Richard E. Grant accidentally revealed he was a Traitor shortly after being selected for the second season of the BBC’s Celebrity Traitors.
The 69-year-old actor was secretly chosen by host Claudia Winkleman alongside Maya Jama during Thursday night’s series premiere. But his excitement at securing the role quickly led to an extraordinary slip-up.
After the contestants left the Round Table, comedian Joe Lycett began asking the group whether they were Faithful or Traitors. When he put the question to Grant, the actor replied: “A Traitor.”
The answer stunned the other celebrities, although Grant initially appeared to continue the game by asking what the point of taking part would be if he was not a Traitor.
Some contestants seemed to believe he was joking. Jerry Hall, who has known Grant for decades, questioned whether he would really disclose such important information if it were true.
Grant later acknowledged the mistake in a confessional, admitting that the excitement of being selected had overcome his caution.
“Well that may be the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life. I was so thrilled to have been chosen as a Traitor, that in my unguarded excitement, I said, Of course, I’m a Traitor. I clearly need to diffuse all the heat that’s coming in my direction. Oh, brother!” he said.
The moment became one of the main talking points from the premiere, which attracted an average overnight UK audience of 8.9 million viewers. That was nearly three million more than the debut of the first celebrity season.
Celebrity Traitors airs on Thursday and Friday nights on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
