Stephen Fry wants to be a Faithful on The Celebrity Traitors – because actors are “terrible liars”

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So, Stephen — why have you decided to take part in The Celebrity Traitors?

I’m really not sure. It’s completely puzzling. I suspect it’s because I’ve had a lot of different experiences, so when I’m asked to do something new, I often find I’ve done something similar before. However, this was truly unique – a first for me. I was simply hoping for a fresh experience. Everyone kept saying it was a great show, and it intrigued me. After watching, I had to agree – it really was very good.

Do you like playing games? And are you competitive?

When I play a game, I aim to play it well. It bothers me when others don’t take it seriously. Regarding competition, I’m perfectly fine with losing if I’m simply outplayed fairly. I don’t mind losing if someone demonstrates they are the better player.

Would you like to be a Traitor or a Faithful?

As a Faithful player, I really don’t enjoy the thought of having to scheme against others. It’s frustrating to have to tap into that kind of thinking, because to really succeed, you almost have to be a little bit ruthless. You’re making decisions about eliminating other players, you’re secretly working with people you can’t even fully trust, and it just puts you under a lot of pressure. Looking back at the last series, you can really see how stressful it is to be a Traitor.

Are you looking forward to the Missions?

It’s difficult to predict how it will go. For some, it might feel a bit like going back to school, especially with required physical activity. It will be interesting to see if we can collaborate effectively. We have some players who are naturally athletic and will excel at physically demanding tasks, while those of us who aren’t as strong or sporty will need to rely on our intelligence and strategy to contribute. Working together will be key.

Have you done anything to prepare?

It’s tough to say what you *can* do. Rewatching older episodes wouldn’t be useful, since the players have changed. This game really comes down to the people involved.

Would you say you’re good at reading people? Will you be able to spot a liar?

No, definitely not, and no one else can either. The belief that you can accurately judge people’s character is completely unfounded, similar to astrology or other pseudoscientific ideas. It’s simply not something humans are capable of. Empirical evidence consistently demonstrates this. Time and again, professionals whose jobs involve interrogation and truth-finding – like detectives – find it’s impossible to reliably read people. We’re all susceptible to believing things, even when the evidence suggests otherwise. Those claims of, ‘I just *knew* something was off, based on how they held their glass or a subtle eye movement’ – it’s all misleading self-deception.

Do you have a good poker face?

Yes, but that doesn’t really tell us much. People can appear to be lying even when they’re being honest, and seem truthful while actually deceiving others. I believe the only reliable indicator is when someone makes an error, slips up, or when the group – the Round Table – decides to remove someone and their judgment proves surprisingly accurate. The only logical explanation for wanting to remove that person is if they’re being deceitful. However, that’s generally all you can rely on. I’ll attempt to use logic and reason, as acting on instinct isn’t helpful.

Do you think acting skills can play a part in how you play the game?

A common misconception is that actors are skilled liars, but actually, they’re often quite bad at it! Their profession isn’t about deception; it’s about telling the truth through their characters. Similarly, people in sports are known for being highly competitive. Success in athletics requires an incredibly strong drive, far exceeding what most people possess. These are two fascinating points to consider. I’m not sure what the organizers have planned for us, but they’ve clearly thought about these qualities and will likely devise challenging-and amusing-ways to test us over the coming weeks. We should probably prepare ourselves for that!

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2025-09-30 00:29