Tv’s most devious contest has been given a sprinkling of stardust. This week, the hotly-anticipated Movie star Traitors lastly made its option to our screens after months of hypothesis and hype.
And the long run King was among the many 6.5million viewers to tune in to the opening episode on Wednesday, making it the most-watched Traitors launch ever within the UK.
Prince William let slip he was a fan as he awarded the present’s boss Stephen Lambert an OBE at Windsor Castle earlier this week, describing the present as a ‘massive deal with’.
However one factor is for certain: there will likely be no particular therapy for the VIP contestants. Their first process was to dig their very own graves.
Additionally they needed to keep in the identical low cost airport lodge as their non-famous counterparts throughout filming, as we reveal on this behind-the-scenes information.
Solely actual stars want apply
Present bosses have been decided to have family names for The Movie star Traitors, and so they have definitely succeeded, luring the likes of Sir Stephen Fry, Celia Imrie, Clare Balding and Kate Garraway to participate.
I’m instructed they put a ban on ‘low-rent’ actuality tv stars from the likes of Love Island taking a seat on the infamous spherical desk.
An trade supply reveals: ‘The staff behind The Traitors had by no means seen something prefer it.
The 19 celeb opponents embrace comedians, actors, a rugby champion, cleaning soap stars and a YouTuber with eight million followers
There’s been a ban on ‘low-rent’ actuality tv stars from the likes of Love Island taking a seat on the infamous spherical desk
From the second the celeb collection was introduced final 12 months, the telephones rang continuous with brokers determined to pitch their expertise for the present.
‘Nevertheless it was made loud and clear that they solely need high-profile family names and weren’t in search of the standard fodder from the fact TV circuit.’
The winner ‘takes’ all of it
After three civilian collection, most viewers are on top of things with the principles of the sport, and the celeb model is not any completely different.
Throughout Wednesday’s opening episode, 19 celebrities arrived at Ardross Citadel within the Highlands and, as they sat blindfolded on the spherical desk, host Claudia Winkleman selected her three Traitors – chat present host Jonathan Ross, comic Alan Carr and singer Cat Burns – by tapping every one on the shoulder.
Now it’s left to the Faithfuls to root out the dastardly trio earlier than they’re ‘murdered’ one after the other.
The celeb Faithfuls who survive to the top have the prospect of sharing the £100,000 prize cash – solely on this model of the sport, the cash will go to their chosen charity.
If a Traitor stays undetected, they take the lot (and provides it to a very good trigger).
The query is, although, can Traitor Alan Carr sustain the pretence? He has completed nothing however sweat and squirm since donning the well-known inexperienced cloak, confessing: ‘I really feel sick. It’s the worst secret ever and it’s simply burning me, I’m so nervous.’
No VIP therapy
Movie star Traitors ought to quickly cross the 10million viewer mark, making it one of many BBC’s most profitable actuality present debuts lately
Some friendships have already change into strained. Alan Carr ‘murdered’ his good pal Paloma Religion in episode two by rubbing poison lily on her face
Regardless of being celebrities, not one of the contestants bought to remain within the fort when the collection was filmed again in Could.
As a substitute, they needed to slum it in the identical £80-per-night Courtyard by Marriott lodge used for the non-celebrity model of The Traitors.
Only a stone’s throw from Inverness airport, the celebs have been placed on one ground and a lockdown-style curfew was imposed. Mobiles have been confiscated and a ‘manufacturing cellphone’ was issued for emergencies.
‘There was to be no social media, simply old style cellphone calls,’ says my supply.
Whereas the remainder of the lodge was nonetheless open to the general public, the celebrities have been solely allowed out at sure instances for cigarette breaks and brief walks, with safety guards maintaining a watchful eye to ensure there was no conferring or sneaking between rooms.
One supply confides: ‘They should have had a shock, a few of them would by no means have stayed anyplace that s*** earlier than, it was hardly salubrious.’
And whereas a lot of the celebrities travelled to Scotland by aircraft, Celia Imrie arrived on an expensive sleeper prepare.
‘She’s a legend,’ says my supply. ‘There was no approach anybody would anticipate her to tough it.’
A pleasant little earner
Movie star Traitors was filmed over three weeks and, eager to keep away from any leaks, the BBC rushed out its transmission
There may be one massive distinction between The Traitors and its celeb spin-off: the VIP gamers have been paid to participate.
Through the civilian model, there’s a small stipend to subsidise time away from work, which works out at roughly £100 per day.
However I can reveal that the celebs have all been paid the identical flat price of £40,000.
Movie star Traitors was filmed over three weeks and, eager to keep away from any leaks, the BBC rushed out its transmission.
However the success of earlier exhibits has delivered one enormous blow. For I can reveal that Syeda Irtizaali, the BBC government who oversaw commissioning for The Traitors, has been poached by Netflix.
I’m instructed that she was the brains behind a number of the casting choices for the celeb model, particularly Alan Carr, who she met when she commissioned his present Chatty Man for Channel 4.
The style battle winner
Winkleman’s outfits are the work of stylist Sinead McKeefry, who loves to offer a nod to the present’s Highland setting
As all the time, all eyes have been on Claudia Winkleman’s wardrobe.
The host opened the collection sporting her favorite £100 black Spanx leggings, paired with a £768 black wool cape from Luxurious Household Affair, emblazoned with the phrase ‘Celebrities’ on the again. She additionally wore a pair of Givenchy boots value a cool £1,800.
Winkleman’s outfits are the work of stylist Sinead McKeefry, who loves to offer a nod to the present’s Highland setting.
And in earlier years, the Winkleman impact has precipitated items to promote out, together with her chunky crimson jumper from season two and the dark-green Brora knit from season three.
However this 12 months’s well-known contestants are already giving her a run for her cash within the type stakes.
Celia Imrie led the cost, arriving in a Catherine Walker tartan coat with silk velvet collars and cuffs costing £14,900.
Welsh singer Charlotte Church, 39, seemed serene in a £260 embroidered maxi costume by Zaimara. And Clare Balding, 54, wore a £500 orange double-breasted blazer from British designer Holland Cooper, for which she is an envoy.
Solely Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway, 58, opted for extra ‘relatable’ apparel in a £60 Boohoo tartan jacket.
Solely Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway (pictured), 58, opted for extra ‘relatable’ apparel in a £60 Boohoo tartan jacket
I’m instructed that Paloma Religion was left ‘fuming’ that she couldn’t showcase her designer wardrobe after being the primary to be murdered by the Traitors.
‘I really feel like I didn’t even have the chance to point out the hundreds of thousands of outfits that I had deliberate to put on on the sport,’ she stated.
No love misplaced already
Lots of the contestants already know one another.
Jonathan Ross, as an example, has identified Charlotte Church since she was 11 when she appeared on the Huge, Huge Expertise Present, which he hosted. These long-standing relationships may assist to type helpful alliances.
However some friendships have already change into strained. Alan Carr ‘murdered’ his good pal Paloma Religion in episode two by rubbing poison lily on her face.
On Thursday, on podcast The Movie star Traitors: Uncloaked, host Ed Gamble defended Carr, saying it was a troublesome choice.
Religion stated he was giving Carr an excessive amount of leeway. ‘If the shoe was on the opposite foot, I might not have touched Alan’s face.
Categorically, he had a selection – perhaps it was the best choice, however it was the selection he made and I don’t assume it was very good,’ she retorted. Ouch!
