Betrayal has never looked this glamorous. Celebrity Traitors 2025 has arrived and turned the much-loved reality format into a psychological game of chess starring A-listers, and the drama has all the makings of being incredibly tasty so far. From surprising murders to surprising eliminations, this first-ever celebrity installment has twists unfolding as quickly as Claudia Winkleman’s signature deadpan remarks. Set against the breathtaking landscape of Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, 19 of Britain’s most familiar faces battle it out to raise £100,000 to go to a charity of their choice.
It’s less winning that’s at issue here, then but survival of the mental games, the whispered conspiracies, and the razor-sharp strategies and double-deals. Three episodes have screened and the game’s already culled several of the hottest names in British entertainment, and the remaining survivors have to navigate a minefield of suspicion and plotting. Let’s get up close to the cast, those spectacular early eliminations, and those off-set scandals that’re heating up Celebrity Traitors 2025 into the UK’s hottest reality TV moment this year so far.
1. The All-Star Line-Up
In May, the BBC released its lineup and treated audiences to its trailer scrolling slowly over faces of well-known names. This lineup is irresistible: from comedy big-shots Jonathan Ross and Alan Carr to pop megastars Charlotte Church and Paloma Faith, Olympic legend Tom Daley, and cultural institutions like Stephen Fry and Celia Imrie. Also joining the roster will be broadcaster Clare Balding, historian David Olusoga, rugby player Joe Marler, and newcomers Cat Burns and Ruth Codd. With this roster of personalities, each breakfast table gossip feels like a plot twist.
2. The First Traitors Exposed
In the first episode, Claudia Winkleman secretly selected three Traitors: comedian Alan Carr, TV host Jonathan Ross, and singer-songwriter Cat Burns. Former contestants have praised the selection, with Charlotte Berman noting Cat’s “brains” and Jonathan’s enjoyment of the role. Alan’s comedic nature to date has been a double-edged sword: entertaining viewers while also concealing strategies. According to one veteran player, “They’re going to have to crank up the lying even more because everyone knows who they are.”
3. Paloma Faith’s Shocking Murder
Paloma Faith was the first celebrity casualty, eliminated in week two by her pal Alan Carr during a kitchen discussion that also served as a killing scene. Alan swept hair out of her face, unconsciously acting out the plot of poisoning pollen. “I felt horrible. I didn’t know what to do!” he confessed later. Paloma later mused that her outspoken personality had made her an obvious target, referring to it as “a big fashion faux pas not to see me in the cloak.” She departed hoping that someone “nice and calculating” like Nick Mohammed would triumph.
4. Early Exit of Niko Omilana
YouTube personality Niko Omilana was the first Faithful ejected at the Round Table during episode three. With a reputation for jokes and political acts, Niko conceded that he “wanted to be a Traitor so badly” but was suspicious at the beginning. His “quite dark” descriptions of the challenges included digging holes in which to bury them and that he learned to perform in public under pressure. His three-word review of the process? “Betrayal. Set up. Loser.”
5. Faithful Fall of Tom Daley
Olympic medal-winner Tom Daley was eliminated by the Traitors in the same episode, although he had been a stalwart on challenges like the Trojan Horse task. He explained the “euphoric moment” of securing £15,000 into the pot, but felt that by prominently looking for Traitors he had drawn attention to himself. “Maybe I was too close to the right answers,” he wondered, still relishing the chance to learn about the strange cast and to glimpse inside the castle.
6. Tameka Empson’s Banishment
Tameka Empson, who played in EastEnders, was the second Faithful banished in episode three. She explained the castle to be “incredible” and highlighted the breakfast table, joking that she may have put on “one pound” due to it. Although at first wanting to be a Traitor, she took it in stride that “being a Traitor’s a headache” and took to being a Faithful. Her elimination was touching, primarily unveiling herself to the others that she was innocent.
7. Faithful Preference of Stephen Fry
One of the highest anticipated contestants, Stephen Fry has openly announced that he hopes to become a Faithful. “I don’t like the idea of needing to plot against others,” he described, alluding to the stress of betrayal. His participation adds gravitas to the show, and contestants are watching in hopes that his chivalorous nature will hold up to the high-stakes environment.
8. Gothic Game-Mastering by Claudia Winkleman
Hostess Claudia is in fine form, combining warmth with eagle-eyed supervision. She’s boasted that she won’t “take it easy” on the A-listers, and her quirky gothic-fashion sense defined as “unhinged in taffeta” has become a visual hallmark of the programme. Her cliffhanger delivery had viewers glued, and episode three’s triple exit sealed her mastery of suspenseful pacing.
9. Ardross Castle: The Fifth Character
Shot at Scotland’s Scottish Highlands-based Ardross Castle, the location is more than background – it’s a character itself. Alan Carr compared it to “New York in Sex and the City: the fifth character.” Formal gardens and peacocks at the castle collide with dark undertones in the game itself. Contestants don’t literally sleep there, but the fantasy holds to create suspense and mysticism.
10. Record-Breaking Ratings
The debut episode was watched by over 11.7 million viewers, including 2.2 million in the 16–34 age range, and was the biggest unscripted episode so far in the UK market since 2022. They have all praised it extravagantly with Metro proclaiming it “the TV moment of the year” and The Guardian referring to it as a “star-packed bonanza.” Celebrity in-fighting combined with the tried and tested format suspense of Traitors seems to have struck paydirt.
With high-profile betrayals, touching departures, and a setting reminiscent of a gothic novel, Celebrity Traitors 2025 is rewriting the playbook on reality TV drama. With the game racing toward its conclusion, the question’s no longer who’s winning but who’s still standing in the psychological warfare. One thing’s for sure: in this castle, trust’s the least common currency of all.
