The Celebrity Traitors final ended with Romesh Ranganathan and Sebastian Croft victorious as Faithfuls, capping a series that lacked a dominant personality but delivered what has been described as the messiest final in the show's history.
Writing for the Manchester Evening News, Elizabeth Cotton admitted she had doubted the series had the makings of a brilliant final, having spent much of the previous weeks wondering where the 'big dog' was. Last year, Jonathan Ross and Stephen Fry commanded attention in the castle, and Joe Marler's Big Dog Theory became a major talking point. This year, no one had quite the same commanding presence, but Cotton said she was wrong to worry.
James Acaster's confession and Michael Sheen's murder
Cotton defended James Acaster, saying he did not ruin the series and is one of the biggest reasons it will be remembered. Acaster, a comedian who never wanted to be a Traitor, refused to embrace the usual lying and scheming and decided the best way out was to tell everyone the truth at the Round Table. His confession was described as one of the most iconic moments on the show, and although he did not win, he won the internet.
The murder of Michael Sheen was a huge moment, particularly given how close he had come to working out Maya Jama's true identity. His departure left the remaining players with a serious challenge.
Kenny's betrayal and the final twists
King Kenny turned on fellow Traitor Maya Jama, saving himself by throwing her under the bus after weeks of working together. Leigh-Anne Pinnock was next to be banished, followed by Kenny, who had been left fighting for his place as the last remaining Traitor. Kenny had managed to get himself to the final stages and was close to pulling off a solo Traitor victory, but Sebastian Croft convinced Romesh Ranganathan that Kenny had been recruited as a Traitor, and the pair saw through the deception.
James Blunt was subsequently banished after choosing not to end the game, leaving the Faithfuls one step closer to victory. Cotton said she had never watched a final with so many twists and changes in fortune, and that Romesh and Sebastian's victory was a fitting ending.
Cotton concluded that although the series lacked a Jonathan Ross or Stephen Fry, it delivered absolute chaos, some of the most bizarre decisions seen on the show, and a final that had her second-guessing everything. She ended the series wondering how the BBC will top it next time.
