The comedian broke ranks at the roundtable on Thursday’s episode, telling fellow contestants he had been made a Traitor against his wishes, in a moment fans are already calling the show’s biggest shock
Comedian James Acaster has revealed that he is a Traitor on Celebrity Traitors, doing so at the roundtable before any votes had been cast. His confession came as fellow contestants pressed him and Maya Jama over the “murder in plain sight” of Ross Kemp. Acaster, 41, received every vote and left the castle, saying a “weight has been lifted off his shoulders”. The moment sent viewers to social media, with many calling it the most unexpected twist the format has produced.
Under pressure at the roundtable
The Faithfuls had linked Acaster and Jama, 32, to Kemp’s killing, which had apparently been carried out in plain sight. Jama, the Love Island host, defended herself against suspicion, particularly from actor Michael Sheen, 57. He told her: “If you are Traitors, you’ve done it brilliantly.”
Sheen then turned to Acaster and asked him about the details of the murder, including how he knew about the deadly perfume bottle. Acaster replied: “I understand how you’ve put it all together. I can’t really argue that it sounds feasible, and that sounds like it could have happened. I can promise you that I didn’t spray him.”
‘I was made a Traitor without wanting to be’
Acaster then addressed the room directly. “I just want to explain my situation. I was made a Traitor without wanting to be,” he said. He described a “unique experience” in which all he had wanted was to be a Faithful. “I couldn’t just go, ‘Guys, it’s me, vote for me.’ But that’s all I can do, really,” he said.
Before leaving, he told the group that he had told host Claudia Winkleman at the start that his aim was to help the Faithfuls catch Traitors, and that he was proud he had done so “under the circumstances”. He added: “I am, reluctantly, a Traitor.”
Filming paused
According to the Daily Mail, filming was stopped when Acaster became anxious and needed time to compose himself before speaking. An insider told the paper that everyone agreed filming should pause before things got too heated, and that others had noticed the pressure on him throughout the series. We have not independently verified the account, and the programme-makers have not commented on it in the material available to us.
How viewers reacted
Viewers on X were quick to react. One wrote that it was “easily the most unprecedented twist in traitors history”. Another said: “What a plot twist. I didn’t think James would confess like that. But I’m proud of him. He left on his own terms.” Others joked about watching in disbelief as he outed himself at the table.
Producers are said to be convinced it will be one of the most talked-about television moments of the year, and the Daily Mail reported that it is expected to boost ratings for the final.
