James Blunt on 'Celebrity Traitors': Wife Signed Him Up, Emulating Joe Marler

Singer James Blunt has shared details about his upcoming appearance on the BBC series "Celebrity Traitors," including the unexpected way he was signed up and his aspiration to emulate former contestant Joe Marler. Blunt, 52, disclosed that his wife, Sofia Wellesley, was the one who entered him into the competition.

"I haven't watched much TV and I found out from my wife that I was on Celebrity Traitors, she signed me up for it," Blunt revealed during an appearance on "The One Show." "So I was given a speed-watch of the whole thing."

Blunt is among 21 stars participating in the new season, which is set to premiere on Thursday, October 1. While he remained largely tight-lipped about his progress in the game, he expressed that he aimed to follow the strategy of rugby player Joe Marler, a finalist from the previous series.

"If I can't be Alan Carr, then if I would want to be anyone, it would be a Joe Marler," Blunt stated, drawing a comparison between himself and Marler, who was also a guest on "The One Show." Marler had earlier expressed his admiration for Blunt, calling him a "dark horse" and stating, "I've admired him."

Blunt responded to Marler's comment by saying, "Well, I've always thought we were brothers separated at birth. We're so similar!"

The new season of "Celebrity Traitors" will feature a cast including Amol Rajan, Bella Ramsey, James Acaster, Jerry Hall, Joanne McNally, Joe Lycett, Julie Hesmondhalgh, King Kenny, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock. Maya Jama, Michael Sheen, Miranda Hart, Myha'la, Professor Hannah Fry, Richard E Grant, Rob Beckett, Romesh Ranganathan, Ross Kemp, Sebastian Croft, and Sharon Rooney also round out the celebrity lineup.

A trailer released recently provided a glimpse of the contestants arriving at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, the show's filming location. Host Claudia Winkleman can be heard announcing, "The game is on!" The preview also hinted at the challenges awaiting the participants, including an exploding pirate ship, as they work towards accumulating a £100,000 prize for charity.

The series premiere will be an extended episode, accompanied by a bonus special titled "Traitor Or Faithful? Claudia Decides." This special, available on BBC iPlayer from 9:15 p.m. on October 1, will reveal how Winkleman selects the traitors. The regular episodes are scheduled to air on Thursday and Friday evenings at 8 p.m.