Romesh Ranganathan has revealed that James Acaster was far more outspoken during filming of Celebrity Traitors than viewers saw in the final BBC edit. The comedian, who won the second series alongside 24-year-old actor Sebastian Croft, said Acaster was not quiet despite his visible struggles as a reluctant Traitor.
James Acaster's Traitor Struggle
Acaster, who initially wanted to be a Faithful, was forced to become a Traitor to continue competing. He refused to lie during the game and was subsequently banished after confessing his Traitor status at the Round Table. This narrative became one of the main talking points of the series.
During an interview with series one winner Alan Carr on The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Carr asked whether Acaster was truly like a "rabbit in headlights" or if the edit made him seem quieter than he was.
Behind the Scenes Revelations
Romesh responded: "I don't think he was quiet. He wasn't quiet. I think it's fair to say he was wrestling with being a Traitor, but he wasn't quiet." He explained that filming dynamics meant extensive contributions during recording might not appear in the final cut, drawing on his own experience of being edited out of Round Table discussions.
Romesh also recalled a moment he hoped would not air, saying: "At one point at the round table somebody said, 'Feels like the Traitors are being served up to us on a plate' and I said, I got so carried away, 'Well if they're being served up, let's eat'." He described Acaster's excitement for the line to go out, but it was ultimately cut.
Claims of Unkindness Dismissed
Earlier rumours suggested Rob Beckett and Romesh were unkind to Acaster during filming, leading to a complaint. Acaster has denied these claims, saying: "I was like, I’ve been friends with those guys for like over ten years. They were lovely the entire show; I didn’t complain about any of my fellow players. It’s completely fabricated."
A spokesperson for Celebrity Traitors told Metro: "Claims of teasing amongst the cast on the show and claims of complaints about teasing are categorically untrue. There were no incidents of this nature, and there is no evidence to support these allegations."
