James Acaster has emerged as a standout player in The Celebrity Traitors season 2, earning comparisons to Alan Carr for his humorous and deceptive gameplay. Just a few episodes in, the comedian has already proven himself a strong contender, despite initially not wanting to be a Traitor.
A Traitor's Rise
After being recruited to the dark side, Acaster has become one to watch, notably throwing fellow Traitor Richard E. Grant under the bus at the roundtable. He has flown under the radar by using his signature humour to suggest he is not a serious player but simply an innocent Faithful.
During Thursday's episode (8 October), Acaster demonstrated he might have what it takes to be the Alan Carr of season two, not only by deceiving the Faithfuls but also by being one of the funniest players of the season so far. He provided plenty of comedy gold by joining Maya in betraying Richard at the roundtable.
Comedy as a Deflection Tactic
"I voted for Richard because you're the most suspicious man I've ever met in my life," he quipped, making his fellow contestants burst out laughing. This disarming tactic allowed him to masterfully deflect suspicion, with the heat falling onto MyHa'la and Jerry Hall instead.
In another hilarious moment, Acaster met with Maya and new Traitor Hannah Fry in the turret to discuss who to murder next. After noting there have been more changes to the group than the Sugababes, he put forward a bizarre and unexpected suggestion.
Fans React to His Genius
"I think if we want to make it chaotic, we've got to murder James Blunt," he declared. "Everyone is going to be like 'What is going on?' and they're not going to be able to figure it out. It makes my life easier because every time someone says James, I'm turning around. Half the time it's for him, and it's getting a little bit annoying."
Fans took to X to praise his latest move. "Despite not wanting this role, James Acaster has been an excellent traitor so far. Plus, his suggestion in the turret is the best one - murdering James Blunt on the night he told some people exactly who he thinks the traitors are would be AMAZING. #CelebrityTraitors," wrote one.
"James Acaster plotting to get James Blunt out of the game just so there are fewer Jameses is genius," added a second. Meanwhile, a third remarked, "James Acaster really knows how to play this game. You HAVE to confuse the faithfuls #TheCelebrityTraitors".
Why He's a Natural at Deception
While Acaster may have preferred to be a Faithful, he couldn't be better suited to playing as a Traitor. Known for his blunt and awkward persona, the stand-up doesn't seem like someone who could handle the pressures of deception. Instead, he seems like a player who isn't taking the game too seriously, because he has nothing to hide, and when he does get put in the hot seat, he's so quick-witted that no one would ever guess he's stressed or conscious of his own behaviour.
There's nothing better than a Traitor who makes random decisions, rather than calculated ones. When Alan Carr murdered his pal Paloma Faith in plain sight last year, it was a complete, spur-of-the-moment idea because she was the only one whose face he could plausibly touch without it seeming out of character. As a result, Alan managed to go undetected, with the Faithfuls overanalysing the decision and believing he would never kill his friend, and that if he did, it would have been too obvious.
With that in mind, the idea that the Traitors might murder James Blunt would throw an incredible spanner in the works, and it's so random that no one would ever guess it was because James Acaster was sick of there being two Jameses in the competition. No matter what happens, the comedian is already a winner in the eyes of many viewers.
