Maya Jama's exit from The Celebrity Traitors could be sealed after viewers deemed her yawning "too obvious" in front of EastEnders legend Ross Kemp. The Love Island host, 30, is playing a Traitor on the BBC show, and in Friday night's episode she took part in a challenge to get either Jerry Hall or Ross Kemp to yawn in a specific room.
The task involved spraying "deadly sleeping powder" from a perfume bottle, which would be breathed in, and then saying "Am I boring you?" followed by the victim's name. Comedian James Acaster read the instructions in disbelief, saying: "To seal the murder you must then say, 'Am I boring you?' - followed by the victim's name. I can't believe this."
Fans spot 'too obvious' tactic
Maya decided the only way to instigate the murder was to start contagious yawning, but many viewers think this strategy will backfire. One person wrote on X: "Ross Kemp was the last person the Traitors should have encouraged into the room. He will be all over this 'murder in plain sight'. Captain's hat anyone?" Another said: "Ross clocking Maya's GCSE drama yawning."
A third added: "So you're telling me Ross was freaking out about every possible evidence of murder at the beginning and now he's sitting in a room full of yawning traitors, possibly not suspecting a thing." A fifth wrote: "This yawning task is too obvious in front of Ross Kemp." Another commented: "Maya Jama's yawning was more obvious than Richard E Grant saying he was a traitor."
Clare Balding weighs in
Clare Balding, who competed on the first series, said on Uncloaked that the best thing for the Traitors is if Ross yawns. "Believe me, if Jerry yawns and Jerry goes, Ross will notice," she said.
Viewers will have to wait until next Thursday to find out who leaves the castle, but some fans were frustrated by the cliffhanger. One fan said: "NOOOOOOOOOOOO You cant leave on that cliffhanger, the producers are just geniuses. I think the Traitors FAILED to Get them to yawn in the Time…. AND they will be punished in some way IMO!!" Another wrote: "10 million people are now going to have a tense wait of 6 days to find out whether Ross Kemp or Jerry Hall yawn first. Now thats a TV cliffhanger."
