The Celebrity Traitors makes its debut tonight (Image: BBC)
The first series of the Celebrity Traitors kicks off tonight as host Claudia Winkleman returns to the helm in the Scottish Highlands. It is the first celebrity version of the show, and will consist of nine hour-long episodes. The show has attracted some A-list stars – with many viewers saying the line-up features bigger names than other celebrity TV series. Ahead of the series, Cluadia said: “We’re incredibly lucky these brilliant people have said yes. I’d love to say we’ll take it easy on them and they’ll just wander round the castle and eat toast for a couple of weeks but that would be a lie.”
Series three winner Leanne Quigley told BBC Breakfast on Wednesday: “What’s going to be so interesting about the celebrity version is they’re going in with a reputation, they’re all going to know each other. They know what it’s like to have cameras around them all the time, whereas we didn’t, so they’re going to know how to be on TV. So it’s going to be interesting to see if they immerse themselves in the game, because I know for certain it’s really difficult not to get involved and emotional, and play the game wholeheartedly.”
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BBC viewers ‘work out’ first elimination
Social media users took to X and revealed who they believe Alan Carr will choose to be murdered in the show’s first elimination.
Fans have claimed that Clare Balding’s error in the challenge has sealed her fate. One wrote: “Now why would Clare do that?? Like girl?? They’re defo gonna think she’s a traitor now haha #CelebrityTraitors.” A second tweeted: “Claire will get voted off first #CelebrityTraitors.” A third penned: “CLARE YOU FUMBLED THE BAG #CelebrityTraitors.”
A fourth said: “Oh Clare. Unintentional sabotage is not the way to go. #CelebrityTraitors.” Another shared: “CLARE HAS WRAPPED IT #CelebrityTraitors.”
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Alan is unsure of his next move
BBC viewers will get to find out on Thursday which of the celebrities will be murdered
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Murder in plain sight
Traitors Jonathan, Cat and Alan have been tasked with murdering one show contestant in plain sight.
Much to the comedian’s dismay, Alan was picked to touched someone’s face to signal their elimination
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The horse is ablaze
The celebs secured victory with £15,000 in the jackpot
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Clare’s error forced Charlotte Church sacrifice
The celebs had to surrender one shield in order to make it through the first gate – and it was Charlotte Church who stepped forward.
While she’s helped the group get closer to that £15,000 jackpot for their chosen charities, she’s now at risk of being killed tonight by the Traitors.
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Clare Balding suffers huge blunder
As the challenges kicked off, the team had to choose whether they’d be happy to give up a shield – which makes them exempt from the first killing – or answer four questions correctly in order to win £15,000 for the prize pot.
They had just 30 minutes to try and wheel a wooden horse through four gates. Each correct answer or shield would allow them through the gate.
Clare Balding, who failed to read the question properly and accidentally locked in an incorrect answer.
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Traitors unveiled
Jonathan, Cat and Alan revealed themselves as The Traitors
The Traitors unveiled themselves (Image: BBC)
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Our final Traitor… Alan Carr
The comedian says he’s a massive fan of the show, and that seeing the famous castle will be “like visiting the Taj Mahal or the Leaning Tower of Pisa”.
“I’ll have to adapt; no comedy, it’s one of those shows where you have to shape shift,” he says.
“And then these are celebrities. They’re sociopaths.”
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The next Traitor is… Cat Burns
Claudia Winkleman selected singer Cat Burns to be a Traitor. But she’s worried her lighter side might give her away in the game.
“I could giggle because I’m nervous about being a Faithful or I could giggle about being a Traitor,” she told the BBC before going into the castle.
“I need to not giggle! If I don’t giggle, I’ll be fine.”
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We have our first Traitor: Jonathan Ross
Presenter Jonathan Ross has just been selected as our first Traitor.
Before the show he said: “The big difference between The Celebrity Traitors and The Traitors is we do have some conception, or preconception of the people in it with us.”
While Ross says it’d be “great to be both”, he does think that “being a Traitor is probably more fun”.
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Which celebrities are currently safe?
