James Acaster, a contestant on BBC's "Celebrity Traitors," was photographed on Saturday grabbing a coffee, marking his first public appearance since his unexpected unmasking as a Traitor and his absence from the spin-off show "Uncloaked." The comedian's departure from the main show had raised concerns among viewers after filming was reportedly paused due to his anxiety.
Acaster, 41, had revealed his Traitor identity during a tense roundtable discussion, stating that a "weight has been lifted off his shoulders." Insiders told the Daily Mail that the pressure had become overwhelming for Acaster, leading to the decision to pause filming. "Everyone was aware of the pressure getting to James throughout the series; it was difficult to watch him struggling," one source said.
Fans had a mixed reaction to Acaster's reveal, with some criticizing him for potentially "ruining" the game so close to the finale. However, his co-stars and friends have come to his defense.
Acaster also revealed in a podcast appearance that a confrontation with Jerry Hall, where she correctly identified him as a Traitor, was cut from the show. He recounted how Hall had "cornered" him and directly accused him, to which he responded, "I think it might be me as well, Jerry." He expressed surprise that this exchange did not make it into the final edit.
Furthermore, Acaster explained that much of his dialogue during the roundtable discussions was omitted from the broadcast. He stated that producers frequently edited out his contributions to maintain the mystery of how the Traitors would vote and to prevent viewers from guessing his intentions. "Most of the time, they want to keep how the Traitors vote as a surprise," he said.
Acaster, who has openly discussed his autism diagnosis in his stand-up routines, had joined the show with the stated goal of being a Faithful. He ultimately orchestrated his own exit in the semi-final episode after being questioned about specific game events.