Richard E. Grant Banished as 'Celebrity Traitors' Faithfuls Make History
The actor's unprecedented self-outing as a Traitor led to his swift elimination in the first roundtable, marking a historic moment for the show.
In a dramatic turn of events on the latest episode of "Celebrity Traitors," actor Richard E. Grant was banished during the inaugural roundtable, a move that made history for the show. Grant's downfall came swiftly after he revealed himself to be a Traitor mere hours into the competition.
During the first roundtable, Grant received an overwhelming 16 out of 20 possible votes, leading to his elimination. "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 told the group before declaring, "I am an unfaithful Traitor!"
Speaking to the camera, the 69-year-old actor reflected on his self-imposed exile, stating, "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 the unprecedented outcome to the remaining contestants, "Players, this has never happened before. Your first try and you’ve got one!"
Fans on social media expressed a mix of heartbreak and amusement over Grant's early departure. Many lamented the loss of the actor from the series, with some jokingly calling him the "worst traitor in history" for his quick self-exposure. Comments included "Gutting that we have lost Richard E Grant so early" and "Wdym we won’t have Richard E Grant as our traitor for the next few weeks my man didn’t even get to murder properly."
Following Grant's banishment, a new Traitor was recruited. Show hosts Maya Jama and James Acaster chose to recruit Professor Hannah Fry. This recruitment caused confusion among the group at breakfast, as the absence of a murder meant the contestants were aware a new Traitor had been brought in.
The cast of "Celebrity Traitors" includes Jerry Hall, James Blunt, Ross Kemp, Michael Sheen, Rob Beckett, Sharon Rooney, Joanne McNally, Amol Rajan, King Kenny, Sebastian Croft, Maya Jama, Miranda Hart, Romesh Ranganathan, James Acaster, Bella Ramsey, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Joe Lycett, Hannah Fry, Julie Hesmondhalgh, and Myha'la.