Security guards had to prevent Celebrity Traitors stars from sneaking between bedrooms at their hotel to ensure no collusion when cameras were off, it has emerged. The all-star cast, including Sir Stephen Fry, Kate Garraway, and Celia Imrie, stayed at an £80-per-night Courtyard by Marriott near Inverness Airport, which remained open to the public.
The celebrities were confined to one floor with a lockdown-style curfew. Mobiles were confiscated, and only emergency calls were allowed on a production phone. Guards closely monitored contestants, who were only permitted out for cigarette breaks and short walks at specific times. The same hotel was used for the civilian version of the BBC show.
One source told the Daily Mail that some stars were shocked by the conditions: 'They must have had a shock, some of them would never have stayed anywhere that s*** before, it was hardly salubrious.' The production enforced the same tough rules as for non-famous contestants, despite the VIP cast.
Filmed over three weeks in May, the series aired quickly to avoid leaks. Unlike the civilian version, celebrities received a flat fee rather than a stipend. Tensions have already surfaced, with Alan Carr 'murdering' his friend Paloma Faith in episode two by rubbing poison lily on her face. Faith commented: 'If the shoe was on the other foot, I would not have touched Alan’s face.'
The next episode airs Wednesday on BBC One at 9pm.
