Comedian Alan Carr has expressed genuine astonishment at his victory in Celebrity Traitors, admitting in a revealing new interview that he remains baffled by his own success while jokingly questioning whether his fellow contestants were "thick".
The Shocking Revelation
The 49-year-old funnyman acknowledged that his unexpected win came with emotional consequences, particularly describing the moment he had to "murder" his close friend Paloma Faith on the show as his "worst betrayal". Carr made these candid admissions during a conversation with fellow Traitor Jonathan Ross, 64, on the Reel Talk podcast hosted by Jonathan and his daughter Honey.
When directly questioned by Ross about how he managed to outwit everyone and claim victory, Carr confessed that the mystery remains even to himself. The comedian speculated that his success could be attributed to either his "electric charm" or the possibility that his competitors "were just thick".
The Emotional Toll of Betrayal
Delving deeper into Paloma Faith's dramatic elimination, Carr described the poignant scene that unfolded on a particularly wet filming day. "You see her put in a coffin," he recalled. "I was like, it's the worse betrayal... We've got our own name on a grave. We're at a mock funeral. I mean, come on, that's a lot to take in."
The emotional intensity escalated when Ross unexpectedly asked Carr to deliver a eulogy for his supposedly departed friend. Ross reflected on the moment, saying: "I don't know what I was thinking, because we were all actually protecting each other in there. You did a good speech, and then I shouted out 'we will avenge her'."
Carr expressed continued surprise that his deceptive tactics went undetected, noting: "I mean that was almost as obvious as me laughing in their face."
Lasting Impact and Charity Boost
The comedian's emotional reaction to winning provided insight into his conflicting feelings. He explained of his tearful response: "I think the reason why I did burst into tears was because I was thinking of the charity... then Paloma is dead."
The victory has yielded significant positive consequences for Neuroblastoma UK, Carr's chosen charity dedicated to funding research into childhood cancers. Following his win, the organisation has experienced an astounding 7,000% increase in visitors to their website.
Reflecting on his initial selection as a Traitor, Carr revealed his mixed feelings during the process. "I know they edited me saying, 'oh, I want to be a traitor', but I did say to Claudia, 'I'd like to be a traitor, but I don't know if I can do it, because I'm very nervous', as everyone saw," he shared.
He described the tension-filled moment when host Claudia Winkleman moved around the table selecting Traitors: "When Claudia went round the table and she did it a couple of times... She was like a carthorse, and she hadn't touched my shoulder, a little bit of me was like, 'oh I wanted to be a traitor.' And then my ears prick up. She's walking around again, and that's when I felt it."
Despite his iconic run on the show, Carr has confirmed he would never participate again, stating simply: "It's not gonna get better than that."
Following his victory, fellow contestants Nick Mohammed and David Olusoga were quick to reassure Carr that while the game involved intense emotions, it remained ultimately just a game.
Reel Talk with Honey and Jonathan Ross is available to listen to on Global Player.
