Jeremy Clarkson has cast doubt on the authenticity of the BBC hit series The Traitors, suggesting producers must manipulate the format to keep the show on track. The former Top Gear host, 65, admitted he is a fan of the programme but said he 'doesn't believe it's all for real'.
Speaking ahead of a festive Who Wants To Be A Millionaire special, Clarkson said: 'Come on, I've worked in television for 30 years. You're not going to spend that much money on a programme where there's a risk it all falls to pieces.' He added that producers 'must be' influencing the action behind the scenes, though he acknowledged it could be down to 'unbelievably painstaking editing'.
The Traitors, fronted by Claudia Winkleman, has become one of the BBC's biggest successes, with the celebrity edition's debut drawing over 15 million viewers. A fourth civilian series is set to air on New Year's Day, with the next celebrity run expected in 2026.
Clarkson ruled out ever joining a celebrity series himself but joked that his former Top Gear co-host Richard Hammond might be tempted. The BBC has confirmed the new series will feature 22 contestants vying for a prize of up to £120,000, with 'even more twists, turns, secrets, epic missions, deception, banishments and murders'.
