Richard E Grant was the first celebrity banished from the Celebrity Traitors castle, and he has now admitted that he “lost all sense of self control” after being chosen as a traitor. The Oscar-nominated actor made no attempt to hide his desire to be picked as a traitor from the start of the BBC show.
A Traitor's Downfall
During the first round table, Grant's wish came true, but things quickly went off the rails for the Withnail and I star when he admitted to several fellow contestants that he was, in fact, a traitor. Despite his efforts to turn suspicion away from him, he became the first celebrity to be banished from the castle.
Following his exit, the Saltburn star explained that his excitement was partly the fault of host Claudia Winkleman for taking so long to pick him. “It was only on the fourth round of Claudia walking around that I was finally rewarded,” he sighed. “I'd heard such panic breathing from Miranda Hart on my right-hand side, coughing from Jerry Hall on my left. Between these two respiratory ladies, I nearly gave up hope.”
Accepting Responsibility
Grant acknowledged that he was the architect of his own downfall. He added: “It was a completely catastrophically idiotic thing to do! I can only imagine the faces of the producers looking at each other and mouthing ‘he said WHAT?!’”
The actor is now starring in Hay Fever at the Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End but took time out to pose for artist Frances Segelman for a special event at St Paul's Church Covent Garden, where people could watch him being sculpted live. The event was held to raise money for Longfield Hospice, which supported Grant's wife, Joan Washington, and their family when she died of cancer in 2021.
A Personal Cause
Speaking after his sculpture was finished, Grant explained how his wife had wanted to pass away at home, surrounded by loved ones, and the hospice made this possible. He said: “They assigned someone to stay with her throughout the night. It was extraordinary. These people are living saints. I’m in debt to them for the rest of my life.”
Grant also spoke about his late wife's wish for him and his daughter to experience a “pocket full of happiness” each day. He said: "My wife challenged my daughter and I to find a pocket of happiness in every day. At the time I thought it was some sort of cheesy Hallmark thing. But it’s given us permission to do things. I’m very indebted to her for that."
While avoiding questions about Celebrity Traitors, Grant did let slip that he wasn't watching the series. He said: "I don't know who is going to win. I'm in a play so I haven't been able to watch it."
