Story summary
The Celebrity Traitors, a popular BBC show, is returning for its second series on Thursday, May 18th, at 20:00 BST. The new season features 21 celebrities, including actors like Michael Sheen and Julie Hesmondhalgh, comedians such as James Blunt and Rob Beckett, and content creators like King Kenny. Contestants will compete for a £100,000 cash prize to be donated to charity based on their performance in tasks designed to outwit each other.
In the first episode, the celebrities were divided into Traitors and Faithfuls, with Claudia Winkleman revealing only two traitors initially. This departure from tradition left viewers shocked, especially when veteran actor Richard E Grant declared himself a traitor just minutes after arriving at the castle, leaving many in disbelief about his honesty or bluffing skills.
Executive producer Sarah Fay emphasized that the show aims to evolve and push boundaries each year, incorporating fresh ideas while maintaining its core format. This season will air twice weekly on Thursdays and Fridays, with 10 episodes total, up from last year's nine. Additionally, BBC One, iPlayer, and Sounds will broadcast a spin-off series titled Uncloaked, hosted by comedian Ed Gamble. The first episode concluded on a cliffhanger, leaving fans eager to see who the traitors select as their first victims or allies in the upcoming episodes.
Written for “Celebrity Traitors Show Return” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 25 other(s) covering the same event.
Here are our standout moments of episode two and what fans had to say.
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fans → have → what
Amol Rajan murdered and James Acaster recruited
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Acaster → murder → ?
The episode began with Acaster and Rajan both in their coffins, before we cut to breakfast.
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we → begin → breakfast
One by one, Faithfuls and Traitors entered the breakfast room for the first time.
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Faithfuls → enter → time
As it got down to the final few, it was revealed to both viewers and the Faithfuls that Rajan had been murdered.
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Rajan → get → viewers
However, unbeknownst to the Faithfuls, Acaster walked back into the room now a newly recruited Traitor.
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Acaster → walk → room
After being seduced, Acaster said: “I can’t believe I’m a Traitor, I’m gutted to not be Faithful anymore, I don’t like lying, but if I don’t join, then they kill me.”
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they → seduce → me
Some fans were shocked by Rajan’s early elimination.
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fans → shock → elimination
“Amol Rajan deserved so much better than being the first celebrity gone,” wrote one, whilst another said they were “gutted to see Amol gone”.
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Amol → deserve → better
However, others were pleased with the decision.
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others → please → decision
“The traitors elect to murder Amol!!
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traitors → elect → Amol
Think that’s the correct decision,” one user declared.
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user → think → ?
On Acaster’s recruitment, many had mixed feelings.
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many → have → feelings
“I really feel for James Acaster, he wanted so badly to be a faithful and have fun being a detective, and now he looks so uncomfortable,” said one.
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one → feel → fun
“Amended my opinion on james acaster traitor he gets so much screentime this is the best thing ever im exceptionally jolly,” another said.
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another → amend → screentime
"James actually being devastated that he's a traitor now... lord this is gonna be a bumpy ride,” said a third.
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third → devastate → ?
Jerry Hall and Hannah Fry left vulnerable
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Hall → leave → ?
Tonight's mission saw the celebrities buried underground in individual coffins, with grave diggers working for the show tasked with burying them.
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diggers → see → them
They had 15 minutes to remain inside their coffins, but any celebrity who shouted “haggis” would be released and put at risk of murder.
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who → have → murder
Jerry Hall was the first to shout “haggis”, meaning her partner Hannah Fry also had to end the mission.
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partner → shout → mission
The pair were therefore left vulnerable to murder, while the remaining celebrities continued with the challenge.
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celebrities → leave → challenge
Ross and Romesh were the first to dig the celebrities out and were then faced with a difficult decision over whether to free everyone or leave some behind while they collected more treasure.
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they → dig → treasure
The celebrities ultimately chose to prioritise their fellow contestants, managing to get everyone out of their coffins before working together to collect the remaining treasure.
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everyone → choose → treasure
They secured £5,000 for the prize fund, but despite successfully completing the challenge, Jerry and Hannah were left as the only two celebrities vulnerable to murder.
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Jerry → secure → murder
That means the pair will be firmly in the firing line when the Traitors return next week, with the rest of the cast protected from murder.
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rest → mean → murder
Fans were quick to express their concerns for the pair.
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Fans → express → pair
“Hannah Fry being down for murder, being accused of being recruited, AND completely sniffing out the Traitors' reasonings in the space of about five minutes.
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Fry → accuse → minutes
she might not be here for long but she's absolutely made her mark!”
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she → make → mark
Another said: “So sad that Jerry Hall or Hannah Fry will be murdered just because Jerry couldn’t handle being locked in a dark enclosed space like that cos I absolutely could not handle that either.”
No banishment... yet
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I → say → that
Back at the castle, the celebrities gathered for the Round Table as they tried to work out who they believed could be a Traitor.
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they → gather → Table
Richard E Grant found himself under increasing pressure over his behaviour, while Julie Hesmondhalgh, Hannah Fry and Leigh-Anne Pinnock were also brought into the discussion as the Faithfuls questioned who could be hiding a secret.
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who → find → secret
The tension continued to build as the group debated who they could trust, before Richard was eventually told: “You’ve forced our hands.”
But just as the Round Table reached its most dramatic point, the episode ended on a huge cliffhanger, leaving viewers waiting to discover who had been banished from the castle.
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who → continue → castle
“I pray Richard gets away with it and survives this roundtable.
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Richard → pray → roundtable
He is far too entertaining to be kicked out so soon!.” wrote one fan.
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fan → kick → ?
“How can they end on that cliffhanger?!!!!!,” another moaned as they realised we would have to week to find out who has left.
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who → end → cliffhanger
The next episode of Celebrity Traitors will air on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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episode → air → BBC
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