Spoiler warning: This article reveals details from the first episode of The Celebrity Traitors, series two.
Host Claudia Winkleman's theatrical entrance in a coffin, carried by druids through a church, set the tone for an opening episode dominated by spectacle and strategic missteps. The 75-minute premiere introduced 21 celebrities to the game, but it was actor Richard E Grant's shocking blunder that became the episode's defining moment.
The iconic entrance that stole the show
Winkleman emerged from her coffin to greet the assembled celebrities, quipping,
"That was quite the nap."Model and actress Jerry Hall was immediately struck by the resemblance between the host's grand presentation and that of Cleopatra, the Egyptian queen, coining the nickname
"Claudiapatra!"
At the show's press launch, Winkleman revealed she had loved crafting her
"iconic entrance"but initially considered alternative hiding spots.
"It's like a sort of GCSE history fantasy - it was either that or the grandfather clock,"she explained. Her coffin arrival ultimately proved far more memorable than either of those options.
How did Richard E Grant's traitor secret leak so quickly?
Grant and presenter Maya Jama were selected as two of Winkleman's three traitors, but Grant's excitement immediately got the better of him. Moments after learning his role, he gleefully announced to those around him that he was actually a traitor, seemingly forgetting the entire premise of the game.
In footage shown to viewers, Grant later reflected on his error:
"That may be the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life. I was so thrilled to have been chosen as a traitor that in my unguarded excitement, I said, 'Of course I'm a traitor'. I clearly need to defuse all the heat that's coming in my direction."
Stunned comic Rob Beckett told him:
"I think you've just done something that's never happened in the game - it is a bold strategy."Winkleman herself acknowledged at the press launch that Grant had blurted out his identity in error because he was so thrilled.
"He was giddy, wasn't he? He's just laughing at what's happening. Fantastic,"she said.
Ed Gamble, host of a national broadcaster's entertainment show, offered his own perspective:
"It felt like he'd been given the lead role in a film and he just had to tell everyone. It's such an insane moment."Grant may find that no one tells him a secret ever again.
Who suspected Grant of being a traitor?
Ex-broadcaster Amol Rajan questioned Grant the following day, asking what had happened the night before. Rather than sowing clever seeds of doubt, Grant simply admitted he had been so blatant about wanting to be a traitor that he responded truthfully when asked. It was an odd reply, perhaps because he was flustered.
Rajan labelled him the
"Lord of Chaos,"but Hall remained unconvinced of Grant's guilt.
"I just don't believe Richard's a traitor, I've known him 30 years and he's my neighbour,"she said.
"He says and does eccentric things, he's an amazing guy, but I think he's like acting out because he's not been chosen."
Comic and writer Miranda Hart also believed Grant could be faithful, though she admitted confusion about the situation. Grant eventually decided to let the much more composed Jama take the lead in their subsequent decision-making.
How did the first mission unfold?
Former EastEnders actor Ross Kemp, now a documentary-maker whose programmes have focused on gangs and the armed forces, took joint charge of the mission alongside singer and ex-army captain James Blunt. The pair divided the celebrities into teams and led them to successfully locate treasure on a pirate ship, securing £15,000 for the group.
The Last of Us and Game of Thrones star Bella Ramsay proved a key player in the task, grabbing a captain's hat from the boat and playfully placing it on Kemp's head to mark their victory. However, Kemp's confidence quickly crumbled back in the castle when paranoia set in.
When Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix touched Kemp on the arm as she walked through the bar, he became convinced he had been murdered by a traitor. Gamble found the moment hilarious:
"It is one of the funniest things I've ever seen - the moment he gets touched on the arm, having already thought Bella Ramsay putting a captain's hat on him is a murder in plain sight. What a variety of men live within the Ross Kemp sphere. He's a big hard man running that mission. And then immediately terrified of a member of Little Mix touching him on the arm. That's incredible."Kemp's fear was understandable, given that in series one, comic Alan Carr had murdered Paloma Faith by touching her face.
What were the celebrities' strategies going in?
The episode revealed that several celebrities had expressed preferences about their roles. Comics James Acaster and Hart, along with mathematician Hannah Fry, wanted to be faithfuls—Fry said she was
"dripping with prefect energy."By contrast, Rajan and Beckett had wanted to be traitors.
YouTuber King Kenny and actress Myha'la had their own distinct approaches.
"I have an innocent face; I want to avenge Niko [Omilana, the first to be banished in series one]. He left too early,"Kenny said. Myha'la added that she wanted to be perceived as
"doughy-eyed, fun, and maybe a little naïve,"unlike her scheming character in Industry.
What role did fashion play in the episode?
Costume choices became an unexpected talking point in the castle. Beckett observed that when actress Julie Hesmondhalgh wore the shield she had won, she resembled a cardinal in her long red dress, remarking:
"I thought we were in the Vatican!"True to form, Joe Lycett wore a polka-dot shorts suit with a purple feather collar.
Hall was also keen to showcase her wardrobe, saying she wanted to stay long enough to
"wear all my fabulous outfits."Blunt deadpanned in response:
"Well, look, if you go early, I'll wear your outfits."
How did the episode's twist unfold?
Despite the one-liners flying throughout the episode, the game took a serious turn at the end when a new twist required Grant and Jama to select their third traitor. They had to choose two celebrities to meet them in person and argue why they should stay, with the winner joining the traitors and the loser becoming the show's first murder victim.
"They'll beg – there is a God. I'm loving it. Delicious,"Grant said, grinning like a child in a sweet shop.
Rajan and Acaster were chosen, having both put pressure on Grant over being a traitor.
"Amol is the biggest Rottweiler on me; it would take the heat off me for having been such a plonker,"Grant admitted, while adding:
"James Acaster is laser-eyed in his conviction that I am a traitor."
Despite wanting to be a faithful, Acaster argued a solid case to stay, telling Grant:
"If I go tonight, the first person they're looking at is you."Rajan then took the floor, saying:
"I do think I am uniquely placed to take the heat off you. I'm here because I sniff out liars for a living. The faithful think I will identify the traitor by doing my job really well. If I'm on your side, I'll throw them off the scent."
Taking the episode full circle, both men laid in coffins, just as Winkleman had, to await their fate. Rajan had said earlier:
"I'm 90% that nice, warm guy who's on the news, but I'm also 10% psychopath."Although his Machiavellian side was not apparent during his time at the broadcaster, it will be interesting to see what sort of traitor he proves to be—if he emerges from his coffin.
What happens next in the series?
According to the episode guide, episode two airs on Friday 2 October at 8pm, with the traitors completing their line-up and the celebrities facing a new mission. The ten-episode series is scheduled to air on Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm, with its finale on Friday 30 October. The 21-person cast includes Bella Ramsay, James Acaster, James Blunt, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Miranda Hart and Romesh Ranganathan, among others.
