The seventh episode of the second series of The Celebrity Traitors saw Ross Kemp murdered, Jerry Hall banished and James Acaster criticised by fellow traitors Maya Jama and King Kenny over his performance during a mission.
Kemp’s departure followed a plan in which the traitors successfully carried out a murder in plain sight. Acaster, who had been reluctant to embrace his role as a traitor, helped make the EastEnders actor yawn through a deliberately boring interaction.
After learning that he had been eliminated, Kemp quoted Shakespeare’s Hamlet, declaring: “To thine own self be true.”
He added: “And I was.”
At breakfast, the remaining contestants tried to work out who had been murdered overnight. Romesh Ranganathan expressed concern about the possibility of losing Jerry Hall, saying: “If Jerry’s not here, I don’t think I can handle it.”
Hall eventually arrived after the group had already discussed Kemp’s disappearance and asked: “Is Ross gone?”
Jerry Hall Suspects James Blunt Over His Red Face
Hall later shared her suspicions about fellow faithful contestant James Blunt with Miranda Hart.
Her theory was based on Blunt’s complexion rather than any evidence of his involvement in the game.
She remarked that “his face is redder than a fox’s ass at gooseberry time”, adding another unusual theory to the growing list of suspicions among the contestants.
Traitors Face a Mission Involving Blindfolds and Sabotage
Following breakfast, the celebrities took part in a mission designed to test their ability to assemble protective shields while their work was vulnerable to sabotage.
The challenge required contestants to build shields from three-dimensional puzzle pieces buried in troughs of sawdust. The pieces had to be assembled on plinths in front of each player.
At three points during the task, a bell sounded, requiring everyone to stop working and put on blindfolds. During these intervals, the traitors could remove their blindfolds and interfere with the shields being assembled by their fellow contestants.
Hall commented on the smell inside the traitors’ lair, describing it as being like a litter tray. Hart offered her own description, suggesting the room smelled of “salmon, cheap cologne and crotch”.
James Acaster Draws Criticism for Failing to Sabotage Shields
Acaster admitted that he was beginning to enjoy his role after Kemp’s murder, but his actions during the mission frustrated his fellow traitors.
Despite having opportunities to sabotage the faithful contestants’ shields, he was too nervous to remove his blindfold and interfere with their work. Maya Jama and King Kenny were left to take the risks themselves.
Jama was unimpressed by his reluctance, saying: “He didn’t even lift the blindfold off – I’m speechless.”
Acaster acknowledged that he expected criticism from his fellow traitors when they returned to the turret.
“I’m aware I’ll get a dressing down in the turret but I am the one who killed Grant Mitchell,” he said, referring to his role in Kemp’s murder.
The fact that Acaster successfully completed his own shield puzzle, earning himself protection, was another source of frustration for his co-conspirators.
James Blunt, Joanne McNally and Michael Sheen also completed their shields. However, no money was added to the prize pot because Jama and Kenny became too nervous to remove any pieces during their final opportunity.
Romesh Ranganathan’s Hay Fever Helps Clear Suspicion
The mission created further confusion among the faithful contestants, who struggled to identify the source of creaking floorboards as two traitors attempted to move around the room unnoticed.
Ranganathan benefited from an unexpected defence when Sharon Rooney heard him repeatedly sniffing beside her.
His hay fever helped convince Rooney that he could not have been one of the traitors. His moustache also became a talking point as he was seen combing it during the episode.
Before the round-table discussion, Rooney, who had styled herself as “Poundland Poirot”, introduced a theory involving a perfume bottle allegedly being used to kill someone in plain sight.
The combination of Kemp’s murder and the confusing mission left the contestants uncertain about whom to accuse.
Jerry Hall Banished After Round-Table Accusations
The round table produced a series of accusations against several contestants, including Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Bash Croft, Joanne McNally and Hall.
Hall was ultimately banished after McNally described her as a professional pot stirrer who had spread suspicion among the group.
Ranganathan offered a different explanation for his own suspicions, joking: “I’ve long suspected she preferred Rob (his comedy partner and former contestant Rob Beckett) to me.”
Hall’s banishment meant the faithful had lost another member of their group. As she left, she expressed her frustration with the decision, telling the others: “I told you so!”
Leigh-Anne Pinnock Remains Under Suspicion
Pinnock continued to attract attention after Hall’s departure, with her long red, leather-look gloves becoming a talking point among the contestants.
The singer complained that the gloves had made her look suspicious.
“I said they looked traitorous and villainous,” she said.
Her appearance remained a subject of discussion as the remaining celebrities continued trying to identify the traitors.
Maya Jama and King Kenny Confront James Acaster
Back in the turret, Jama and Kenny confronted Acaster over his failure to sabotage the other contestants’ shields during the mission.
Jama accused him of leaving the pair exposed to the risks of carrying out the task themselves.
“You hung us out to dry!” she told him.
Acaster later appeared more comfortable with his role, telling his fellow traitors that he had finally begun to enjoy the deception involved in the game.
“When I killed Ross Kemp in plain sight, I loved it!” he said, prompting a positive reaction from Jama and Kenny.
The episode marked a shift in Acaster’s attitude towards his role, after he had spent much of the series appearing reluctant to embrace the traitors’ activities.
New Episodes Continue on BBC iPlayer
New episodes of The Celebrity Traitors are available on BBC iPlayer every Thursday and Friday.
The companion programme Uncloaked also features the latest banished and murdered celebrities discussing their experiences on the show.
