The primary episode of Celebrity Traitors hit screens final night time and to say it was a rollercoaster could be an understatement.
Not like the civilian model of the sequence, which has turn into a serious hit for the BBC, viewers didn’t should be launched to the contestants, as a result of BBC producers managed to herald a genuinely star-studded forged together with the likes of comic Alan Carr, musician Paloma Religion and actor Celia Imrie.
Within the debut episode, the celebrities barely had time to soak up their environment earlier than being put to process on their first problem, the place they actually needed to dig their very own graves to seek out shields, to guard them from the sequence’ first homicide.
Jonathan Ross, Joe Wilkinson, Joe Marler, Kate Garraway, Celie Imrie and Charlotte Church all discovered a protect, although Charlotte later gave hers away after the primary mission went unsuitable, because of a mishap from Clare Balding.
In the meantime, host Claudia Winkleman chosen Alan, alongside singer-songwriter Cat Burns and TV host Jonathan Ross, as the primary three traitors of the sequence. In a serious twist, the primary homicide of the present can be dedicated in plain sight.
To be able to kill, Alan should mark the face of the primary sufferer with a black lily, however we’ll have to attend till tonight to see who perishes.
Mark Bonnar says being on The Celeb Traitors was ‘sort of unnerving’
Scottish actor Mark Bonnar has mentioned being on The Celeb Traitors was “sort of unnerving”.
Talking about his time filming the present, the 56-year-old instructed BBC Radio 4’s At present programme: “It’s sort of unnerving.
“It’s very, very intense, particularly when the traitors have been chosen you’re conscious that the sport has began, you’re conscious that you haven’t any thought if anyone is who they are saying they’re, you attempt to make your thoughts up about individuals nevertheless it’s very tough to discern.”
The Line Of Responsibility actor mentioned the present was “fairly traumatic”, including: “What is a superb launch are the duties, that’s essentially the most fantastic half. I’m certain you noticed final night time I used to be pulling and pushing a two-and-a-half ton Computer virus for half-hour which was one thing else however that’s a little bit of a launch.
“You get to sort of bond as a staff after which this different intense half begins afterward while you get again to the fortress.”
Greg Evans9 October 2025 16:00
Alan Carr as a traitor is already a meme
Simply while you thought you couldn’t get sufficient of Alan Carr within the first episode, he winds up turning into a meme
We will’t get sufficient of those.
Greg Evans9 October 2025 15:00
Who’s Cat Burns?
Other than Alan Carr’s exploits, Cat Burns was presumably the most important speaking level of episode one. The 25-year-old confirmed maturity past her age after exhibiting composure when being chosen as a traitor.
The musician had her first hit along with her 2020 single “Go”, which gained elevated recognition on TikTok and finally reached quantity two within the UK singles chart in 2022.
The Streatham-born singer was nominated for a Brit Award for the music in 2023, and was additionally recognised within the British Pop/R&B Act and Rising Star classes in the identical yr. She launched her debut album Early Twenties final yr.
Followers have already earmarked her as a favorite to win the present and he or she already seems to be sticking to her technique. Earlier than the present, she instructed the BBC: “My technique, if I’m a Traitor, could be to simply try to go beneath the radar, not draw an excessive amount of consideration to myself, but additionally give out names of people that I feel might be Traitors.”
Greg Evans9 October 2025 14:00
Why Alan Carr is all of us in The Celeb Traitors
Together with his sweat-drenched, awkward efficiency as an unlikely backstabber, the comic is the unrivalled spotlight of the star-studded new sequence, writes Helen Coffey
Helen Coffey9 October 2025 13:26
Who’s Ruth Codd?
Irish actor Ruth Codd is presumably the most important unknown entity on Celeb Traitors, having solely risen to fame after loving her job as a barber and make-up artist throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 29-year-old started posting movies on TikTok after being made redundant and, inside a yr, had greater than 670,000 followers.
She was found by casting brokers and positioned within the position of Anya within the Netflix thriller sequence The Midnight Membership earlier than happening to play Juno Usher within the 2023 Edgar Allan Poe adaptation miniseries The Fall of the Home of Usher.
Though she went beneath the radar within the first episode, Codd’s distinctive look definitely caught the attention at any time when she was on the display screen. Let’s hope we see extra of her over the subsequent eight episodes.
Greg Evans9 October 2025 13:00
Who’s Niko Omilana?
One of many solely disappointments of episode one was that YouTuber Niko Omilana wasn’t chosen as a traitor, but when he’s, then we’ll be in for a deal with.
The content material creator, 27, has carved out a distinct segment together with his undercover pranks, infiltrating far-right protests in London – in disguise as a white man – to the carry the lid on racism in Britain. In 2018, he went viral after he posted his video “Undercover as a racist for twenty-four hours”, which reveals protesters rising violent in the direction of him when his masks slips.
He most notably grabbed headlines in 2021 when he ran for Mayor of London, attaining a formidable 49,628 votes. Within the 2024 common election, he ran in opposition to then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, acquiring 160 votes. He attracted extra consideration, although, when he held up a “L” signal behind Sunak, referring to the MP as a loser.
Whereas Niko is likely one of the lesser-known contestants on The Traitors, he was delighted when Stephen Fry knew his work. “Stephen is aware of who I’m! I needed to be unknown to everybody; now everybody’s going to see me as a conniving prankster.”
Ellie Muir9 October 2025 12:00
Who’s Tameka Empson?
Ahh, Tameka. She’s already such a pleasure on this sequence. Who can neglect her already iconic episode one line: “Sure, Claudia. Strut away”. Or when she fortunately confirmed that the group will exploit Tom Daley’s athleticism “for something”.
Most BBC viewers can be extra acquainted with her as Kim Fox in EastEnders, a job she has performed since 2009, successful quite a few awards, together with the 2012 Inside Cleaning soap gong for Funniest Feminine Efficiency.
Chatting with the BBC forward of the present’s launch Empson admitted that she did not know why she joined Celeb Traitors however had turn into hooked on the present after watching sequence two.
Amusingly, she mentioned she’ll refuse to exit first even when she is eradicated: “I hope Claudia is nice at improvisation, as a result of I’m not going out first. I simply will not go. I’ll simply refuse. It’s going to be completely different. Yeah, sorry everybody however I’m staying. How about that plot twist?!”
Let’s hope the BBC have a contingency plan in case she’s ousted tonight.
Greg Evans9 October 2025 11:00
Celeb Traitors proves to be main rankings hit
Episode one attracted 6.1 million viewers on Wednesday night time, stories TV rankings journalist Liam Hamilton and 46 per cent of all viewers throughout the 9pm slot. That is additionally a million up on the final civilian sequence, which aired in January.
Greg Evans9 October 2025 10:51
Celeb Traitors viewers hail nervous Alan Carr as spotlight of latest sequence
It’s protected to say that Alan Carr stole the present within the debut episode. The comic already had viewers in hysterics after claiming he needed to be a traitor – after which struggled with the truth after host Claudia Winkleman made him one.
Viewers are already calling him the spotlight of the sequence up to now and well worth the licence payment alone.
Jacob Stolworthy rounds up the perfect reactions:
Greg Evans9 October 2025 10:00
