The Celebrity Traitors season 2 has already produced a franchise first, with Richard E. Grant becoming the first Traitor in the UK celebrity edition to be banished at the opening round table.
Grant entered the BBC competition as one of the original Traitors alongside Maya Jama. The pair later recruited comedian James Acaster, but Grant’s game unraveled rapidly after an extraordinary verbal slip-up raised suspicion among the Faithful.
Richard E. Grant’s mistake changes the game
Grant acknowledged after his exit that he had made a disastrous error when he effectively admitted to being a Traitor during a conversation. He later joked about how the production team must have reacted to the moment, but by then the damage to his game was done.
His banishment leaves Maya Jama and James Acaster facing a reshaped competition much earlier than expected. The episode also saw actress Myha’la leave the castle, adding to a fast-moving opening stretch for the second celebrity season.
Celebrity Traitors season 2 is off to a huge start
The new season features 21 famous contestants and follows the breakout success of the first UK celebrity edition. The format places Faithful contestants against secretly selected Traitors, with players trying to identify and banish the hidden saboteurs before the finale.
The second season has already generated strong audience interest, and Grant’s chaotic early departure gives the remaining players a reason to rethink every alliance and conversation.
With two episodes airing each week through October, the game still has plenty of room for further recruitment, betrayals and surprise exits. But Grant’s opening-round banishment has already secured a place in the show’s history.
Source: Radio Times, October 9, 2026.