The second series of Celebrity Traitors is set to premiere on BBC One, bringing together a larger group of famous faces for the popular deception game show. Twenty-one celebrities have been confirmed as contestants, marking an increase from the eighteen participants in the inaugural series last year.
The expanded cast includes actor Michael Sheen, model and actress Jerry Hall, actor Richard E Grant, broadcaster Amol Rajan, actor Bella Ramsey, singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock, presenter Maya Jama, and content creator King Kenny. Also competing are comedians James Acaster, Joe Lycett, and Romesh Ranganathan; singers James Blunt and Julie Hesmondhalgh; and other public figures such as Ross Kemp, Miranda Hart, and mathematician Professor Hannah Fry.
Due to the substantial popularity of the first season, which became the UK’s most-watched television programme of 2025 with 15 million viewers, the new series will feature an extra episode. The 75-minute debut episode will air at 20:00 BST on Thursday, 1 October, with Claudia Winkleman returning as host.
Executive producer Sarah Fay stated that the production team aims to innovate with each series. “We always want to push the envelope” with the show’s elaborate tasks, Fay explained during the press launch, noting that they strive to evolve existing ideas or introduce new cultural references.
All contestants are competing for a £100,000 cash prize donated to charity. The final amount raised depends on their performance in the physical and mental challenges, regardless of whether they are identified as faithful or traitor during the game.
Winkleman described her viewing experience from the castle monitors as all-consuming. “I’m like a weirdo just applying fake tan, watching,” she joked, admitting she struggles to leave the set even when told to go home. Ed Gamble, who hosts the BBC Two companion show Uncloaked, echoed this intensity, revealing he watches hours of footage daily, often eating breakfast while watching the celebrities eat.
The trailer released ahead of the launch shows the celebrities arriving at a church before traveling in black cars to Ardross Castle in Inverness, Scotland. They are seen undertaking their first mission in a lake while wearing wetsuits, with Winkleman delivering the ominous line: “Fame won’t save them.”
Cast members have shared varying approaches to the game. Romesh Ranganathan joked about his close friendship with fellow comedian Rob Beckett, saying he would “have no problem stabbing him in the back” if it helped his chances. Bella Ramsey revealed she has played versions of the game since she was ten years old, while Hannah Fry admitted to looking for “statistical patterns” in previous data.
Winkleman also highlighted the scenic Scottish Highlands location, calling Ardross Castle “breathtaking.” When asked if she would ever compete as a contestant, she declined with self-deprecating humor. “No, I’m too thick,” she said. “I think I would just be too awful at it.”
Celebrity Traitors series two airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursday and Friday evenings starting 1 October.
Seven-five minutes for the premiere? That is a generous runtime for the first episode. I hope the new ‘elaborate tasks’ actually pay off.
Fifteen million viewers last time? The cast list looks even stronger this year. I cannot wait to see Maya Jama get accused of everything.