Fans of Celebrity Traitors have voiced frustration over the latest series of the BBC reality show, with many calling for a format overhaul due to the frequent recruitment of Traitors. Viewers argue the relentless recruitment is making the game "pointless" and giving the Faithfuls little chance to win.
Ratings surge but viewer criticism grows
Despite a substantial ratings surge this year, the series has not resonated as strongly with some BBC viewers compared to the inaugural run. The season opener attracted 8.9 million overnight viewers, a leap of almost 3 million from the Series 1 debut, which launched to approximately 6.1 million.
The BBC programme boasts an ensemble of actors, comedians, singers, presenters and media personalities including Richard E. Grant, Maya Jama, James Acaster, Ross Kemp, Michael Sheen and Miranda Hart. While some television critics have labelled it "unmissable telly", a significant number of viewers appear to disagree across social media platforms.
Recruitment of Traitors sparks complaints
Numerous audiences feel this season lacks the "addictive" quality of its predecessor. A frequent grumble centres on the fact that because multiple hesitant Traitors were enlisted following Grant's premature departure, Maya Jama has been forced to shoulder most of the strategic burden. Others observe that various high-profile comedy personalities appear reluctant to adopt aggressive gameplay, seemingly worried about potential public criticism.
Following this week's instalments, viewers have voiced another grievance — that the relentless recruitment of Traitors is rendering the programme "pointless". Thursday's October 15 episode saw social media creator King Kenny enlisted as a Traitor after Professor Hannah Fry's banishment. He becomes the third star recruited this series following Hannah and comedian James Acaster, who has been reluctant in the role.
Fans call for limits on recruitment
One viewer moaned on X: "If you keep recruiting a Traitor when they get rid of one, it's not allowing the Faithfuls to ever win right?!" While another added: "We're only five episodes in and we've already had three recruitments, this is getting boring now." A third chimed in: "It's not as good when they have to keep recruiting Traitors." As someone else added: "Yeah the whole gameplay needs a severe overhaul, so many things could be done to make this show interesting. The whole premise is a bit meh." Another wrote: "It's pointless when they just keep recruiting Traitors."
Other audience members argued that producers ought to impose a cap on the number of recruitments permitted throughout the game. One person wrote: "There should be a limit on the amount of times they can recruit in the game so they have to be more tactical with who they recruit and when." While another added: "Not gonna lie, I think this will be the last recruitment (surely theres a limit)." A third added: "One flaw that's really becoming apparent in this series of Celebrity Traitors is that there really is no incentive to catch them early. A format experiment - what about the Traitors get one recruitment over the game rather than every time they lose one?"
Latest episode and next air date
Friday 16 October's episode saw Kenny embrace his newly appointed role as a Traitor following his recruitment. The episode opened with the remaining celebrities exhaling with relief around the breakfast table upon discovering nobody had been murdered during the night. Yet they quickly understood a recruitment had taken place.
Comedian Joe Lycett instantly came under fierce scrutiny throughout the day. Having publicly pleaded and openly expressed his desperation to be recruited as a Traitor, his strategy spectacularly misfired. Despite mounting a robust defence and attempting to redirect suspicion towards James Blunt, Lycett faced overwhelming opposition at the Round Table and was banished by a crushing 11–3 vote. To the group's astonishment and disappointment, he stood at the centre and disclosed he was a Faithful.
After the banishment, the Traitors received a covert mission to carry out a "murder in plain sight" before nightfall. They needed to spray a particular room, entice a Faithful inside, and literally "bore them to death" by forcing them to yawn. The Traitors assembled in a designated room, sprayed the aerosol, and lay in wait. As guests trickled in, James Acaster tried to bore people by posing excessively detailed, tedious questions about Texas, while Maya Jama began conspicuously yawning. The episode alternated between weary expressions as Ross Kemp and Jerry Hall sat in the room, baffled by the peculiar conversations and yawning surrounding them.
The hour concluded on a gripping cliffhanger, leaving audiences in suspense over whether Ross or Jerry would yawn first and determine their destiny. The next episode of The Celebrity Traitors will air on Thursday, 22 October 2026 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
