Nick Mohammed, a finalist on last year's Celebrity Traitors, has revealed that the BBC show enforces a strict rule limiting contestants' contact with the outside world.
Appearing on the podcast Table Manners, Mohammed explained that he was permitted to FaceTime his children once a day, but only with producers listening to the calls. He said: "I was allowed once a day to FaceTime them (his children), but only with the producers listening into the phone calls. Because if anything gets out, the game was over, really."
He added that not knowing his departure date was among the hardest aspects, stating: "So that was the most difficult thing, and not being able to tell them exactly when I would be going because I didn’t know – I could be back in 48 hours, I could be gone in three weeks, which turned out I was."
Holding Area Before Departure
Mohammed also disclosed that participants are kept in a "holding area" before leaving the castle each evening. He said: "You didn’t get that much downtime, really. It looks in the programme like you get in those cars and go off, but it’s a more elaborate way out of the castle because they don’t want you to see who’s going in what direction."
He continued: "You’re actually in a holding area and dismissed at random, so you have no way of knowing whether someone’s been dismissed early and what that might mean."
Show Format and Prize
Three weeks ago, 21 celebrities arrived at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands as host Claudia Winkleman invited them to play a game of betrayal and deceit. The BBC series returned for its second instalment, with most contestants known as Faithfuls seeking out the traitors among them, who eliminate players at night. Stars compete for a cash prize of up to £100,000 for a charity of their choice.
Last year's final saw Mohammed turn on Joe Marler at the last minute, voting to banish him, and with everyone else in agreement, Marler left empty-handed. Traitor Alan Carr remained undetected and claimed the entire amount of £87,500 for his chosen charity, Neuroblastoma UK.
Upcoming Episodes
The final two episodes are set to air this week, with viewers left on a cliffhanger as both Sharon Rooney and Joanne McNally are at risk of being the next contestants banished from the castle and missing out on the prize pot.
