Richard E Grant was "annihilated" at the Celebrity Traitors round table after revealing he was a traitor within five minutes of being anointed. The Withnail & I actor received 16 votes from the remaining 20 celebrities and was banished from the BBC show.
Grant's swift exit
Grant made Traitors history by announcing his traitor status so quickly. "I was annihilated," he said. "I managed to check mate myself, that has never happened." Host Claudia Winkleman told the other players: "This has never happened before, your first try and you got one."
The celebrities were thrilled, with Ross Kemp screaming: "Get in there!" Grant conceded: "I was absolutely exhilarated, because it was only on the fourth round of Claudia walking around that I was finally rewarded. I'd heard such panic breathing from Miranda Hart on my right-hand side, coughing from Jerry Hall on my left. Between these two respiratory ladies, I nearly gave up hope."
Regrets and advice
Grant blamed himself: "It was a completely catastrophically idiotic thing to do! I can only imagine the faces of the producers looking at each other and mouthing 'he said WHAT?!'" He added: "The strategy of no strategy is the strategy, clearly. I lost all sense of self control."
He also regretted recruiting comedian James Acaster, who was one of the 16 celebs to vote him out. "In retrospect, I made a second calamitously ill-judged decision by choosing him because he didn't defend me at all. All he was thinking about was I'm now a Traitor and I must get rid of Richard as quickly as possible, which he did. Exactly what I would have done if I'd had the smarts that he does!"
Recruitment and another banishment
Grant called his time in the castle "unforgettable, mischievous and lovely!" Reflecting on getting the boot, he added: "It was a double-edged sword of the joy of being released and the humiliation of them being so glee-filled that they got one so early in the game. I gave it to them on a platter." He hopes fellow traitors Maya Jama and Acaster win the game, but advised the Faithfuls: "They should take care not to engage with any 69-year-old actors!"
After Grant's exit, the Traitors chose not to murder but recruit former target Professor Hannah Fry instead. A mission involving a giant battering ram, four crypts and secret protective shields made contestants even more paranoid. US actress Myha'la became the third person to leave the castle after the celebrities mistakenly believed she was a traitor.
Myha'la said: "I'm built to be a Traitor. If they want me back as a Traitor, I'm waiting. I'd be back, but there are conditions! I'm annoyed that Richard couldn't stay in because I feel like he could have brought me to the turret and I would have let him win. I would have gladly led him to glory! I love the chaos. It's about the event, it's just a game and we want to see wild twists that keep us glued to the fun. So, I hope for more chaos!"
