Celebrity Traitors viewers were left stunned after discovering that James Blunt had a very different career before finding fame as a chart-topping singer. The 52-year-old is currently a Faithful on the hit BBC show of deception and lies, where celebrities must work out who among them has been secretly chosen as a Traitor.
James appeared to put his military experience to good use during the first mission, quickly taking charge alongside fellow tough man Ross Kemp. Viewers soon discovered that the You're Beautiful hitmaker had previously served in the British Army, with many admitting they had no idea about his life before music.
Viewers react to James Blunt's army past
One viewer wrote on X: "James blunt military man????" Another said: "I never knew James Blunt was in the military." Meanwhile a third viewer was completely blown away, as they penned: "James Blunt was a military man, literally had no idea !!!!" alongside several shocked-face emojis.
Before becoming known for his music, James served for six years as an officer in the Life Guards, a cavalry regiment within the Household Cavalry. The hitmaker joined the Army in 1996 and received sponsorship to attend the University of Bristol, where he studied sociology, before training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Service in Kosovo and a tense stand-off
James eventually rose to the rank of captain, following in the footsteps of his father Charles Blount, who served as a colonel in the Army Air Corps. His military career saw him deployed to Kosovo in 1999 as part of a NATO peacekeeping mission. It was during his time in Kosovo that James found himself involved in a tense stand-off at Pristina International Airport, where NATO forces encountered Russian troops.
In 2010, James opened up about the tense situation during an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live. He revealed that he had been given a direct order to overpower around 200 Russian troops who were occupying the airport. The singer said: "I was given the direct command to overpower the 200 or so Russians who were there." James explained that he believed carrying out the order could have risked starting World War III, adding that he knowingly risked a court-martial by refusing to follow it.
From tank to pub owner
Despite his military career being a world away from his later life as a musician, James still managed to take his love of music with him. He famously had his guitar strapped to the outside of his tank while serving in Kosovo and would perform for troops and locals. Additionally he wrote his song No Bravery while serving there.
James officially left the Army in 2002 after six years of service and went on to become one of the UK's best-known singer-songwriters, selling more than 20 million records worldwide. His life has since taken another unexpected turn, with the star also becoming a pub owner. He has owned The Fox & Pheasant in Chelsea since 2017 and acquired The Carpenter's Arms in Hammersmith in July 2026.
