Richard E. Grant has denied claims that he deliberately revealed his Traitor identity on the BBC's Celebrity Traitors to reduce his time on the show. The 69-year-old actor was banished from the castle after outing himself during the first episode.
A Shocking Confession
Grant was among 21 contestants who joined the gameshow earlier this month. He was selected as one of Claudia Winkleman's Traitors, alongside Love Island presenter Maya Jama. The pair were expected to keep their identities hidden, but Grant revealed his role just moments after being chosen.
The revelation came after comedian Joe Lycett asked Grant whether he was a Faithful or a Traitor. Grant replied: "Traitor." His confession stunned the other contestants, who ultimately banished him because they could not ignore the mistake.
Addressing the Speculation
While many viewers accepted the slip-up as an error, others speculated that the Oscar nominee had faked the scene to cut his time short while keeping his appearance fee. Grant has now responded to the theories, calling them "categorically false."
Writing on his Instagram story, he said: "I usually wouldn't comment on things like this, but I've been made aware some press outlets are suggesting I 'staged' my Traitors reveal to get out of filming. This is categorically false. I'm an avid fan of the show and have been since it first aired. Being picked as a Traitor when I was convinced I'd be a Faithful was an absolute dream and a sheer shock to the system."
Banished in the First Vote
Grant described his error as "the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life," moments after the reveal. He attempted to "diffuse all the heat" that followed, but the Faithfuls could not overlook his confession. He was banished during the series' first roundtable vote, becoming the first Traitor to be eliminated in the first vote.
Following his exit, Grant said: "The strategy of no strategy is the strategy, clearly. I'd watched every iteration that I possibly could have of this game and I was manifesting, willing myself to get invited to be a Traitor so receiving that…well, I lost all sense of self control." Celebrity Traitors is streaming on BBC iPlayer.
