Celebrity Traitors fans are calling on producers to address what they describe as a 'huge oversight' that they believe is undermining the game. The BBC show returned this year to a bigger audience, but a notable proportion of viewers have voiced dissatisfaction, particularly over the frequent recruitment of new Traitors.
Record viewership but growing complaints
Overnight figures put the opening episode at 8.9 million viewers, up from around 6.1 million for the first Celebrity Traitors series' launch - an increase of almost three million. The cast includes Richard E. Grant, Maya Jama, James Acaster, Ross Kemp, Michael Sheen and Miranda Hart, among numerous actors, comedians, musicians and presenters.
While some television critics have described it as "unmissable telly", many audiences feel this series lacks the "addictive" quality of its forerunner. A common complaint centres on the fact that, following Grant's early exit and the subsequent recruitment of several reluctant Traitors, Maya Jama has been left to carry the bulk of the strategic load. Others have noted that several well-known comedy figures seem unwilling to play aggressively, apparently concerned about potential backlash from the public.
Recruitment 'spoiling' the game
In the wake of this week's episodes, viewers have raised another grievance - that the constant recruitment of new Traitors is making the programme feel increasingly 'pointless'. Thursday's 15th October episode saw social media personality King Kenny drafted in as a Traitor following the banishment of Professor Hannah Fry. He becomes the third celebrity recruited this series, after Hannah and comedian James Acaster, who has appeared reluctant in the role.
One disgruntled viewer complained on X: "If you keep recruiting a Traitor when they get rid of one, it's not allowing the Faithfuls to ever win right?!" While another commented: "We're only five episodes in and we've already had three recruitments, this is getting boring now." A third chimed in: "It's not as good when they have to keep recruiting Traitors." With yet another adding: "Yeah the whole gameplay needs a severe overhaul, so many things could be done to make this show interesting. The whole premise is a bit meh." Someone else wrote: "It's pointless when they just keep recruiting Traitors."
Viewers suggest a cap on recruitments
Further viewers argued that the show's producers should introduce a cap on the number of recruitments allowed throughout the course of the game. One person suggested: "There should be a limit on the amount of times they can recruit in the game so they have to be more tactical with who they recruit and when." While another remarked: "Not gonna lie, I think this will be the last recruitment (surely theres a limit)." A third viewer commented: "One flaw that's really becoming apparent in this series of Celebrity Traitors is that there really is no incentive to catch them early. A format experiment - what about the Traitors get one recruitment over the game rather than every time they lose one?".
Friday's episode ends on cliffhanger
Friday 16 October's instalment witnessed Kenny enthusiastically accepting his newly assigned position as a Traitor after being recruited. The episode began with the surviving celebrities breathing sighs of relief around the breakfast table when they learned nobody had been murdered overnight. However, they rapidly realised a recruitment had occurred.
Comic Joe Lycett immediately found himself under intense suspicion during the day's events. Having openly campaigned and voiced his eagerness to be recruited as a Traitor, his approach catastrophically backfired. Despite mounting a vigorous defence and trying to shift suspicion towards James Blunt, Lycett encountered fierce resistance at the Round Table and was banished by an overwhelming 11–3 vote. To the gathering's shock and dismay, he stood at the centre and revealed he was a Faithful.
Following the banishment, the Traitors were given a secret assignment to execute a "murder in plain sight" before darkness fell. They were required to spray a specific room, lure a Faithful into it, and quite literally "bore them to death" by compelling them to yawn. The Traitors gathered in a designated room, deployed the aerosol, and waited. As guests filtered in, James Acaster attempted to induce boredom by asking exceptionally detailed, monotonous questions about Texas, while Maya Jama started yawning conspicuously. The episode switched between tired faces as Ross Kemp and Jerry Hall sat in the room, puzzled by the strange conversations and yawning around them. The hour ended on a gripping cliffhanger, leaving viewers in suspense over whether Ross or Jerry would yawn first and seal their fate.
The next episode of The Celebrity Traitors will air on Thursday, 22 October 2026 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
