The second series of Celebrity Traitors is underway on BBC One, with fans eager to know if the famous contestants are paid for their participation. Reports from last year indicate that the 2025 cast, including Stephen Fry, Paloma Faith and Celia Imrie, each received £40,000, meaning the BBC paid out roughly £760,000 in total.
On The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, presenter Marina Hyde said: "Look at the calibre of the people they got. They were able to pay everybody a blanket 40k fee, right? They're paying them a 40k fee."
Fees vary by celebrity
However, former rugby star Joe Marler revealed that the exact amount varies depending on the celebrity, having received £30,000 himself for his stint on the show last year. The BBC has chosen not to disclose what celebrities are paid for their participation.
In the current series, actor Richard E Grant and Love Island host Maya Jama were chosen as Traitors, with Grant accidentally revealing his position during the first episode. Claudia Winkleman allowed the pair to recruit another contestant, and they picked comedian James Acaster.
Prize money goes to charity
The appearance fee is not the only financial lure, as the famous participants are competing to win up to £100,000 based on their performance in each task. This prize money will not go into their own bank accounts but will be donated to a charity of their choice.
On Friday, 2 October, the stars gathered around the round table for the first time to vote someone off, with Richard in the hot seat. Viewers will have to wait until Thursday, 8 October, to discover the fate of the actor.
Celebrity Traitors continues every Thursday and Friday at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
