Richard E. Grant Navigates Early Traitor Reveal and Grandchild Joy

Richard E. Grant experienced a week of significant highs and lows, marked by a tumultuous introduction to the reality series 'Celebrity Traitors' and a return to the West End stage after two decades. Amidst these professional milestones, Grant shared a touching video of himself with his infant grandson, emphasizing a personal highlight of his week.

On Thursday, the same day the first episode of 'Celebrity Traitors' aired on the BBC, Grant, 69, was performing in a new production of 'Hay Fever' at London's Wyndham’s Theatre, sharing the stage with Christine Baranski.

He began his day with a morning walk in his Richmond neighborhood with his three-month-old grandson. The actor, who is also a father to casting director Olivia Grant, captured a moment of tenderness while holding his sleeping grandchild. In the video, shared with his Instagram followers, Grant danced to Eurythmics' "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" and described the feeling as having "pocketfuls of happiness."

This phrase, "pocketfuls of happiness," is a personal mantra Grant adopted following the death of his wife, Joan Washington. Washington, a respected dialect coach, passed away in September 2021 after a Stage Four lung cancer diagnosis eight months earlier. She and Grant were married for 35 years and had one daughter, Olivia.

Grant has openly shared his grief journey on Instagram, and he recalled his late wife's final words to him during his 'Celebrity Traitors' debut. He recounted that Washington had encouraged him to "try and find a pocket full of happiness in each day." He expressed that he felt he had "a wheelbarrow full and then some."

However, Grant's experience on 'Celebrity Traitors' took a dramatic turn when he was revealed as one of the season's Traitors, alongside Maya Jama. His tenure as a Traitor was immediately complicated by an early, significant misstep. During a conversation with fellow contestant Joe Lycett, Grant inadvertently revealed his role in the game. When Lycett asked, "What are you?" Grant responded with a grin, "A Traitor."

Lycett, taken aback, commented that Grant had potentially made a move unprecedented in the show's history, calling it a "bold strategy."

The episode concluded with a cliffhanger, leaving viewers in suspense. As the celebrities debated Richard's potential role at the first round table, host Claudia Winkleman announced the end of deliberations before the players could cast their votes, prompting frustration among fans who must wait a week for the next installment. 'Celebrity Traitors' airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on BBC One.