The second season of the BBC’s reality competition “The Celebrity Traitors” has shattered viewing records, drawing more than 8.8 million viewers for its Thursday night premiere with numbers peaking at 9 million. According to overnight ratings, the show captured over half of the television audience, establishing it as the most-watched program of the evening.
This milestone marks the highest premiere figure in the history of the “Traitors” franchise in the United Kingdom. The debut episode attracted approximately 3 million more viewers than the launches for both the original celebrity edition last year and the most recent civilian season, with expectations that audiences will continue to grow as latecomers tune in over the coming days.
The new season features host Claudia Winkleman alongside an ensemble cast including Richard E. Grant, Bella Ramsey, Myha’la, Maya Jama, James Acaster, Jerry Hall, James Blunt, and Michael Sheen. Grant has already been noted for his energetic and chaotic approach to the game within the show’s castle setting.
Episodes will broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer every Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. BST for the next month, with the second episode airing tonight.
Meanwhile, the broader franchise continues to expand. The fifth season of the civilian U.K. “Traitors” is scheduled to premiere early next year. In the United States, the format has also seen significant success on Peacock, where Alan Cumming hosts the celebrity version and the civilian spinoff “New Blood,” which launched in September.
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