James Jordan has spoken out against the backlash the Celebrity Traitors final has received, defending the winners' decision to donate their prize money to refugee charities.
On Friday, October 30, viewers watched Romesh Ranganathan and Sebastian 'Bash' Croft win the reality show as Faithfuls. After four weeks of scheming and betrayal, the pair walked away with a prize fund of £83,000.
The BBC Radio 2 host chose to split the money between two refugee camps, with Ranganathan donating to the Refugee Council and Croft opting for Choose Love, which supports displaced LGBTQ+ people.
James Jordan's defence
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, on behalf of WhichBingo, the 48-year-old former Strictly star warned viewers to take a step back when posting hate online.
He said: "It's a brilliant show. I would say it's probably their flagship show at the moment, isn't it? It might be slightly edging out Strictly even."
He added: "I mean, people get offended by everything, don't they? Whatever you do, people seem to get offended. Let the money be split by two refugee charities. I mean, the charities are there for a purpose."
Public reaction
Shortly after the live episode aired, viewers flocked to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share their outrage at where the £83,000 prize money was being spent.
Journalist Charlotte Gill fumed: "Omg Bashh gave his money to CHOOSE LOVE 'for queer refugees and displaced people', and Romesh donated his to the Refugee Council. The Refugee Council received £41,588,00 from taxpayers between 2021-25! They do not need that money!"
Another agreed: "LICENCE FEE PRIZE FOR REFUGEES. The £83,000 Celebrity Traitors pot, funded by licence fee payers, has gone entirely to two refugee charities. Not the Royal British Legion in Remembrance season. Not homeless veterans. The BBC's priorities could not be clearer. Our own people come first."
Meanwhile, TALK presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer added: "The end of Celebrity Traitors was the most BBC thing EVER. Because of COURSE the two winners are donating their winnings - our licence fee money - to a charity for refugees and a charity for 'queer' refugees."
Support for the winners
Others praised the TV stars for their contributions to refugee aid. Reporter Emily Bashford gushed: "The entire £83,000 Celebrity Traitors prize fund is going towards supporting refugees and queer displaced people feels bloody wonderful in such wretched times marked by fearmongering and inhumane politics - even more so knowing there will be many right-wingers enraged by that [heart emoji]."
Another viewer wrote: "Cue the right-wing meltdown as a man of Asian heritage and a gay guy win Celebrity Traitors and donate their winnings to refugee charities."
Jordan concluded: "It's your choice - you won. I just don't understand people sometimes."
