The nerves were high, the outfits were strong (we’re looking at you, Jerry Hall) and the drama was, well, quite unlike anything we’ve seen on a Celebrity Traitors launch show before. Why? One name. Richard E. Grant. “That may be the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life”, he said within mere minutes of receiving the ‘tap’ from Claudia Winkleman. And he was right.
The actor, who spent the large majority of the series' opening scenes telling everyone how much he wanted to be a Traitor (message received, Richard), only decided to go and tell everybody that yes, he was in fact a Traitor after being crowned one. Richard, do you know anything about how this game works? “It’s like having an unhinged uncle running wild in the castle. That is my partner in crime”, fellow Traitor Maya Jama told the camera. We feel you Maya.
And things didn’t exactly get much better for him as the show (including episode two) went on. Here’s why Richard has proved he’s about to be replaced in the castle… imminently.
The admission
If you watched The Celebrity Traitors' opening episode, you’ll know that it didn’t exactly take Richard long to slip up. Mere minutes passed between Claudia giving him the ‘news’ that he was a Traitor and Richard proceeding to tell his fellow contestants that yes, he's a Traitor. “Absolutely thrilled, I can’t wait to start murdering them,” he told the camera before going on to tell Faithful Joe Lycett (and, well, pretty much everybody else) that he’s a Traitor. Attempting to laugh it off, he said, “What’s the point in being in the game if you’re not one?”. Needless to say, nobody was convinced.
The ‘follow-up’
Did Richard attempt to play it cool and let the whole thing get brushed under the carpet? Not exactly. He seemingly became increasingly aware of his mistake and, following the group’s first mission, Faithful Amol Rajan decided to address the elephant in the room. Go on, Amol. “I’m feeling very excited to chat to you”, he said to Richard. “What happened last night? You are the lord of chaos”. Richard’s response? “I was so relieved that the game had started because I’d been so blatant about wanting to be a Traitor," he said. "So when I walked into the bar and someone asked me, I said I’m a Traitor, of course. I’m absolutely convinced I’m going home tonight.” Was it believable? No. Did it sound like he was panicking? Yes, very much so.
The ‘plan’
When Richard and his fellow Traitor, Maya, were given the opportunity to invite two Faithful to meet them – one of whom they would invite to “the clan” to become a Traitor and the other to murder – the pressure was on. “It seems like because of that Traitor thing you said yesterday, people don’t have a lot to go by and that’s all they’re clinging to that right now,” said Maya of Richard's slip-up. “We’ve got a big decision. We need to work out how to save you.” Who did the pair decide to invite? “The biggest rottweiler on me is Amol. It would take the heat off me from being such a plonker”, said Richard. Decision made, then. Number two? James Acaster. “James is laser eyed in his conviction that I’m a Traitor”, said Richard. Clever, the pair thought – but these Faithful aren’t stupid, are they?
The ‘replacement’
When Amol and James made their way to the chapel to meet the Traitors, both were as nervous as each other as they proceeded to plead their way to survival and Traitorhood. “This is so stressful, man”, said Amol. The most convincing argument came from James: “I’ve been pushing your name really hard. If I go tonight, the first person they’re looking at is you. You need help getting the heat off you,” he told Richard. He was right. But let’s also remember that both Richard and Maya said in the turret: “James would make a very good Traitor”. And so, given that James did indeed turn out to be the ‘chosen one’ (in episode two), it’s now only a matter of time before James and Maya get rid of their weakest leak. One name. Richard E. Grant.
