Richard E. Grant Banished First in Celebrity Traitors, Fans React
Actor admits he is a traitor in a historic gaffe, leading to his early exit from the BBC show.
Richard E. Grant became the first contestant banished in the current series of Celebrity Traitors after an unprecedented gaffe in which he admitted to being a traitor. The actor received 16 out of 20 votes in the first roundtable, leading to his swift exit from the BBC show.
Fans expressed a mix of heartbreak and amusement on social media, with many calling him the "worst Traitor ever" due to his candid confession. The incident occurred when Grant, while mingling with fellow contestant Joe Lycett, openly declared himself a traitor. Lycett noted this as a "bold strategy," and Grant acknowledged he had "self-checkmated."
"I have always wanted to be a Traitor, as you know. Sometimes in life your dreams do come true, and sometimes they don't," Grant said to the group before revealing his identity. He later told the camera, "I've been annihilated. I have managed to checkmate myself, which, as far as I'm aware, has never been done!"
Host Claudia Winkleman announced to the remaining contestants that Grant's banishment was a unique event in the show's history. Despite his early departure, Grant stated he had "had a blast."
The second series launch of Celebrity Traitors achieved a record-breaking audience, attracting nine million viewers. This figure surpassed previous premieres for The Traitors UK, including the first celebrity series and the last non-celebrity season. Overnight figures indicate the first episode peaked at over nine million viewers, with an average of 8.9 million, an increase of three million from the previous celebrity season and 2.5 million from the last non-celebrity series.
The total viewership is expected to rise further as figures from iPlayer streams are factored in. The show's strong performance also outshone the initial ratings for the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing, which saw a decline in viewers.
Contestants in Celebrity Traitors are competing from Ardross Castle in the Highlands, with the goal of winning up to £100,000 for charity.