All posts tagged: Celebrity

Leaks, spoilers and rule-breaking: BBC struggles to keep a lid on unruly Celebrity Traitors cast

Leaks, spoilers and rule-breaking: BBC struggles to keep a lid on unruly Celebrity Traitors cast

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in The Celebrity Traitors is the biggest show on British TV right now, but this year’s cast aren’t making it easy to avoid spoilers, with the 2026 contestants blurting out plot twists and breaking rules left, right and centre. It was revealed at the weekend that Richard E Grant actually let slip he was a Traitor long before episode one aired, during a live radio interview back in June. Speaking on their BBC Radio 6 Music show on Saturday (10 October), hosts Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie said that Grant had told them that he was a Traitor during the summer broadcast. The moment was subsequently cut from any on-demand versions of the episode. “This bit was taken out by the brilliant production team at this show,” they said. “People were saying when Joe Lycett said to him on Traitors, ‘What are you?’ and he said, ‘Traitor’, that that was his …

Celebrity Traitors’ James Acaster reveals James Blunt moment that was edited out: ‘That’s why Julie got voted off’

Celebrity Traitors’ James Acaster reveals James Blunt moment that was edited out: ‘That’s why Julie got voted off’

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Celebrity Traitors’ star James Acaster has revealed that scenes were cut from the BBC show that would explain why singer James Blunt led the charge to banish Julie Hesmondhalgh. Last week’s episodes saw former Coronation Street star Hesmondhalgh become the latest player to be banished at the star-studded roundtable, after Blunt pushed his theory as to why she was a Traitor. On the show, Blunt explained that he thought the actor was a Traitor because she had received the very first immunity shield of the competition after the other contestants considered her to be the most trustworthy of the group – and figured that as part of a secret twist, perhaps they had in fact picked the first Traitor. However, after receiving the most votes at the roundtable, Hesmondhalgh revealed that she was in fact a Faithful – much to the frustration of the other contestants, who appeared to blame …

The Celebrity Traitors ranked: Who is playing the best and worst game in the castle?

The Celebrity Traitors ranked: Who is playing the best and worst game in the castle?

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in The Celebrity Traitors is now in its third week and while one of our murderous trio in the Turret is thriving, plenty of others in the castle aren’t faring so well. This year’s star-studded series has delivered plenty of unpredictable drama from the off, with Richard E Grant effectively signing his own death warrant and leaving Maya Jama to head up operations for the cloaked killers. Through recruitments, James Acaster and Professor Hanah Fry have become the least willing Traitors in the show’s history – but luckily for them, the Faithful have so far failed to capitalise on their early banishment win. So how is everyone performing? Here’s our ranking of each player, based mostly on their actual gameplay skills with a bonus point here and there for vibes… Maya Jama – 9/10: The only person among this year’s current Traitors who actually wanted the job, Love Island host Jama …

Celebrity Traitors star Charlotte Church forced to close wellness retreat after ‘complexifying crises’

Celebrity Traitors star Charlotte Church forced to close wellness retreat after ‘complexifying crises’

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Charlotte Church has announced the closure of her The Dreaming wellness retreat amid “exponentially complexifying crises that have been spreading out ahead of us all like cracking ice”. The Celebrity Traitors star opened The Dreaming at Rhydoldog House, Wales – the former home of designer Laura Ashley – in April 2023. Church, now 40, had purchased the sprawling property in 2021 and its renovation was the subject of a Discovery Channel documentary series. However, after four years in operation, The Dreaming will be going into “hibernation” to “reassess what it is we should be offering”. A statement posted on social media explained: “Through the harvest season, it is important to discern what requires attention from that which is falling away, what needs to be put to compost. “We need the chance to compost, mulch, go fallow, listen deeply to the earth, so that we can germinate new dreams for the …

CProducer Has 2 Words To Explain Why The Celebrity Traitors Is So Popular

CProducer Has 2 Words To Explain Why The Celebrity Traitors Is So Popular

One of the producers behind The Traitors’ success has shared his take on what has helped the show stand out in the current TV landscape. As part of a new interview with Radio Times, Stephen Lambert – the founder of production company Studio Lambert, which has helped make hits of Gogglebox, Race Across The World, Squid Game: The Challenge and, indeed, The Traitors – had two words when asked why he thinks people have become so hooked on the Bafta-winning reality show. “Dramatic irony,” he responded when asked for “the key” to what he described as The Traitors’ “universal appeal”. The cast of The Celebrity Traitors 2026 with host Claudia Winkleman BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry He explained: “[That dramatic irony is] the engine of The Traitors. It’s about the pleasure that we know more than the protagonists – we know who is lying. And it’s fun to try and watch people work out who the liars are.” Stephen added that, particularly with The Celebrity Traitors, which is currently airing, the famous contestants can “find it uncomfortable …

Myha'la Defends Celebrity Traitors Cast After Fan Accuses Them Of Unconscious Bias

