After the first season of *The Traitors* became a huge success for the BBC in the summer of 2023, I went to an industry event. There, the show’s creators enthusiastically discussed the benefits of casting regular people, rather than celebrities, as contestants.
The editor explained they decided against using famous faces on the poster. They found people were more likely to participate if they weren’t worried about appearing alongside celebrities – essentially, if they didn’t need an agent to get involved.
After two years, the highly anticipated Celebrity Traitors is finally here! The cast is a diverse group – they prefer to be called ‘players’ rather than ‘contestants’ – and includes the quick-witted Jonathan Ross, the sharp Celia Imrie, and the hilariously dry Joe Wilkinson.
Most celebrity versions of TV shows feature a mix of fading stars and hopefuls, but this one has a surprisingly high-quality cast. They certainly don’t need the publicity, and they’re donating any winnings to charity. Perhaps they’re genuinely interested in the moral challenges of the show, just like the viewers. From the start, it’s clear that everyone is fully committed, acting like they have nothing to lose.
The person who chose Alan Carr to be the third ‘Traitor’ is really the one winning so far – and deserves a promotion! The reactions of the other players immediately showed they knew this would make things much harder. Carr is naturally bubbly, energetic, and easily noticeable, so it seems impossible he could keep his identity a secret – unless that’s exactly what he’s planning to do.
Putting aside the show’s dramatic moments, the most striking thing about *Celebrity Traitors* is how irrelevant the contestants’ fame actually is. Whether someone is a popular YouTuber like Niko Omilana or a successful author like David Olusoga, their achievements don’t seem to matter much on the show.
Clare Balding can remember every detail of a tennis match, but she’s surprisingly bad at practical tasks, leading others to think she’s deliberately trying to cause trouble. Charlotte Church has performed for the Pope, yet when she makes a kind gesture, people wrongly accuse her of betrayal. One of these women is clumsy, the other is brave, and both are in danger.
The usual meaningful conversations around the campfire are missing their impact this time. Instead of caring about the contestants’ personal stories – like Tom Daley becoming famous so young – we’re all just focused on who will be eliminated or backstabbed. Stephen Fry perfectly captured this shift, noting he’s experienced both extremes of fortune before even entering the competition, but now, it’s simply a game of alliances: everyone is either loyal or a betrayer.
He’s spot on. We’re just as unimpressed with Alan Carr’s obvious backstabbing as we were with Linda’s disappointed reaction last season. No amount of talent or success will save them from having to choose between betraying others or being betrayed themselves. This isn’t about who’s in charge, it’s about basic human nature. The further along the game goes, the less their celebrity status even matters. Their agents probably wouldn’t be thrilled to hear that.
The Celebrity Traitors continues tonight at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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2025-10-09 12:35