LONDON — Comedian James Acaster revealed he confessed to fellow contestant Jerry Hall that he was a Traitor during filming of the BBC's Celebrity Traitors, but the moment was cut from the final broadcast.
Appearing on Alan Carr's Life's a Beach podcast, Acaster said he had hinted at his identity earlier in the series, and that Hall confronted him face-to-face, asking if he was the Traitor. Acaster said he looked Hall in the eye and said, 'I think it might be me as well, Jerry,' to which Hall responded, 'You're very sneaky.'
The confession moment, which would have been a unprecedented disclosure at the roundtable, was excised from the edit, as were many of Acaster's subsequent comments. Acaster noted that producers wanted to keep voting intentions secret, avoiding hints that might suggest who might go one way or another.
"I said a lot more around that roundtable than the edit would suggest," Acaster admitted. "Most of the time, they want to keep how the Traitors vote as a surprise."
The revelation comes after reports that filming had to be halted when Acaster became distressed during his last scenes. A BBC spokesperson emphasized that the safety and welfare of everyone taking part is the show's highest priority, noting that players are closely monitored and supported throughout by a dedicated and experienced welfare team.
After the penultimate episode aired, Faithful contestants Romesh Ranganathan and Sebastian 'Bash' Croft went on to win the series, having successfully banished the remaining Traitors, Maya Jama and King Kenny. In the finale, the two split the £83,000 prize money between their chosen charities, Choose Love and the Refugee Council.
Acaster also used the podcast appearance to deny reports he had fallen out with fellow contestants Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett, stating they were lovely throughout the show and that any suggestion of complaint was fabricated. He said he has been friends with Ranganathan for over 10 years and that the reports were completely untrue.
The latest series of Celebrity Traitors concluded with Ranganathan and Croft emerging as the winning Faithful contestants, having outlasted the Traitors in the BBC's reality competition.
