BBC viewers believe they have spotted a clue revealing the potential champion of The Celebrity Traitors series 2. The new run of the game show launched last week, with presenter Claudia Winkleman welcoming 21 celebrity contestants into the castle. They are competing for a £100,000 prize fund for their chosen charity.
Traitors and Faithfuls revealed
Claudia has divided the group into Traitors and Faithfuls, with actor Richard E Grant and Love Island presenter Maya Jama selected as this year's treacherous pair. They later brought James Acaster into their ranks, though his recruitment led to Faithful Amol Rajan's elimination.
While several personalities have made their mark in the opening two episodes, fans have identified a celebrity who might be the surprise contender. TikTok users are tipping actress Sharon Rooney to go the distance or potentially claim victory.
Fans point to airtime as a sign
Their predictions emerged after the debut episode, where the 37-year-old appeared to receive more airtime than audiences might have anticipated. She featured sharing her initial impressions about the competition as the stars journey to the castle, and remains centre stage when the participants make their entrance.
In a TikTok post, author Michelle Elman offered her analysis, stating: "You can tell via the airtime who we're being told to root for, who's going to make it to the end."
She continued: "Some screen time is obvious, Richard and Maya are the Traitors [plus] James and Amol are part of the cliffhanger. But apart from the funny moments, what else is being included? With 20 people in the castle, who's being focused on. and that's where Sharon Rooney really stood out."
The TikToker added that Sharon has appeared extremely relatable and likeable so far, and seemed to receive considerable attention during the opening episode. While it is not concrete evidence that she will emerge as a crucial player, it could be a telling sign.
Mixed reactions from viewers
Responses beneath the original post also appeared to pick up on Sharon's prominence in the series opener. "First ep I said to my friend they're showing Sharon so much - that's sus," one person said.
Another fan added: "Yeah exactly this! Although it's interesting they aren't showing Michael [Sheen] and Miranda [Hart] too much cause sometimes that means they are in it for a long time so they don't have to tell us all the info on them so quickly."
However, others remain unconvinced by the theory. "She wasn't even in ep 2. But you can tell that she will be a later game player as she'll be getting more air time later on," said a BBC viewer.
Meanwhile, a fourth fan suggested that the editing has been highlighting two different contestants. "I think it might be Bella [Ramsey] or James Acaster based on the edit so far," they wrote.
The first two episodes of The Celebrity Traitors season two are streaming on BBC iPlayer.
