Alan Carr's winning performance on Celebrity Traitors has made life harder for every comedian on the show, according to Brennan Reece, a comedian pal of current contestant Romesh Ranganathan.
Reece, who has worked with both comedians, said Carr's victory in the first series has raised suspicion around any comedian hoping to become a Traitor, meaning even the smallest slip-up could see them under scrutiny as the show heads into its final two weeks.
Carr's win changes the game
Speaking to OLBG, Reece said: "Alan Carr has ruined the game for every single comedian that will ever be on the show now, because he was so good at it."
He added: "At home from an audience perspective, we would have been screaming at the telly screen saying, 'How do people not know it's him?' But you forget that you're there all day and I just think now, any little slip-up from a comedian, they'll be thrown under the bus."
Carr won the £100k charity prize pot last year after convincing Faithfuls David Olusoga and Nick Mohammed that he was not a Traitor. The finale broke BBC viewing figures and Carr's solo win went viral online.
Romesh's true personality
Reece described Romesh, 48, as the opposite of his 'miffed' TV persona, calling him one of the most genuine, lovely and upbeat people in the cast. He said Romesh is playing a strong game as a Faithful, though he is unsure how far it will get him.
Romesh is appearing on series two of Claudia Winkleman's BBC show alongside his close pal Rob Beckett, who has already been murdered. Reece said Romesh will be delighted to have outlasted Beckett.
He said: "Romesh is like the opposite of his comedy persona. He's loved by so many people, but his stand-up comedy persona is a bit miffed. So when he does his travel shows, he sometimes seems quite unbothered on the telly."
Comedians in the game
Reece added: "I think that Romesh has come across brilliantly. I think all the comedians actually have. No one's got involved in any of the spats. I do think that some of those comedians will be itching for either being recruited or eliminating a Traitor."
He noted that comedians are used to working alone, saying: "It can only be a matter of time before they start being a bit more vocal."
Rob Beckett is the only comedian to have been murdered so far, with several others still in the game. The Celebrity Traitors returns tonight at 8pm on BBC One.
