The Celebrity Traitors fans have pointed to host Claudia Winkleman as the reason behind James Acaster's dramatic exit, after the comedian made an unprecedented move during the penultimate Round Table. The decision, which came a day before the final, left both fellow contestants and viewers astonished.
Acaster's Bombshell Revelation
The moment arrived after actor Michael Sheen delivered a detailed speech dissecting Ross Kemp's murder in plain sight. Sheen correctly deduced that a perfume bottle was used in the act and that it took place in the library, where James and fellow traitor Maya Jama had been seen with their victim.
With pressure mounting, Acaster revealed: "I just want to explain my situation. I was made a Traitor without wanting to be. I've had a unique experience on this that no one has had before."
Fans Question Claudia's Original Picks
Some viewers now suggest that Acaster's downfall was ultimately caused by Winkleman, arguing that her decision to pick only two original Traitors set the series up for problems. On The Traitors UK subreddit, one person posted: "It's fascinating how 90% of the problems with this series comes down to Claudia not picking the first three. Picking Richard was a gamble that didn't work, but what's really caused the problems is them having no backup."
Winkleman selected Richard E. Grant and Maya Jama as the original Traitors, then instructed them to recruit a third member. The original poster explained: "By not having Claudia picking three people that want to be traitors we've had: James A forced to be a reluctant traitor otherwise murdered, Hannah semi-force recruited when she wanted to be a faithful, only Kenny finally stabilised the ship but far too late, and James still didn't want to be there."
Mixed Reactions to the Traitor Choices
This criticism had surfaced earlier in the series, with one viewer suggesting: "Once again, Claudia sadly drops the ball on her traitor choices." However, another defended the chaotic approach: "Chaotic traitors are genius TV, especially so the celebrity ones. Richard is undoubtedly one of the 'big dogs' among the cast. I was hoping he would be named, especially when he said how much he wanted it."
One person agreed that Winkleman's picks were part of the issue but believed the gameplay mistakes lay with the original Traitors. They offered: "This (Claudia's picks) is definitely a part of it. On paper, Maya is a great shout for Traitor, but from day one, they needed a captain. Someone who wanted to be (a Traitor) but wasn't chaotic like Richard. Also, recruiting Acaster was an abysmal choice, and while I think it's given us some great TV, and happy he lasted 9 eps, having Amol or Lycett join the traitors early doors would've been much better gameplay."
Other Theories and Support for Acaster
Other theories about Acaster's fate have emerged, including a missed opportunity to murder Michael Sheen. One person claimed: "Kenny changing his vote to Joanne was the moment the traitors lost this. If they had banished Sharon, who was leading the perfume push, they would've nipped that in the bud before it got out of their hands. Then that night, they would've been able to murder Michael. The next day, no Sharon and no Michael, I think no one catches onto the perfume thing, and Joanne gets banished instead. Then it's 3v4, and they've got it in the bag."
Despite his self-sabotage, Acaster received support from viewers, with one person posting: "Well done, James!!! I'm really proud of him for staying true to himself. I completely understand it must be so stressful for him to lie, and I think he did exceptionally well." The Celebrity Traitors concludes tonight at 8pm on BBC One and streaming on iPlayer.
