The BBC has denied rumours that Celebrity Traitors contestant James Acaster was made to feel “uncomfortable” by his castmates. Acaster, 41, is one of a slew of comedians competing in the hit reality show this year, including Rob Beckett, Joe Lycett, Joanne McNally, Miranda Hart and Romesh Ranganathan.
Many of the group have known each other from the British comedy circuit, with Beckett and Ranganathan alluding to their friendship with Acaster several times on the show.
Reports of complaints
However, it was reported over the weekend that Acaster complained to producers that Beckett and Ranganathan were going “too far” with their “macho banter” and “teasing and mocking” of him.
“Rob and Romesh clearly thought they were having a bit of a laugh, but James began to feel quite a lot of it was at his expense, and away from the cameras he started to get annoyed and upset by it,” an insider told The Mail. They added that the pair’s jokes were “not at all malicious” and “more of a misunderstanding”.
BBC and representatives respond
The Celebrity Traitors team has now called the reports “categorically untrue,” stating that there were “no incidents of this nature”.
“Claims of teasing amongst the cast on the show and claims of complaints about teasing are categorically untrue,” a spokesperson said. “There were no incidents of this nature and there is no evidence to support these allegations.”
Representatives for Beckett and Ranganathan also said “these claims are completely untrue and couldn’t be further from the truth”.
Latest episode developments
Acaster is a traitor alongside Maya Jama and newly-recruited content creator King Kenny on the show.
During last Friday’s episode, the group banished comedian Lycett after his repeated requests to be “recruited”. After Lycett declared that he was, in fact, a faithful, Hart tearfully told Acaster she was upset at losing the “laughter and joy” Lycett had brought to the castle.
The drama was far from over however - with the Traitors told they must murder in plain sight. They were instructed to “bore” their victim to death, using a bottle filled with deadly powder located in the library.
They had to spray the powder into a room, before luring their victim there and getting them to yawn. Kenny secured the bottle, sprayed the perfume - but there was an agonising wait as the Traitors attempted to force one of the Faithful to yawn.
Ross and Jerry Hall were lured into the room, and James and Maya pretended to yawn to try to entice one from a Faithful. The episode ended on a cliff-hanger, with both looking tired just before the clock struck twelve.
