Richard E. Grant has denied claims that he deliberately exposed himself as a Traitor to leave The Celebrity Traitors early. The actor took to social media to address speculation reported by The Sun, which suggested some programme workers believed he had staged his reveal to avoid weeks of filming.
In an Instagram Story posted on Tuesday (October 20), the 68-year-old 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." He added: "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."
Traitor Reveal and Banishment
Grant was selected as a Traitor alongside Love Island presenter Maya Jama in the first episode of the BBC series. However, his time in the castle unravelled after he admitted his secret role to several fellow contestants. He said he had been convinced the other celebrities would not take his comments seriously, leaving him shocked when suspicion grew around him.
At the Round Table, the majority of contestants voted to banish Grant, including his fellow Traitors Maya and comedian James Acaster, who had been recruited into the secret group. As he stood before the group to reveal his identity, Grant said: "I am… an unfaithful traitor."
Reflection and Daughter's Warning
Following his banishment, Grant reflected on his early exit, admitting that revealing his true identity so soon had been a huge mistake. He described his confession as a "catastrophically idiotic thing to do."
Grant also spoke about the challenge of hiding his emotions during the game, revealing that his daughter had predicted he would struggle to deceive his fellow celebrities. Before filming began in the Scottish Highlands this May, she warned him he would be "slaughtered," saying he was "incapable of hiding what you feel about people or anything."
