Celebrity Traitors is the BBC’s celebrity edition of its hit game show The Traitors, hosted by Claudia Winkleman and filmed at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands. The first series aired in October 2025 and was won by comedian Alan Carr. Series 2 begins on Thursday 1 October 2026 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with 21 new contestants. US viewers could watch series 1 on Peacock, but no US date has been confirmed for series 2.
What is Celebrity Traitors?
The show is a spin-off of the British version of The Traitors, which is itself based on the Dutch series De Verraders. The format is a social deduction game, similar to the party games Mafia or Werewolf. A small group of players are secretly chosen as “Traitors” and must work together to eliminate the rest. The others, the “Faithful”, try to identify and banish the Traitors by voting them out. The prize goes to a charity chosen by the winner.
The main difference from the regular UK series is the cast. The Traitors features members of the public, while this edition features well-known people from entertainment, broadcasting and sport.
How series 1 played out
The first series ran for nine episodes, from 8 October to 6 November 2025. Its 19 contestants included Stephen Fry, Tom Daley, Clare Balding, Celia Imrie and Alan Carr.
Carr won as the last remaining Traitor, taking home £87,500 for Neuroblastoma UK, the children’s cancer charity of which he has been a patron since 2016. In the final, he outwitted the two remaining Faithful players, Nick Mohammed and David Olusoga. Earlier in the game, his fellow contestants Paloma Faith and Celia Imrie had been “murdered” by Carr. A train mission in the finale added £20,000 to the prize pot.
Audience figures depend on how they are counted. The BBC reported that the series averaged 14.9 million viewers, with the finale peaking at 15.4 million. Neuroblastoma UK, quoting live audience figures, said the finale averaged 11.1 million viewers with a peak of 12 million. Either way, the BBC confirmed a second series in November 2025.
Celebrity Traitors series 2: date, schedule and format
The BBC has confirmed that series 2 starts on Thursday 1 October 2026 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with an extended opening episode. After that, it airs twice a week, on Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm. The series has ten episodes. Earlier speculation about a 23 September start did not turn out to be correct.
Several companion programmes return or launch alongside it:
- The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked is hosted by Ed Gamble. He talks to banished and murdered players and to previous contestants from both the celebrity and regular editions. It airs on BBC One straight after the main show, with bonus episodes on BBC Sounds.
- Traitor or Faithful? Claudia Decides is new. It looks at how Claudia Winkleman chooses who becomes a Traitor and who stays Faithful. It launches on BBC iPlayer on 1 October at 9.15pm.
Series 2 was filmed at Ardross Castle in spring 2026. The BBC says up to £100,000 is available for the players’ chosen charities.
Who is in the series 2 cast?
The 21 contestants, announced on 2 May 2026, are:
- Amol Rajan
- Bella Ramsey
- James Acaster
- James Blunt
- Jerry Hall
- Joanne McNally
- Joe Lycett
- Julie Hesmondhalgh
- King Kenny
- Leigh-Anne Pinnock
- Maya Jama
- Michael Sheen
- Miranda Hart
- Myha’la
- Professor Hannah Fry
- Richard E. Grant
- Rob Beckett
- Romesh Ranganathan
- Ross Kemp
- Sebastian Croft
- Sharon Rooney
The group covers acting, comedy, music, journalism, mathematics and social media. Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan are close friends who have presented together, so the game may test that friendship. The BBC’s content chief, Kate Phillips, told the Edinburgh TV Festival in August 2026 that viewers should expect “tears and surprises”.
Watching Celebrity Traitors in the US
The Celebrity Traitors is a BBC production, and BBC iPlayer is available only in the UK. In the US, series 1 was added to Peacock in November 2025, when all episodes were released at once. Peacock also streams all four series of The Traitors UK.
The American The Traitors, hosted by Alan Cumming, is a separate production. A US release date for Celebrity Traitors series 2 had not been confirmed at the time of writing, so check Peacock for updates. Schedules and availability can change.
FAQs
Who hosts Celebrity Traitors?
Claudia Winkleman hosts the main series, as she does for the regular UK The Traitors. Ed Gamble hosts the companion show The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked.
How many contestants were there in each series?
Series 1 had 19 contestants and series 2 has 21.
Do the celebrities keep the prize money?
No. The prize goes to a charity chosen by the winner. Series 1 winner Alan Carr’s £87,500 went to Neuroblastoma UK, and series 2 has up to £100,000 available for the players’ chosen charities.
Is Celebrity Traitors the same as The Traitors?
It uses the same format and setting, but the cast is different. The Traitors features members of the public, while Celebrity Traitors features well-known people. Both are hosted by Claudia Winkleman and filmed at Ardross Castle. The regular UK show is separate, and its fourth series aired in January 2026.
Will Celebrity Traitors series 2 be on Peacock in the US?
Peacock streamed series 1 and carries the UK regular series, but no US date for series 2 had been confirmed at the time of writing. Check Peacock for updates.
Where is Celebrity Traitors filmed?
It is filmed at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands. Series 2 was filmed there in spring 2026.
