Richard Osman has strongly criticised viewers who questioned the outcome of the BBC’s Celebrity Traitors final, dismissing allegations of bias and claims that the result was predetermined.
Speaking on Wednesday’s episode of his podcast, The Rest Is Entertainment, which he co-hosts with Marina Hyde, the author responded to suggestions that the programme’s final had been a ‘stitch-up’ or reflected some form of BBC favouritism.
Osman described those making the accusations as ‘idiots’, arguing that their claims demonstrated a lack of understanding of how television programmes are produced.
He said: “It turns out a lot of those people are idiots. Or it’s possible that they’re very clever and they have an agenda, because they ain’t right.
“To accuse the BBC of bias in this shows, first of all, a fundamental misunderstanding of how you make a television programme.
Even in a conspiracist culture, this is one too far.”
He added that the criticism was ‘pathetic’, saying he had reached the point where he no longer wanted to entertain the allegations.
Osman Points to the Show’s 15 Million Viewers
The Thursday Murder Club author also challenged the scale of the criticism, highlighting the popularity of the latest series.
According to Osman, approximately 15 million people watched the programme, while only around 1,000 people had been expressing dissatisfaction with its conclusion.
He compared the situation to a football championship attended by 15,000 spectators, with 14,999 celebrating and just one person refusing to join in.
Osman also defended the winning contestants’ decisions about their chosen charities, arguing that viewers should not dictate where other people direct their charitable contributions.
He pointed to Romesh Ranganathan’s record of supporting different charitable causes throughout the year and said the comedian should be free to decide which organisation receives his prize money.
Osman said: “Be incredibly popular and successful, then go on a hugely successful game show and then be the smartest player on that entire show, and show empathy and gameplay and intelligence.
Then you can give money to whoever it is that you want to.”
He added that critics had no knowledge of the organisations Romesh and Sebastian Croft supported outside the programme.
BBC Accusations and Licence Fee Criticism Rejected
Osman also addressed complaints suggesting that the programme’s prize money came from television licence fee payments.
He argued that The Traitors generates substantial revenue for the BBC rather than representing a financial burden on licence fee payers.
“Stop wetting your pants about everything. Stop saying, ‘it all comes out of licence fee money’ – you cannot be that stupid,” he said.
He maintained that the programme had returned significant amounts of money to the broadcaster and rejected suggestions that its production was draining public funds.
The Celebrity Traitors has attracted substantial audiences for the BBC and operates under the broadcaster’s strict impartiality requirements, which are enshrined in its charter.
Romesh Ranganathan and Sebastian Croft Secure Charity Prizes
The series concluded last week with faithful contestants Romesh Ranganathan and Sebastian ‘Bash’ Croft emerging as joint winners.
Both received £41,500 for their selected charities, with Romesh choosing the Refugee Council and Croft selecting Choose Love.
The Refugee Council supports people forced to leave their homes who are seeking safety in the UK.
Choose Love provides assistance to refugees and displaced people, with Croft highlighting its work supporting LGBTQ+ refugees in particular.
The actor explained that he had previously volunteered with the organisation and described it as one of the best charities.
Other finalists also competed on behalf of several charitable organisations. Leigh-Anne Pinnock selected the British Red Cross Society, while James Blunt supported the Blue Marine Foundation and King Kenny played for Rethink Mental Illness.
Additional contestants represented organisations including Unicef, Astriid, Alzheimer’s Society, Matt Palmer Trust, The King’s Trust and Longfield Community Hospice.
Choose Love Faces Political Criticism Over Its Gaza Position
Croft’s choice of Choose Love has also attracted attention because of the charity’s public position on the conflict in Gaza.
The organisation has accused Israel of genocide in its war against Hamas and stated on its website that Palestinians are continuing to experience genocide.
Choose Love will receive half of Croft’s £83,000 prize allocation.
The charity also supported an open letter signed by several celebrities, including Gary Lineker, which called on the UK Government to prohibit arms sales to Israel and end what the signatories described as complicity in Gaza.
Conservative MP Jack Rankin criticised the charity’s involvement in political campaigning and questioned the use of public money in connection with the programme.
He said: “When activists nakedly misuse charitable designation to peddle their extremist agenda, it should concern us all.”
Rankin also argued that the BBC should maintain its impartiality and should not direct public funds towards organisations he described as political activists.
Choose Love has previously funded a legal challenge to the former Conservative government’s policy of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda.
The charity acknowledged covering staff costs for Asylum Aid, which led the High Court challenge against the policy.
The legal challenge was unsuccessful, with the scheme ruled lawful.
Maya Jama Donates £83,500 After Celebrity Traitors Exit
Meanwhile, Maya Jama has donated £83,500 of her own money to charity after missing out on the Celebrity Traitors prize.
The Love Island presenter was eliminated shortly before the final after fellow Traitor King Kenny betrayed her.
Despite not winning, Jama decided to donate the amount she would have received had she secured the prize to her chosen organisation, Action for Children.
The charity funds programmes designed to support children and young people.
Announcing the donation on X, the 32-year-old wrote: “Just donated what I would have won for my chosen charity @actionforchildren amazing cause.”
Action for Children subsequently confirmed the donation on Instagram, thanking the presenter for her generosity and describing her as the star of the programme.
Fans Praise Maya Jama’s Charitable Donation
Jama’s decision attracted widespread praise from fans, who applauded her for supporting the organisation despite losing the competition.
Among the responses were comments describing her gesture as amazing, with others calling her a ‘class act’ and praising the amount she had contributed.
Several supporters also highlighted the awareness her involvement had brought to the charity and the importance of the donation.
Action for Children further explained that Jama’s contribution would help support vulnerable families across the UK.
The organisation highlighted that approximately four million children in the country are currently living in poverty, adding that the presenter’s own experiences of food insecurity while growing up made her contribution particularly meaningful.
It also described the challenges faced by families, including parents escaping domestic abuse and households struggling to afford food and other essentials.
The charity said donations such as Jama’s would help its frontline workers provide assistance to children and young people experiencing hardship.
