The second season of Celebrity Traitors has found its breakout star in Richard E Grant, who is already the worst player to ever enter the castle and the best casting decision imaginable. The show, which gripped more than 15 million people last year, returns with a line-up that combines the star power of a Bafta afterparty with a bottomless pit of laughs.
The opening episode is defined by Richard, who repeatedly declared he was the Traitor the Faithfuls were hunting down without a trace of irony or sarcasm, seemingly never grasping the entire premise of the game. Remarkably, his literal confession has only made half the castle more convinced he is a Faithful.
A twist that sets the tone
For the first time, Claudia Winkleman picked just two Traitors: Richard and Love Island host Maya Jama. Before being tapped on the shoulder, Richard had already gone rogue by telling anyone who would listen how much he wanted to be a Traitor and that he couldn't wait to kill.
The mother of all twists came early when Maya and Richard confronted two Faithfuls face to face for their first murder. They agreed to take the heat off Richard and selected the two Faithfuls who believed a Traitor telling the truth about being a Traitor. James Acaster and Amol Rajan were summoned to plead for their lives, with one to be murdered and the other recruited.
Ross Kemp adds to the chaos
Whoever is murdered between the two will inevitably point straight back to Richard, but the extreme paranoia of Ross Kemp keeps the absurdity going. The EastEnders star can't speak to anyone without accusing them of killing in plain sight, even turning on Leigh-Anne Pinnock for saying she was a bit chilly.
Joanne McNally is tipped as the biggest breakout star, her scathing remarks and self-deprecating humour already a huge highlight. With half the Last One Laughing cast in the castle, the series promises endless laughs and stellar commentary.
Richard may still be waiting for an Oscar, but a TV Bafta could be just around the corner. Celebrity Traitors airs Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm on BBC One.
