Amol Rajan, the first contestant to be murdered in the new series of Celebrity Traitors, told The One Show host Alex Jones to "stop giving me a hard time" during Monday's episode (October 5).
The 43-year-old journalist was among 21 famous faces competing in the game of deception for a £100,000 charity prize pot. His time in the castle ended early when Traitors Maya Jama and Richard E. Grant chose him as their first elimination in the second episode. Claudia Winkleman had selected the Love Island presenter and actor as the first Traitor duo, while Amol began the game as a Faithful.
Playful exchange on the BBC sofa
Sitting down with presenters Alex Jones and Roman Kemp, Amol reflected on his short Traitors journey, confessing he wanted to stay in the game longer than just two episodes. When Alex asked, "You did lots of research before didn't you? Do you think you'd overthought it?", the question didn't land well with Amol, who playfully replied: "Stop giving me a hard time!"
He added: "I've been knocked out of Traitors, first of all, millions of people have seen me humiliated." Alex was quick to reassure the newfound reality star, saying "it's not humiliating," reports the Mirror. Amol then explained that he researched the other contestants "to look for common interests" they could bond over once in the castle, though his preparation didn't go to use.
Near recruitment and a confession
The writer came close to being recruited by the Traitors before his early departure, but comedian James Acaster was enlisted instead. Amol said that, had he become a Traitor, he would have turned against Richard to avoid suspicion. He shared: "Having been a Faithful for a bit, I would've been so good, guys. But I would've murdered Richard."
Richard, 69, had told a room full of Faithfuls that he was a Traitor just moments after being selected. He later explained that his excitement had led him to accidentally reveal his role, although the other contestants were left unsure whether to believe him or treat it as a bluff.
Reflecting on the experience
Despite the disappointment of leaving early, Amol described taking part in the Traitors as an experience he would treasure. He told the BBC: "I think it's much bigger than I expected. It's just an absolutely unforgettable ride of a lifetime. And honestly, there's kind of an unhappy contrast right now, because I'm sort of grieving what might have been. In time I know that I'll come to look on this as honestly one of the greatest privileges of my life. In fact, I already do."
He added: "What an amazing thing to do, and it was bigger, it was bolder, it was braver, it was brighter than it looks on TV. And to have been sort of in it when it's a show and a game I love so much is just a blessing, really." The One Show is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
