mad things that you don’t mean. It’s not fair. You need to sort it out, get it together.”

Rhianna then whispered “I’m sorry” and he accepted her apology saying “it’s OK” before they spent the night together in bed.

In another sinister moment from last night’s hard-to-watch episode, Omar interrupted Rhianna’s conversation with Rochelle and Phillip to whisper in her ear.

Bending down to Rhianna in bed to conceal his warning, Omar said: “Do me a favour, I know you’re upset, but don’t talk about me. Thank you.”

One viewer commented: “The fact Omar’s comfortable doing this on national TV scares me for what he does behind closed doors.”

Another added: “This has become dangerous now. Omar needs removing from the house.

“He has been gaslighting and emotionally abusing Rhianna for weeks.

“You don’t have to be a genius to know what would be happening if the cameras and other housemates weren’t there.”

ITV viewers have issued the same complaint following the latest episode of Big Brother

Big Brother viewers have been left ‘devastated’ by recent scenes in the ITV show.

The reality competition returned to screens on Sunday night (October 18), thrusting viewers into the aftermath of Friday’s eviction. Radio presenter Rob was forced to leave the house after losing the public vote to his co-stars Yasmin and Twinks.

Following Rob’s sad exit, Big Brother has introduced this week’s big theme: The House of Time. In the coming days, each housemate will be taking part in tasks to win time with their loved ones.

But the exciting twist has been overshadowed by a huge row that broke out between housemates just minutes into the latest episode. It came after Catrin was left in tears over the divide among her co-stars, admitting she felt uncomfortable because housemates have secretly been “nasty about each other”.

“I feel so frustrated. I feel like there is such a clique. I just hate it,” she confided in Lynx. Her complaint soon made its rounds in the house, and sparked a heated row between Twinks and Philip.

After spotting Catrin’s low mood, Yasmin asked her co-stars: “Is she ok? She looked like she’d been crying.” Twinks then explained that the 23-year-old was struggling to adjust to the hierarchy in the house, implying that the so-called “King Philip and Queen Rochelle” are key players in the housemates’ divide.

She said: “Yeah she is. She’s struggling with the dynamics of the house. Big time. It’s getting to her a lot. She’s a sensitive, stunning, little soul and the whole us and them, the whole hierarchy of this spot. Let’s not pretend this isn’t a thing.”

Tensions reached boiling point when Rhianna reported the conversation to Philip, who wasted no time before confronting Twinks. Storming into the lounge, he fumed: “Twinks. Who is the highest person in here?”

Twinks defended herself and replied: “You are.” After some back-and-forth, Philip then hit back with: “Keep your f***** mouth shut.” In another scene, the 53-year-old vented his frustrations with Twinks to his close friends and brutally referred to her as a “c***”.

The row proved too much for Twinks as she was left contemplating quitting the show altogether. Confiding in Big Brother, Twinks revealed that she felt “hideous” after her spat with Philip. “I am so unwelcome in this place,” she said as she tried to fight back tears.

She added: “Why would I put myself through this? It doesn’t feel nice. ‘Grow thick skin, it’s the big Brother house.’ Maybe I don’t want a thick skin, maybe I had to have a thick skin growing up and I’ve spent the last 15 years trying to feel soft and feel things.

“It’s not nice, they’re not nice people. I really genuinely feel like Cat would have such a better chance if I wasn’t here. She’s such a sweet, kind, and empathetic person.”

Viewers at home were left ‘devastated’ as they watched Twinks and Catrin crying over the divide among the contestants, with many calling for Big Brother to take some form of action to resolve tensions in the house.

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An X user posted: “Big Brother has to do something. This feels so icky. #bbuk,” while someone else agreed: “BB please do something I’m begging.”

A third viewer made the same request, writing: “This is actually uncomfortable to watch now. @bbuk you need to do something […].” Others were moved by Twinks’ breakdown, as one posted: “Twinks has me sobbing this house is literally horrific vibes, she’s not had a break since day 1 #bbuk.”

Yet another supporter said: “They have completely broken Twinks, this is so devastating #BBUK,” with a final fan exclaiming: “NOOOOO Twinks can’t leave omgggg big brother do something #Bigbrother#Bigbrotheruk #BBUK.”

Catrin and Twinks have been struggling to settle in since they joined the show just over two weeks ago.

Big Brother continues Monday at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX

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.