The October 22 episode of Celebrity Traitors dealt a crushing double blow to the Faithful, combining a brazen murder in plain sight with a turbulent banishment. The episode resolved the previous week's cliffhanger as Traitors Maya Jama and James Acaster, with King Kenny playing a logistical role, killed their target with ruthless precision. Former EastEnders star Ross Kemp was unmasked as the victim, much to viewers' amusement, given his earlier conviction that he was being targeted.
Fallout and Suspicion
At breakfast, Scottish actress Sharon Rooney connected the dots around perfume bottles and headed straight to James Acaster, unwittingly disclosing her findings to one of the actual Traitors. James appeared keen to assist her, visibly thrilled that his original theory from when he was a Faithful had proved correct.
Debate raged over who had been in the room with Ross. Maya revealed that herself, James, Kenny, Jerry Hall, and Bash Croft had all been in the vicinity. Yet suspicion veered in peculiar directions, with Michael Sheen proposing that Leigh-Anne Pinnock had distracted everyone with dance moves.
Shield Challenge and Traitor Tensions
The celebrities then tackled a gruelling shield-building challenge, with James Blunt, Joanne McNally, Michael Sheen, and James Acaster all completing shields to claim immunity. During the challenge, The Traitors had a chance to sabotage the Faithfuls' shields, but James declined, confessing he was "too nervous" about being discovered and didn't even raise his blindfold. Maya and Kenny also grew anxious and decided against sabotage, sparking tension in the Traitor trio.
At the Roundtable, limited clues led Michael Sheen to steer the vote towards a "weak" Faithful, resulting in Jerry Hall's elimination. She disclosed she was a Faithful, leaving the group with nothing. Because Jerry was banished and was among the key non-Traitors present at Ross's murder, Maya and James are now significantly exposed as the only remaining contestants at the scene.
The Case for Sacrificing James
In the Traitor Turret, they whittled down next murder targets to Bash Croft, Miranda Hart, or Romesh Ranganathan. Viewers, including this writer, were gobsmacked that James didn't attempt the mission. He might be concerned about public perception if labelled a liar, but refusing to engage properly with the game could damage his image more. On X, the writer branded James 'the worst Traitor ever,' a post that racked up hundreds of tweets.
Some argued he isn't the worst because he remains unsuspected, but he's failing to participate meaningfully and continues to assist the Faithful. Rather than diverting Sharon, James helped her track down the library, placing himself and Maya under suspicion. Following his refusal and the perfume incident, Maya and Kenny grew frustrated.
Despite James declaring in the turret that he was 'actually starting to enjoy it now' after murdering Ross, the only route to victory for The Traitors is to sacrifice James. If he avoids missions, struggles under pressure, and assists the Faithful, he risks becoming a liability. Maya and Kenny could then press on as a duo or recruit a new ally, though that would be a bold gamble. The only scenario where turning on James backfires is if he drags them down, though his capability remains to be seen.
Either way, it's brilliant to see the show finally hitting its stride after a sluggish opening. Celebrity Traitors airs tonight, Friday 23 October 2026, at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
