The Celebrity Traitors has teased a face-to-face “murder” in an action-packed episode that saw two players banished and another killed.
Actor Sir Stephen Fry and Scottish TV star Mark Bonnar were banished by the group following separate roundtable discussions where players quibbled over who they thought could be a traitor.
The secret killers – comedian Alan Carr, TV presenter Jonathan Ross and singer Cat Burns – gathered in their turret to discuss their next murder victim, settling on comedian Joe Wilkinson, who could “unravel a string”, according to Carr.
Following his murder, Wilkinson, 50 said: “I sort of expected it, because I was quite, I was quite lippy last night, but I have a message for the traitors. What’s the turret like?”
Also in the episode, Carr, 49, said he was “bursting with confidence” as a traitor following his role in the banishment of Bonnar.
Contestants looked physically dejected after Bonnar, 56, stood up to reveal that suspicions about him being a murderous traitor had been incorrect.
The actor said: “I think you’re all brilliant, and I’ve had, honestly, the best time with all of you, and thank you for making it so memorable.
“I am, and always have been, and always wanted to be a faithful.”
In another roundtable, Sir Stephen, 68, was banished after traitors Burns and Ross, comedian Nick Mohammed and historian David Olusoga all accused him of being a traitor.
Standing up to leave, he said: “I’ve had the best fun for years. Honestly, what an extraordinary bunch of people, all of you, and I have the banished and dead ones who aren’t here for me to thank for giving me such an extraordinary, wonderful few days.
“To be part of such a group is a privilege, honour and a deep delight and pleasure, thank you and no hard feelings I promise. I am of course, as I have told you all, a faithful.”
Suspicions had also turned to Mohammed, 45, after he admitted he had “deliberately sabotaged” the day’s mission after reasoning that his actions would likely help the faithfuls and hinder the traitors.
For the chessboard challenge, players had to correctly guess the answer to questions that had been put to the traitors in order to win money for the charity prize pot.
The group was split into two and presenter Claudia Winkleman, 53, revealed the winning team would be saved from murder, meaning traitors would have to select their next murder victim from the faithfuls in the losing team.
Both teams got the first two questions right and rugby star Joe Marler and Mohammed who were put forward to answer the next question on behalf of their teams.
Mohammed turned to Marler and whispered “I’ll let you win”, later explaining to the players that he thought there were more traitors in his own team.
The celebrities were asked who they thought was “the leader of the pack” and Mohammed put his gravestone chess piece on a square that said “Jonathan”, meaning Marler’s team won as he put his team’s piece on the correct square, which said “Stephen”.
The end of the episode saw Mohammed, comedian Lucy Beaumont and broadcaster Kate Garraway invited to meet Winkleman back at the giant chessboard, in the dead of night, where one of them is to be murdered by the traitors during next week’s episode.
Since the UK version began in 2022, millions of fans have watched The Traitors on the BBC and it has picked up a Bafta TV Award for best reality and constructed factual programme, and best entertainment performance for host Winkleman.
The Celebrity Traitors continues next Wednesday and Thursday at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
