Spoiler warning: This article reveals details from the fifth episode of The Celebrity Traitors, series two.
Friction is mounting inside the castle as the competition intensifies, with several celebrities finding themselves under intense scrutiny at the round table. The episode saw one traitor banished, another recruited, and a death-themed task that left participants genuinely frightened.
Ross Kemp's frustration boils over
Actor and documentary maker Ross Kemp expressed visible anger at being manipulated by the traitors, who have deliberately positioned him as a suspect to deflect attention from themselves.
"I'm quite angry,"he said, his frustration evident.
"I've suffered at the hands of the traitors and now they've put heat on me, so I'm quite angry about that. They're using me like a donkey."
The traitors had kept the former EastEnders star above ground during the grave-digging task, sparing him from being buried—a tactic designed to make him stand out and draw suspicion. In this episode, he was one of four celebrities selected to sit alone in a tomb before one of them faced elimination.
Comedian Joanne McNally was sufficiently convinced by the traitors' strategy to voice her doubts about Kemp.
"The vibe with Ross is off. His eyes do not close. He has not blinked since we've been here. He is giving cyborgs."
Rob Beckett becomes the episode's murder victim
Comedian Rob Beckett was murdered face-to-face by the traitors during the crypt challenge, while Romesh Ranganathan was spared. Little Mix's Leigh-Anne Pinnock received a key granting her immunity from the tomb task. According to reporting on the episode, the traitors had anticipated Pinnock would receive the immunity key and deliberately chose to murder another unprotected player to create maximum chaos.
Beckett took his elimination in stride, finding humour in the situation.
"I'm a dead man,"he grinned when confronted by the traitors.
"And in a way, this is good news for the faithful because I was nowhere near getting Maya Jama and James Acaster. No chance."
He departed with a veiled warning for his fellow players.
"I know one thing - my boy Ramesh Ranganathan will avenge my death and he will get them."
Ranganathan was genuinely saddened by the loss of his comedy companion the following morning.
"He's so unthreatening that he's never going to get banished, so he's the guy we should have given the key to,"he reflected.
"He also happens to be one of my best friends. I'm sad. It's not going to be the same without him."
The terrifying death parade task
The episode's main challenge, known as the Death Parade, required celebrities to solve puzzles while avoiding capture by guards dressed as Skeletor from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. The task generated genuine fear among participants, particularly Pinnock.
"That is genuinely terrifying,"she said as the costumed marchers approached from the edge of a forest.
"We are literally in a horror film."
Actor Michael Sheen seized the opportunity to showcase his theatrical talents, delivering puzzle instructions in his finest Shakespearean voice to the group. The celebrities ultimately prevailed, solving all puzzles and winning prize money for charity. The task concluded with Ross Kemp and James Blunt using flints to ignite gunpowder, creating a barrier against the death marchers.
According to coverage of the episode, the Death Parade challenge brought in £8,000 for the prize pot. Players captured by the death marchers—including all three traitors, Hannah Fry, Maya Jama and James Acaster, along with Ranganathan, Jerry Hall and McNally—were held in a cage until the round table, creating a traitor-free zone at the castle where theories could develop without interference.
Suspicion falls on Hannah Fry at the round table
When the group reconvened, multiple celebrities came under scrutiny. Kemp defended himself by arguing that his behaviour on the first day and during the grave task would have been inconsistent with traitor conduct. James Blunt faced brief questioning before attention shifted to mathematician Hannah Fry, who drew the most significant accusations.
YouTuber King Kenny initiated the assault on Fry's credibility.
"There's no surprise that I'm going to be talking to you, Hannah. I just don't understand, how are you still here? Because when I think about it, as a traitor, you'd be one of the first people that I would get out. But also, as the traitor, you'd be extremely good because you're very smart."
Fry attempted to defend herself by highlighting her impossible position.
"I've been sort of doomed from the beginning because either I was going to be killed by the traitors or, as has happened, if I don't get killed by traitors, the faithful are going to suspicious of me."
When voting commenced, the vast majority of celebrities voted for Fry's banishment. Remarkably, her fellow traitors also voted against her—both Jama and Acaster cast their votes for Fry to maintain their cover as faithful players.
"I came in here with absolutely one job and one job only on my mind, which was to catch traitors,"Fry said before her elimination.
"And I calculated every conceivable scenario except for the one that actually unfolded."
She later reflected on her unexpected journey.
"My fellow traitors, they had to vote for me. It was so clearly going in that direction. You know what? I didn't choose the traitor life, but oh my goodness me, that was so much fun."Fry had been recruited as a traitor mid-way through the series, explaining her late entry into the role.
King Kenny joins the traitor ranks
In the turret, despite comedian Joe Lycett's determined efforts to be selected, King Kenny was chosen as the new traitor. The selection was based on his exceptional performance at the round table, where he had successfully cast suspicion on others while appearing to be a faithful player. He had even gleefully galloped around the castle with Miranda Hart and Sebastian "Bash" Croft after Fry's banishment.
Kenny expressed shock upon discovering the identities of his fellow traitors.
"Guys, just don't do me dirty, do you know what I mean? Let's just try playing a clean game when all three of us get to the final, okay?"His plea came immediately after witnessing both Jama and Acaster vote for their own colleague, suggesting he would need to remain vigilant.
What happens next
According to the BBC schedule, episode six is scheduled to air on Friday 16 October 2026 at 8pm on BBC One. The series comprises 10 episodes total, with each instalment running approximately one hour. The new traitor trio of Maya Jama, James Acaster and King Kenny will face increasing pressure as the remaining faithful players grow more suspicious and strategic in their voting.
Key Facts
- Hannah Fry was banished after drawing suspicion from multiple celebrities, including her fellow traitors who voted against her to maintain their cover
- Rob Beckett was murdered by the traitors during the crypt challenge, leaving Romesh Ranganathan determined to avenge his friend
- The Death Parade task required celebrities to solve puzzles while avoiding capture, generating genuine fear among participants and raising £8,000 for charity
- King Kenny was recruited as the third traitor after impressing with his performance at the round table
- The series continues with episode six scheduled for 16 October 2026
