Tom Hiddleston has been forced to withdraw from the second series of Celebrity Traitors at the last minute due to an unavoidable scheduling clash, according to reports. The 45-year-old actor, known for his roles in the Avengers franchise and BBC's The Night Manager, was reportedly 'gutted' to miss out on the show, which he has previously described as 'maybe the best television I've seen'.
Hiddleston, a self-confessed fan of the programme, had been lined up to appear in the celebrity edition, which returns this autumn with Claudia Winkleman as host. During a Radio 2 appearance, he praised the format as 'the most ingenious thing' and expressed interest in playing as a Faithful, calling it 'a detective exercise'.
The BBC confirmed the official line-up last Saturday, with filming already underway. Despite Hiddleston's absence, the cast remains star-studded, including Hollywood actors Richard E. Grant and Michael Sheen, comedians Joanne McNally, Joe Lycett, James Acaster, Romesh Ranganathan, and Rob Beckett, as well as singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock, musician James Blunt, model Jerry Hall, and actor Ross Kemp.
The first celebrity series, won by Alan Carr, attracted over 15 million viewers last year. The upcoming season is expected to continue the show's success, with a mix of faithfuls and traitors competing in the Scottish Highlands.
