Celebrity Traitors is halfway through its second season, but the BBC show has not clicked into place like the chaotic, unpredictable first outing did. The series has been affected by celebrities not taking the game as seriously as the civilian version.
Celebrities Not Taking the Game Seriously
Richard E Grant gave his traitorous identity away, recruited turncoats Hannah Fry and James Acaster were reluctant to prey upon the Faithful, and Joe Lycett is gleefully advertising his desire to be recruited to anyone who will listen. While Joe Lycett's comments should be taken with a pinch of salt, it contributes to a glaring issue: the celebs aren't interested in the intrigue, mystery and betrayal that define the programme.
Unlike the civilian version, there isn't a life-changing amount of money on the line, nor the promise of post-castle fame. Unlike the US version, where famous faces compete to keep the cash, this lot appears on behalf of a charity, which is more noble but impacts the drama.
Impact on Gameplay
During a mission, Ross Kemp and co rescued every contestant before turning to the money, showing where their priorities lie. At the end of the last episode, the celebs up for murder quickly agreed Leigh-Anne Pinnock would be protected. The civvies would have chased one another through the woods before letting a shield go so easily.
The only sword hanging over the celeb necks is the fearsome reality TV 'bad edit', but the risk is slim on this show compared to Celebrity Big Brother. Maya Jama has had to poke and prod Hannah Fry and James Acaster into being half decent conclave members. Their reluctance to betray one another is relatable, but it makes for a tedious viewing experience.
Casting Issues
Alan Carr was a superb booking, brimming with quips and game for anything. 'They'd do it to me, they're showbiz people!' he told Claudia Winkleman before she picked him – in this series, the prevailing sentiment seems to be 'I can't do it to them, they're showbiz people'.
The casting team hit the jackpot with Alan Carr, but the jaw-dropping list of showbiz names for this second season has resulted in a chummy luvvies away day vibe at the expense of the ruthless one we're used to. Casting five comedians was likely an attempt to replicate the Alan alchemy, but having a line-up who know each other so well has been detrimental for the game.
Potential Solutions
Ross Kemp is the only one treating it with the same unblinking seriousness he would display speaking to a cartel boss. For season three, the casting team should not pack the castle like it's the Apollo stage. We need celebrities that do not know each other and who we do not know as well either. Cat Burns and Joe Marler were unexpected delights last series; the rugby player came closest to stealing the crown from Alan, with a series of spot-on guesses.
It was an oversight not to cast another athlete this year; we definitely didn't need Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan – neither are exactly short of work on our screens. Hannah and King Kenny are lesser known names who this year have had an outsized impact on the game – the latter all the more so after the latest developments. While James is clearly going to quiet quit the turret, Kenny is ready to embrace his new deadly duties. The social media star's maniacal laugh as the credits rolled is exactly what Maya needs. We're already halfway through the episodes, but the recruitment of Kenny could be what finally shapes this season into one worthy of The Alan Show that went before it.
Celebrity Traitors continues on BBC One on Friday at 8pm.
