The second series of Celebrity Traitors has kicked off, with 21 celebrities competing to win up to £100,000 for their chosen charities. Among the new cast are Michael Sheen, Maya Jama, James Acaster, Sharon Rooney and Richard E Grant, but it was Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh who drew immediate attention.
Minutes into the show, fans issued warnings about her behaviour. As contestants arrived at an eerie Scottish church, Hesmondhalgh jumped up to greet many celebrities warmly with handshakes and told American actress Myha'la she loved her in Industry.
Fan Warnings Over Kindness
Traitors fans quickly took to Reddit to warn that her friendly approach could backfire. One user wrote: "Julie shaking everyone's hand will get her killed/banished." Another noted: "Julie's kindness will be mistaken for treachery at the roundtable."
However, some fans suggested being a traitor could work in her favour. One wrote: "I need Julie to be a traitor just because she's too nice for anyone to think she's one." Others admitted to loving her wholesome attitude, with one fan saying: "Obsessed with Julie fangirling," and another adding: "Julie fangirling over Myha'la has me rolling." A further viewer commented: "Lmao Hayley off Corrie just going around telling everyone how much she loves them."
Trust and Shields
Her positive attitude was noticed by the rest of the cast, who nominated her as the most trustworthy player without knowing the consequences. She was awarded the choice to give out two shields to protect against the first murder. She kept one for herself and gave the other to comedian Joe Lycett, who had warned that voting Julie could lead to her being placed in a coffin.
Ahead of the series, Julie shared her excitement about the mind games. She said: "I am a fair player but I'm incredibly competitive. I commit so strongly, I'm a maniac, so everyone's a bit worried about me in the Missions! I absolutely play to win. I don't mind losing. I'm not a sore loser but I give it my all. So much so I think people are genuinely quite frightened of me sometimes!"
Celebrity Traitors airs every Thursday and Friday at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
