Richard E. Grant blows his Traitor cover minutes into Celebrity Traitors premiere
Richard E. Grant told a room of fellow celebrities he was a Traitor almost as soon as he became one. He meant it.
Grant was picked as one of the first two Traitors in the opening episode of Celebrity Traitors series 2, alongside broadcaster Maya Jama, according to Variety. The episode, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, premiered on Thursday 1 October at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
The format hides a small number of Traitors inside the wider group. They must stay secret while they plot to remove the others. Grant had said ahead of the launch that he strongly wanted to be selected as a Traitor.
He got his wish at Ardross Castle in the Highlands. Shortly after his selection, he revealed his role to a room full of competitors.
The other players did not believe him. His admission was dismissed as a joke or a bluff, reported The Independent. Grant later said in a confessional interview that the reveal may have been the biggest mistake he has made in his life.
He survived anyway. Despite giving himself away, Grant made it to the end of the premiere episode without being removed.
The two Traitors were then given a twist. They were told they could recruit a new Traitor and kill — meaning eliminate from the game — another contestant at the same time.
Grant and Jama chose comedian James Acaster and University Challenge presenter Amol Rajan to meet with them and plead their case for recruitment. That decision sets up the next stage of the game.
What makes this stand out is how fast the secret broke. The tension of the programme usually comes from watching Traitors lie. Here the lie lasted minutes.
The celebrities are competing for a cash prize of £100,000 for a charity of their choice. Series 2 continues at 8pm on Friday 2 October on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, airing two nights a week on Thursdays and Fridays, according to the BBC Media Centre.
Series one debuted on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in October 2025 and later streamed in the United States on Peacock. Ahead of the new run, a huge interactive mural promoting the show appeared in Manchester's Northern Quarter.
