Brief

James Acaster recruited as traitor after Amol Rajan’s murder on Celebrity Traitors

Acaster’s recruitment follows Rajan’s on‑screen murder and a cliff‑hanger showdown with Maya Jama and Richard E Grant.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 06 Oct 2026 21:38:09 GMT

The BBC’s reality game show Celebrity Traitors saw comedian James Acaster revealed as a traitor after journalist Amol Rajan was murdered in the Friday episode.

What happened

Thursday’s launch episode ended with Acaster and Rajan confronting presenter Maya Jama and actor Richard E Grant, who tried to persuade them to join the traitor side. Rajan was killed in Friday’s episode, prompting his comment that it was “game over”. The following day Acaster announced his new role, saying he felt “gutted to not be faithful anymore”.

What the reports add

Standard.co.uk noted that Julie Hesmondhalgh and US model‑actress Jerry Hall both suspected Acaster of being recruited, while former Coronation Street star Hesmondhalgh suggested he could be a potential choice. The outlet also reported that Grant accidentally revealed his traitor status during the opening episode.

What was said

Rajan said, “It’s game over, it’s gutting to be the first out…”, and Acaster added, “I can’t believe I’m a traitor, I’m gutted to not be faithful anymore, I don’t like lying, but if I don’t join, then they kill me.”

How it came about

The series, hosted by Claudia Winkleman at Ardross Castle, began on 1 October 2026 with 21 celebrities competing for a £100,000 charity prize. Earlier Felo coverage detailed Rajan’s early exit and the show’s record‑breaking debut audience.

Key facts

James Acaster was recruited as a traitor after Amol Rajan was murdered (standard.co.uk)
Amol Rajan said it was "game over" after his elimination (standard.co.uk)
Julie Hesmondhalgh and Jerry Hall suspected Acaster of being recruited (standard.co.uk)
The opening episode attracted an average audience of 8.9 million (standard.co.uk)