The Celebrity Traitors is back (finally!) and there’s already so much for us faithful fans to get our teeth stuck into. From Richard E Grant's baffling reverse psychology tactics to Ross Kemp’s hilariously misplaced paranoia, the opening episodes were truly a feast for fans, and in large part because so many twists and turns took place mere minutes into the game. One twist in particular that caught our eye was the awarding of the first two shields.
Once all the celebs had entered the castle chapel for their initial welcome to the game, Claudia Winkleman immediately threw a curveball - asking them all to select who they thought – based entirely on first impressions – was the most trustworthy among them. Almost immediately, they came to a unanimous decision that Corrie star Julie Hesmondhalgh was just that. Claudia then revealed that as a reward, of sorts, Julie would get to assign the first two shields of the game to whomever she pleased. After comedian Joe Lycett was the only player to question what picking Julie could mean for her safety, she gave him the second shield, as a thank you for having her back.
While, on paper, the selecting of who the team sees as the most trustworthy or faithful might seem like a compliment, our instincts tell us it’s something far more sinister. So, we’ve been busy figuring out exactly what the curveball means - and we think we've cracked the shield theory once and for all...
Why it’s a trap
1. It’s a distraction
This early in the game, it’s easy for players to get caught up with any small detail they can get their hands on. For most of them, they’ve just met and (apart from Richard E Grant’s wild gameplay) they have very little to go on so far. While something like this shield moment is the only out-and-out drama they can really grab on to. Distracting? Certainly.
We as viewers know, or at least we think we do, that the two shielded players – Jo and Julie – have nothing to do with the Traitors, but the players don’t know this. All they know is that they are now singled out, and they want to know why. They are in the spotlight, giving the other Faithfuls something to discuss, meanwhile this year’s true Traitors, Maya Jama and Richard E Grant, remain under the radar and far away from any standout gameplaying. This kind of a twist is more than enough to keep the Faithful occupied with their questioning, allowing the Traitors to get away with literal murder.
2. Claudia gave them a clue
We all know Claudia Winkleman is a bit of a trickster, often dropping clues about how the game might play out further down the line. And we think we spotted something that could suggest she did exactly that in the first 10 minutes. Just before the celebrities’ first task of choosing who they think is the most trustworthy, she introduces them to the game with an ominous statement. She declares: ‘You’re all in show business, it is a fickle world. Full of flattery… and backstabbing.’
What to read next
The players’ choice of Julie is a kind of flattery: they see her as someone they can trust and give her an advantage as a result. But in a game built on deception, that vote of confidence could quickly become a burden. The attention may put Julie under greater scrutiny, or make her a target for the players who see her as a threat. What looks like a head start could turn into a poisoned chalice – and Claudia’s warning about flattery and backstabbing suggests she knows it.
3. It’s spreading paranoia
Many of us will have already noticed one of the funniest highlights from last night’s show – Ross Kemp’s insatiable paranoia. He took both actor Bella Ramsey’s sweet gesture of popping a captain’s hat on him during the mission and Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s warm shoulder rub as signs he was going to be murdered in plain sight. Hilarious moments on the surface for those of who know how wrong he is, but what it shows is just how paranoid and frantic the players already are.
Due no doubt in part to this curveball being thrown at them within the first 10 minutes of the game, they’ve all been put on edge. Many of them have been looking for clues and signs in everyday items. Comedian James Acaster is already looking suspiciously at mere props, such as a perfume bottle, believing it to be something the Traitors could use to murder them with. His reasoning? Absolutely nothing. Highlighting how desperate and confused this shield business has made them. It seems this twist has made them feel vulnerable and on the defensive.
And a paranoid eye is often not a very clear one as it keeps their attention scattered, nervous and far away from the Traitors. People who are panicked rarely make good decisions, something that will in no doubt only benefit the murderous Maya and Richard as the others start to already turn on each other for the most minute of actions.
4. It puts a target on their backs
The shields were awarded based on who the entire cast saw as the most trustworthy. Julie, national treasure that she is, has already established herself as a very likeable and personable contestant, being one of the only players to get up and warmly greet and introduce herself to her fellow players as they entered the chapel at the beginning of the episode.
While Joe, in the whole process of selecting the most trustworthy, has already demonstrated his Faithful skills. He considered all the missions and challenges from multiple angles the other players hadn’t, meaning he was the only one to suggest the voting could lead to something more than it seemed. Popularity and attention to detail are powerful traits in Faithfuls, all the more reason for Traitors to target them for future murder and banishment. They’ll want to get rid of anyone who could have sway over the rest of the team or who notices the little things.
5. They let their guards down
While the handing out of the first shields has made the majority of the castle feel edgy and panicked, it has had the opposite effect for two of the players. Joe and Julie, who, in our opinion, are already showing signs of being excellent Faithfuls, will now be lulled into a sense of false security as they breathe easier knowing they won’t be murdered. They can hypothesise about who the Traitors are more freely. But on the other hand, their names are now in the conversation, a dangerous thing so early in the game. Joe and Julie will naturally be more relaxed in their conversations and actions, knowing they won’t be murdered, however, this might result in a banishment.
The calmer they are, the more nervous and suspicious others will get. Joe and Julie may let their guard down, and exhibit behaviours that could lead to their banishment. We’ve seen in previous series that confidence can be seen as a treacherous quality. If the Traitors are clever, they can twist this situation into a suspicion one and reel in the other Faithfuls.