Claudia Winkleman announced Jonathan Ross, Joe Marla, Joe Wilkinson, Kate Garraway, Charlotte Church and Celia Imrie are the six contestants currently safe from getting murdered in the game.
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Celebrities hit with an immediate twist
In a classic TV moment the celebs have been forced to dig their own graves to find a shield but one star faces being murdered.
The celebrities have been forced to dig their own graves (Image: BBC)
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Let the mind games begin
Nineteen celebrities arrivals have been taken on a detour away from Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands.
The show stars have instead been taken to a cemetery with their names marked on headstones.
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BBC viewers say same thing about Celebrity Traitors
Fans took to social media as they shared their excitement for the debut series of Celebrity Traitors. One fan commented: “omg stop I am so excited!!!! Celebrity Traitors is hereeeeee #CelebrityTraitors.” Another penned: “The cast of #CelebrityTraitors is absurdly good.” A third wrote: “Possibly the best casting lineup of any Celebrity show ever #CelebrityTraitors.”
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Prince William gave his royal stamp of approval
Prince William revealed he and his family are “very much looking forward” to watching The Celebrity Traitors, he reportedly said at an investiture.
The Prince of Wales’s comments were made to chief executive of The Traitors, Stephen Lambert, when he received his OBE at Windsor Castle.
“He said he and the family were very much looking forward to watching it. It was going to be a big treat for them and probably for the nation, he expected,” Lambert says.
Prince William is said to be looking forward to the show (Image: Getty)
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What is the prize?
Like the civilian version the A-list celebrities are competing for a cash prize.
The celebrities will play for a cash prize of up to £100,000. The exact figure will depend on how they perform in missions throughout the series, where the money can go up or down.
Unlike the civilian version where contestants get to keep the jackpot, the celebrities are playing for their chosen charity.
It has been confirmed that the celebrities will receive a separate appearance fee for taking part in the BBC spin-off show.
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How does Celebrity Traitors work?
With all of the contestants arriving at the castle as “Faithfuls”, they will soon find out their fate in the game – whether they are playing as a “Faithful” or as a “Traitor”. The role of the Faithfuls is to find the Traitors amongst the group, and banish them all before the end of the game. The aim of the Traitors is to stay undetected and escape banishment.
If the Faithfuls successfully banish all of the Traitors before the end of the game, the remaining Faithfuls are the winners and walk away with the prize money. If, however, there are any Traitors remaining at the end of the game, the remaining Traitor(s) will win and take it all.
The group gathers at the Round Table to discuss who they suspect of being a Traitor and have the opportunity to “banish” a contestant, eliminating them from the game. The contestant who receives the most votes is banished, leaving the castle immediately, but not before revealing to the rest of the group whether they are a Faithful or a Traitor.
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Who is taking part in Celebrity Traitors?
From a Good Morning Britain presenter to Olympic gold medallists the BBC have pulled out all of the stops.
Here’s the full 2025 Celebrity Traitors lineup:
Alan Carr – Comedian
Cat Burns – Singer/songwriter
Celia Imrie – Actress
Charlotte Church – Singer/activist
Clare Balding – Broadcaster
David Olusoga – Historian and filmmaker
Joe Marler – Former England rugby union player
Joe Wilkinson – Comedian
Jonathan Ross – TV Presenter
Kate Garraway – TV and radio presenter
Lucy Beaumont – Comedian
Mark Bonnar – Actor
Nick Mohammed – Actor and comedian
Niko Omilana – Online content creator
Paloma Faith – Singer/songwriter
Ruth Codd – Actress
Stephen Fry – Actor and writer
Tameka Empson – Actress and comedian
Tom Daley – Olympian
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How to watch and what time does the show start?
The show’s celebrity edition airs in a matter of hours, so set your reminders now for 9 pm UK time. The BBC has confirmed an extra-long 70-minute opener, with the celebrity edition airing two nights a week on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer. It is expected to conclude on October 31.
In the UK, you can stream for free on iPlayer with a valid TV licence. Outside of the UK, us
