James Acaster, one of the contestants in the second series of Celebrity Traitors, has been told to 'toughen up' after comments he made about life behind-the-scenes on the programme. The 41-year-old comedian has been one of the most notable features of the series after becoming a Traitor, despite having tried his best to be the ultimate investigative Faithful.
However, he has also been outspoken, telling one publication that he didn't like how a member of the production team would be present when he was having a phone call with his partner. Speaking to the Times, he said: "A member of the production team is there with you, so you can't have an authentic conversation because you can't tell them anything that's happening. At one point my partner said, 'Have you caught the sun?' I was saying, 'Oh yeah, we were outside for one of the missions.' I was told I couldn't even tell her that."
Richard Osman and Marina Hyde respond
Since then, journalist and commentator Marina Hyde has given her opinion on the matter alongside fellow The Rest Is Entertainment podcast host Richard Osman. In response to James's comments, Richard said: "When James says it's just a game and the production team would do well to remember that, the thing is it's not just a game, it's a television show about a game.
"And I am absolutely certain that they would have overstepped lines which the talent would rather they hadn't overstepped because their job is incredibly difficult and you need to keep things as tight as you possibly can."
Marina Hyde's advice to James
Marina, who agreed with Richard, felt that James should change his attitude. She suggested: "You can't call your family because you've been told in the rubric of the show before you go on it and before you sign the contract that that's part of the game….You've got to toughen up.
"You're being paid 40 grand for like 10 days work or something and you're doing it for disadvantaged people so try and remember your chosen charity and just push it down."
Marina added: "I mean really. I honestly think that you know what it is, if you go into a game called Traitors, there is a chance you might be made a traitor, there is a chance things might happen to you…in the end you're a grown up and you've got to get through it."
Richard E Grant's experience
However, James isn't the only Celebrity Traitors contestant to open up about what life is like behind-the-scenes on the show. Former competitor Richard E Grant, who was voted out early in the series, has also spoken about how much control celebrities don't have over their lives when they're in the game.
Speaking to the BBC he said: "You are so institutionalised in that thing within 24 hours, because you are isolated, kept in a room, there is a guard outside your door, your food is delivered and there's no internet access.
"So you are kind of shut down. You are also not told what time it is and are also prescribed on a daily basis what you are going to wear. So, you are kind of infantilised and institutionalised at the same time."
