If you’ve been hooked on The Traitors, get ready: the first celebrity version of the hit BBC show is about to drop. Host Claudia Winkleman, 53, has been at the heart of the show’s success since 2022, even winning a BAFTA for her presenting.
But she admits she wasn’t initially on board with a celebrity edition.
“My bosses, thank goodness, ignored everything I said,” she revealed, hinting at the nerves and excitement she felt when the celebrities arrived in the Scottish Highlands.
A Star-Studded Lineup at Ardross Castle
The BBC recently shared the first official photo of Winkleman with the celebrity contestants around the iconic round table at Ardross Castle.
The host described the moment as “scarier” than usual: “I could barely breathe when I saw them all in the Highlands. I’m such a fan of every single one of them.
The whole team were just in awe—it was hard not to scream ‘You’re here!’ When I talked to Stephen Fry I almost welled up, I told him, ‘This was my dream.’ Each one of them is tremendous.”
The Celebrity Cast and Show Format
Celebrity Traitors was pre-recorded earlier this year and launches on October 8 on BBC One and iPlayer.
The show will air every Wednesday and Thursday across nine episodes.
Celebrities taking part include TV historian David Olusoga, actress Ruth Codd, singer Cat Burns, YouTube prankster Niko Omilana, and comedian Lucy Beaumont.
Excitement and Drama in the First Trailer
Fans got a taste of the action with the first trailer, showing 19 famous faces arriving at Ardross Castle, ready for a game of strategy, deception, and trust.
Contestants will compete to win up to £100,000 for a charity of their choice, with plenty of twists along the way.
Stephen Fry’s Take on the Experience
Stephen Fry opened up about his time on the show in a recent podcast, describing it as “emotionally violent” but addictive.
“It was a bit like a Chinese foot massage—you know it’s absolutely agony but you sort of want to do it again. It’s emotionally violent but you kind of love it,” he said.
Fry declined to reveal whether he played a traitor or a faithful, but praised the show’s psychological complexity: “It’s so extraordinary what it does to the psychology of the individual.
I thought it would be really interesting to play it. And what an opportunity to do so.”
Celebrity Salaries Revealed
The Rest Is Entertainment podcast recently revealed that all celebrities received the same £40,000 fee for appearing on the show, regardless of fame.
Journalist Marina Hyde noted: “It’s certainly interesting to compare something like Celebrity Traitors on the BBC to I’m a Celebrity on ITV.
They were able to pay everybody a blanket 40k fee—it’s gonna be massive. Look at the calibre of the people they got.”
Launch Date and Viewing Details
Mark your calendars: Celebrity Traitors premieres on October 8 on BBC One and iPlayer, airing every Wednesday and Thursday.
With a mix of strategy, star power, and Winkleman’s signature charm, it promises plenty of entertainment for fans of the original series.