James Blunt has described his experience on the reality competition show "Celebrity Traitors" as "traumatic" and "at times a terrible experience." The 52-year-old musician, who was banished in the penultimate episode, stated that the show was not a "cosy TV show."
Blunt revealed that producers would play the song "The Hanging Tree" from "The Hunger Games" before round table discussions in an effort to "psych out" the contestants. He recounted an incident where hearing the song after filming caused him to sweat and shake, indicating the lingering psychological impact.
The conditions during filming at the Marriott hotel near Inverness Airport were also described as intense. Blunt noted that there were guards outside each room, the peephole was blacked out, and room keys were not provided. The television was also disabled, preventing contestants from contacting anyone.
Fellow contestant James Acaster had previously likened the experience to "living in East Germany under Soviet control" due to the intense pressure. Acaster reportedly struggled significantly with his role as a Traitor, eventually revealing himself during a round table, an event that led to filming being temporarily paused and the welfare team being called in.
Blunt suggested that Acaster's confession was not as spontaneous as it appeared on screen, telling The Sun that Acaster "didn't fall on his sword" but was "pinned to a post" after being caught in a lie. Blunt added that he himself signed up for the show primarily to promote his new music, noting that all contestants receive the same payment regardless of how long they last in the competition.
"Celebrity Traitors" concluded with Faithfuls Romesh Ranganathan and Sebastian Croft emerging victorious over the Traitors. The show's format, which involves a group of contestants, some secretly assigned as "Traitors," attempting to deceive and eliminate each other, has been noted for its psychological intensity.