The lineup for the upcoming series of Celebrity Traitors is packed with notable figures from the entertainment world, but it has emerged that the show could have featured an even bigger name. Actor Tom Hiddleston had reportedly signed up for a starring role but was forced to pull out at the last minute due to scheduling conflicts with film commitments.
The cast for Series 2 was officially announced last week, with stars such as Maya Jama, Richard E Grant, Jerry Hall, Romesh Ranganathan, and Ross Kemp making their way to the Scottish castle. As with the previous series, the celebrity participants will donate any winnings from the potential £100,000 jackpot to their chosen charities. Filming is set to begin shortly, but the series is not expected to air on BBC1 until the autumn, following the pattern of last year when the likes of Sir Stephen Fry, Paloma Faith, Charlotte Church, and Jonathan Ross took part.
Tom Hiddleston's Disappointment
Tom Hiddleston, 45, who has openly expressed his admiration for the programme, was left disappointed after movie commitments clashed with his participation in the Highlands. Discussing the series on BBC Radio 2 earlier this year, he said: "I mean the celebrity one would be amazing. I think the whole show, the format is just the most ingenious thing, isn't it? It's completely compulsive. Maybe the best television I've ever seen." He added: "I'd like to be a faithful because then you can play detective, right? And you know that your conscience is clean and your heart is pure, and you're just watching and trying to figure people out."
The Mirror has reached out to Tom's representatives and the BBC for comment.
Full Cast and Expectations
Last week, the BBC confirmed the names of all 21 stars who have signed up for series two of Celebrity Traitors. This year’s "big dogs" are expected to include Jerry Hall and Miranda Hart, or perhaps Michael Sheen and Richard E Grant. The show, set amid the beauty of the Scottish Highlands at Ardross Castle, is due to start filming this weekend, with celebrities arriving at Inverness airport. Also taking part are BBC presenter Amol Rajan, The Last of Us actress Bella Ramsey, and comedian James Acaster, not to be confused with singer James Blunt, who has also signed up.
The majority of the cast are actors, with ten of them in the castle compared to five comedians, three TV presenters, two pop stars, and a social media influencer. The series proved a huge hit, with 15 million viewers tuning in across the run and a peak audience of 15.4 million for the finale, which was won by Alan Carr. Carr unmasked himself as a Traitor in the final moments before collapsing in tears, a scene now nominated for the TV Moment of the Year gong at the BAFTAs next weekend.
In recent months, there has been much speculation about who might take part in 2026, with reports suggesting names like Danny Dyer, Ruth Jones, Liam Gallagher, Cheryl Tweedy, and Peter Crouch, though these were incorrect. Other wrong suggestions included Alison Hammond and Louis Theroux.
