The Celebrity Traitors 2026 has wasted no time getting down to business, with Claudia Winkleman already revealing her first Traitors.
The BBC’s celebrity spin-off returned with an explosive opening tonight as 21 famous faces arrived at Ardross Castle in Scotland.
The celebrities were summoned to the Traitors’ Chapel, where Claudia had a rather dramatic surprise waiting for them.
The host made her grand entrance from inside a huge black coffin before setting the first twist of the game in motion.
The celebrities were asked to name the person they considered the most trustworthy among them.
Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh was called forward, immediately sending Joe Lycett into a panic.
The comedian feared Julie had already been chosen as the first murder victim.
Instead, Claudia handed Julie an immunity shield protecting her from the first murder. And she gave her another shield to pass on.
Julie promptly gave it to Joe, who had been so concerned that the group had just bumped her off.
The celebrities then climbed into a fleet of black Land Rover Defenders and headed off to make their cases to Claudia.
But which celebrities did she choose to join the dark side?
Who are the Traitors in Celebrity Traitors 2026?
Claudia had plenty of volunteers to choose from, but she ultimately picked just two celebrities to become her first Traitors.
With the group blindfolded, she moved around the Round Table before tapping Maya Jama and Richard E Grant on the shoulder.
Both kept their composure when their blindfolds came off.
Behind the scenes, however, the pair were delighted.
Love Island host Maya and actor Richard had both been desperate for Claudia to choose them as Traitors.
But their secret mission immediately became even more complicated when Claudia revealed there would be a third Traitor.
And Maya and Richard would get to choose them.
The pair were given their velvet cloaks under cover of darkness before Claudia summoned them to the turret.
She told them to pick two celebrities who would be invited to make their own cases for becoming a Traitor.
They would then have to make their pleas face to face with Maya and Richard in the Chapel.
There was a sinister catch. Whoever the pair rejected would be murdered.
Eek!
Who is the third Traitor?
Maya and Richard summoned Amol Rajan and James Acaster to the Chapel, leaving both men convinced they had been murdered.
Claudia soon revealed the truth.
“You must be wondering why you’ve been brought here in the dead of night. Well, I can now reveal that you have been invited here by the Traitors,” she said.
“One of you will be recruited as a Traitor tonight. The other, well… you’ll be murdered. The Traitors will decide who lives and who dies.
“But you have the opportunity to influence their decision. A lifeline, if you will.”
The pair then had to make individual pleas explaining why they should become the newest recruit.
James decided to put Richard’s own tactics under the spotlight.
He reminded Richard that he had already told everyone he suspected him of being a Traitor.
Richard had brought the attention on himself after attempting to double bluff the group at the Round Table.
“If I go tonight, the first person they’re looking at, is you,” James warned.
Amol took a different approach, explaining why his career could make him useful to the Traitors.
“I do think I am uniquely placed to take the heat off you. I sniff out lies for a living.”
Then came the episode’s biggest twist.
James and Amol were each placed inside a coffin before Claudia slammed one of the doors shut.
Whoever was inside had been murdered.
But viewers were not shown which coffin contained the unlucky celebrity.
When is The Celebrity Traitors on next?
Luckily, fans will not have long to wait before discovering whether James or Amol has been killed.
Their fate will be revealed tomorrow night (Friday October 2, 2026).
The Celebrity Traitors 2026 continues with episode 2 at 8pm on BBC One.
The hour long episode will be followed immediately by Ed Gamble’s spin off, The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked.
James and Amol both made their cases, but only one can become Claudia’s newest recruit.
The question is, who has survived the night and who has been left dead and buried?
Read more: Celebrity Traitors star Rob Beckett hits out at BBC over his heavily-edited promo shot
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