Myha'la Defends Celebrity Traitors Cast After Fan Accuses Them Of Unconscious Bias

Former Celebrity Traitors star Myha’la has jumped to the defence of her co-stars amid claims that unconscious bias was partly responsible for the group choosing to banish her. The Industry star is one of 21 famous faces who took part in the current season of The Celebrity Traitors, eventually becoming the second contestant to be banished, when the majority of her castmates voted her out. When Myha’la reflected on her short time in the castle on Instagram over the weekend, one critic suggested to the American actor: “Unfortunately you were banished because you are BLACK. This is a consistent thread in this racist show. “You were the first one to be strategically banished. We cannot count Richard [E Grant] because he outed himself and the cast had no other choice but to banish him. You, my love, were banished because you are Black. And I’m so sorry.” Myha’la in the Celebrity Traitors cast before she was banished Unconscious bias on reality shows like The Traitors has been discussed numerous times, with Myha’la acknowledging that while …

Slow Horses and Celebrity Traitors stars sign up for unique project

Slow Horses and Celebrity Traitors stars sign up for unique project

Celebrity Traitors star Joe Lycett and House of the Dragon’s Olivia Cooke have been named as part of the upcoming cast joining a unique West End play. White Rabbit, Red Rabbit – created by Nassim Soleimanpour – is a one-of-a-kind show where every performance is different, aiming to raise discussion about the nature of “obedience, choice, and freedom of expression.” Each night, a special guest lead will appear on stage, without prior knowledge of the story they are about to perform. It’s only once they are on the stage that they will be handed an envelope containing the script they will then have to perform, without rehearsal or director to guide them through it. Riz Ahmed, John Bradley and Nish Kumar. Ralph Bavaro/NBC via Getty Images / Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images / Anthony Devlin/Getty Images for Universal Pictures First launching in 2011, the play has had a recurring appearance on London’s West End since 2024, with Ghosts’ Mathew Baynton, Sense and Sensibility’s Daisy Edgar-Jones and Baby Reindeer’s Richard Gadd among those taking on the challenge. …

Who won The Great Celebrity Pottery Throwdown 2026? Champion speaks out

Who won The Great Celebrity Pottery Throwdown 2026? Champion speaks out

Layton Williams has been crowned the first ever winner of The Great Celebrity Pottery Throw Down, triumphing over his fellow novices in the Channel 4 series finale. The actor, dancer and singer beat Fatiha El-Ghorri, Richard Herring and Denise Van Outen in the final, after the four made it through to battle for the title. Unlike the main show, there were no eliminations across the first four episodes, giving the celebrity potters the chance to learn and improve before the final four were decided on the throw down leaderboard. Comedian and Celebrity Traitors alum Lucy Beaumont and ex-footballer Paul Merson made up the rest of the line-up, but were knocked out before the grand finale. The remaining potters had to create a dessert trifle set, complete with serving bowls, spoon and small jug, before tackling a surprise second challenge: a tricky throw performed blindfolded. The result confirmed Williams as champion of the celebrity spin-off of the long-running ceramics contest, filmed at the Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke-on-Trent. Want to see this content? This page contains …

Second celebrity eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing

Second celebrity eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Melanie Walters and Aljaž Škorjanec are the second couple to leave Strictly Come Dancing 2026. The Gavin and Stacey star, 64, and her dance partner ended up in the dance off during Sunday night’s results show, along with Shaun Wright-Phillips and professional partner Alexis Warr. Walters and Škorjanec had previously received a total of 17 points for their Charleston to “Ooh Ahh… Just a Little Bit” by Gina G, putting them second to last on the leaderboard. Meanwhile Wright-Phillips and Warr took last place with a score of just 15 points for their quickstep to “I’m a Believer” by The Monkees. The public vote didn’t save them from the unenviable fate of performing their routines a second time for the judges, and after both pairs had danced again, the judging panel shared their verdicts. Craig Revel Horwood chose to save Wright-Phillips and Warr, as did head judge Shirley Ballas. The …

Maya Jama defends controversial Celebrity Traitors decision

Maya Jama defends controversial Celebrity Traitors decision

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Celebrity Traitors star Maya Jama has weighed in on her decision to recruit James Acaster and Hannah Fry to join her as Traitors – despite them seeming to struggle under the pressure. The Love Island host, 32, was selected by Claudia Winkleman as one of two Traitors in the first episode of season two, along with actor Richard E. Grant. The pair then chose to pick comedian Acaster to join them, and after Grant was banished in episode three, following his unprecedented reveal of his Traitor status to the group, mathematician Fry became the next recruit. However, towards the end of episode four, which aired on Friday (9 October) evening, Acaster and Fry admitted that they were finding it difficult to pull off their traitorous machinations – and that they might even rather be playing as Faithfuls. Jama, meanwhile, seemed to be the only one embracing her murderous role in …