Maya Jama has responded to fan criticism over the "unfair" recruitment of two fellow contestants on Celebrity Traitors. Viewers were left concerned for Hannah Fry and James Acaster after both expressed discomfort over being traitors, following their next decision to "murder" another faithful.
Second series under way at Ardross Castle
Last week, 21 famous faces arrived at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands as host Claudia Winkleman invited them to play a game of betrayal and deceit. The hit BBC series has returned for its second instalment, following the celebrity contestants — the majority of whom are known as Faithfuls — as they try to seek out the murderous traitors among them, who kill off players in the middle of the night.
Stars compete to win a cash prize of up to £100,000 for a charity of their choice. Last year, it was an intense final as Nick Mohammed turned on Joe Marler at the last minute and voted him to be banished — with everyone else in agreement, Joe sadly walked away from the prize pot. In a turn of events, traitor Alan Carr remained undetected and swept the entire amount, £87,500 for his chosen charity, Neuroblastoma UK.
Traitor recruitment sparks concern
On Thursday (October 1), Maya Jama and Richard E Grant were chosen as the traitors on the series return. Broadcast Amol Rajan was the first to be murdered as Maya and Richard chose to recruit comedian James Acaster instead. Since then, Richard was the first to be banished in a history-making move, and Bella Ramsey also found themselves murdered after an intense roundtable.
Although Coronation Street icon Julie Hesmondhalgh was next to be banished, viewers' main concern has been the "unfair" recruitment process, after both James and Hannah Fry expressed discomfort over being a traitor.
Maya Jama's social media response
With backlash as fans felt sorry for the pair, fellow traitor Maya Jama took to social media to respond. She wrote: "All I will say after last nights episode is I had NO IDEA they didn’t want to be traitors when I agreed to recruit them remember you see more on the TV than I did in that castle".
@jadetearoom replied: "I’ve been getting so worked up when people say “Why did she recruit people who wanted to be Faithfuls?!”" as @austingould1980 added: "Hannah had the choice not to and could have told everyone but didn't so it's definitely not your fault".
So far, Maya has been going under the radar as a traitor, and newly banished Julie was in shock to learn the truth in the spin-off, Uncloaked. She said: "Maya Jama?! Wow... I am absolutely... Nobody will guess that! That is just joy on a scroll thank you for that. We know nothing in this life, that's what I've learned!"
