The Celebrity Traitors UK returned to screens last week, but Ross Kemp's early paranoia and game awareness appear to be taking some of the mystery out of the show, according to a critic.
Following its debut in 2025, the UK version of The Celebrity Traitors made its comeback, with host Claudia Winkleman presenting a lineup of celebrity faces, including Love Island's Maya Jama, actor Richard E Grant, and Hollywood legend Jerry Hall.
With numerous contestants already well-versed in the game's mechanics, the programme has moved well beyond its early days, evolving into a finely-tuned operation with a devoted following, and the celebrity participants are certainly aware of this.
Familiarity Breeds Contempt
When The Traitors UK first aired in November 2022, British audiences had no idea what lay ahead. The relentless plot twists created captivating television, and the show's momentum generated authentic excitement.
Now, several years on, there are two celebrity editions alongside a four-series run featuring ordinary contestants, not to mention American, Indian, Canadian, and Irish adaptations available on BBC iPlayer.
With such an extensive catalogue to draw from, the current celebrity contestants appear overly confident, as though they're anticipating what comes next. This undermines the programme's intrigue, which is slowly beginning to diminish.
Ross Kemp's Early Suspicions
EastEnders icon Ross Kemp perfectly exemplifies this issue, according to the critic. It's as though he's prematurely revealing certain aspects of the game based on what he's witnessed in earlier series.
Right from episode one, Ross seemed on edge and was utterly convinced he might be in the firing line. He clung to the notion that he could have been "murdered in plain sight" by fellow faithful Bella Ramsey after she popped a hat on his head. Even a fleeting brush of the arm from singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock got Ross worked up, as he told others he might have been eliminated.
Already discussing being murdered so openly suggests everyone knows far too much about the format. Being murdered by a Traitor in plain sight typically occurs later in the series, but as Ross has witnessed, just like most viewers nowadays, he rather bursts the bubble of the show's mystique.
Other Contestants Water Down Intrigue
Journalist Amol Rajan also seemed to water down the intrigue, according to the critic. When Amol was chosen by The Traitors to discover his destiny, his relentless huffing and puffing hinted he knew what lay ahead.
Another problem was Richard's blunder in exposing himself as a Traitor, with some of his faithfuls actually buying it, which cracked the game wide open too soon, with suspicions already mounting, undermining the rhythm.
Over the years, The Traitors UK has excelled at maintaining its freshness, with producers ensuring each series' format differs slightly from its predecessor's. The critic hopes this latest series also captures this essence, warning that if it doesn't, it risks becoming another casualty like countless other reality programmes that have gone before it.
The Celebrity Traitors airs Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 PM on BBC One.
