Amol Rajan Eliminated First on "Celebrity Traitors"

Former "Today" programme host Amol Rajan has become the first contestant to be eliminated from "Celebrity Traitors." The early departure came after hosts Richard E. Grant and Maya Jama recruited podcaster James Acaster to join them as a traitor.

Viewers were kept in suspense for 24 hours following a cliffhanger in the show's opening episode, which saw Rajan and Acaster in contention to be the third traitor. Ultimately, Rajan was chosen to be "murdered" by Grant and Jama, meaning his game was over before it truly began.

"It's gutting to be the first out, but James is a fantastic player, and people aren't going to suspect him, and they might suspect me," Rajan said after his elimination. "Maybe I was a little bit foolish with Richard, but then again, I ended up in the chapel with a nearly 50/50 chance to join their club."

Grant himself made a significant early misstep by admitting he was a traitor to comedian Joe Lycett, who was playing as a "Faithful." This confession has put Grant under immediate suspicion from the other contestants.

The second series launch episode of "Celebrity Traitors" on Thursday attracted a record-breaking 9 million viewers, making it the most-watched premiere for "The Traitors UK" to date. The episode's peak viewership surpassed previous series, including both celebrity and civilian editions, with total audience figures expected to rise as iPlayer streams are counted.

The show, set in Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, features celebrities competing for a cash prize of up to £100,000 for their chosen charities. The format involves a group of contestants, some of whom are secretly "traitors" tasked with eliminating the "faithful" players without being discovered.