The dramatic cliffhanger at the end of the first episode of the new series of Celebrity Traitors was inspired by Paloma Faith's early death in the first series, the show's executive producer has said.
The launch episode concluded with comedian James Acaster and broadcaster Amol Rajan pleading to be recruited as traitors, rather than be murdered. They came face to face with traitors Richard E Grant and Maya Jama and had to make their case to join their ranks, rather than face certain death.
The episode concluded before the traitors made their selection, and viewers will have to tune in to episode two to find out who gets murdered and who gets a cloak.
Twist inspired by Paloma Faith's fate
The move was inspired by the early death of singer Paloma Faith, who was the first star to be murdered in the first series of the hit show. She ended up dead after traitor Alan Carr touched her on the cheek.
Celebrity Traitors producer Sarah Fay said: "I think no-one wants to go home first, I think Paloma showed that last year.
"What we wanted to do this year is, wouldn't it have been interesting if Paloma would have had the chance to have plead for her life? How would that have changed last series?
"So that sprung the little seed of an idea of what we wanted to do with the twist at the end of this episode.
"Going home first is a massive thing, but if you can slightly put the power back in their hands and see how they can plead for their lives, plead to become a traitor. How interesting would that be?"
Ross Kemp's paranoia
The way Faith was murdered in the previous series sparked a certain degree of paranoia in faithful and current competitor Ross Kemp, who became convinced every touch was a murder.
After Game Of Thrones star Bella Ramsey placed a captain's hat on his head during the mission, he became concerned that might be the way she had murdered him. After Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock touched his arm, he was nervous again that he had just had his death warrant signed.
Comedian Ed Gamble, who hosts spin-off show Uncloaked, said: "It's so fun being in a room and watching that moment happen, and being reassured that it is one of the funniest things I've ever seen on TV.
"The moment he gets touched on the arm, having already thought Bella Ramsey putting a captain's hat on him is a murder in plain sight during the first mission.
"What a variety of man lives within the Ross Kemp sphere. He's a big hard man running that mission, and then immediately terrified of a member of Little Mix touching him on the arm. That's incredible.
"But I think that's something we don't even think about really when we're watching it, the amount of paranoia that must be in there, especially if you've watched the game and you know going in there things could be different this time.
"The fact it's Ross Kemp is just perfect."
Celebrity Traitors continues on BBC One on Friday at 8pm.
