Ever since Richard E. Grant made the single biggest blunder in Celebrity Traitors history, fans have been left wondering how on earth the 69-year-old actor is still in the castle. Less than half an hour into episode one, Richard had done the unthinkable – he’d told his fellow contestants that he was in fact a Traitor and, shock horror, he was telling the truth.
Somehow, two episodes in (with a third on the way this Thursday 8th October), Richard is remains in the game – but how? Well, despite the fact that fans across the globe are claiming he broke the rules and should in fact have been removed already, there is in fact a bizarre loophole that means Richard can’t be banished – well, not yet, anyway. Here’s why the star may still many days left in the castle…
What was Richard E. Grant’s blunder on The Celebrity Traitors?
If you missed the first two episodes of The Celebrity Traitors, let us fill you in. Mere minutes after receiving the ‘tap’ from Claudia Winkleman, which indicated that Richard was officially a Traitor, Joe Lycett began quizzing his fellow contestants about their identities. He proceeded to ask Richard if he’s a Faithful or a Traitor and the actor nonchalantly replied: “Traitor”.
The room was, well, shocked to say the least, and Richard didn’t exactly do much to cast suspicion away from him. Attempting to laugh off the blunder, he said, “What’s the point in being in the game if you’re not one?”. Needless to say, nobody in the room was convinced and, two episodes in, the celebrities appear to have become increasingly less so with all eyes pointing in one direction. Oh, Richard.
Did Richard E. Grant break the rules on The Celebrity Traitors?
Longtime Traitors fans will know that the Traitors’ oath is taken in the first episode of every series - after Claudia has selected her murderers. Before each of the Traitors receives their cloaks, she asks: “Do you commit to lie and deceive throughout the game? Are you willing to murder your fellow players every single night? And do you vow to keep your identity and the identity of your fellow players a secret?”
That means each Traitor must not reveal their identity or the identity of their fellow Traitor or Traitors. Traitors are, however, allowed to accuse each other at the Round Table, so long as they do so under the guise of being Faithful and never reveal their own identity in the process. So, what does this all mean for Richard?
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Well, technically it means that Richard did break the rules, but there’s a loophole that we believe has prevented him from being banished by the show’s producers. Eagle-eyed viewers will remember that Richard’s admission to his fellow contestants that he was indeed a Traitor came before Richard took the Traitors’ oath. He’d therefore made no such promise about keeping his identity secret and so it seems, he was able to live another day (or week, as it happens!).
Why has Richard E. Grant not been banished from the castle?
For starters, given that Richard E. Grant technically didn’t break the rules, he’s safe from the producers stepping in and banishing him… for now. He does, however, still have the round table to get through and it remains to be seen whether he’ll survive it.
His biggest threats? Julie Hesmondhalgh, who’s seriously onto him and told her fellow contestants at the Round Table that they’d be “the most idiotic group of Faithfuls in the world” if they ignored the fact that Richard had quite literally told them he’s a Traitor. We agree, Julie.
Miranda Hart also pointed out that there was a look of utter joy when Richard took off his blindfold after Claudia had chosen her Traitors, which suggested he’d received the ‘tap’. Romesh Ranganathan had thoughts, too. The comedian pointed out that if anyone else had made the admission, they’d be immediately voting them out. Hmm, it seems Richard has quite a few problems.
But then there are his ‘allies’. Neighbour and longtime friend Jerry Hall appears to be entirely in Richard’s corner, arguing that he couldn’t possibly be a Traitor and that he was merely throwing his toys out the pram by telling everyone he is one as he hadn’t got what he wanted. Joanne McNally agreed, as did Myha’la – and let’s not forget he also has the support of his fellow Traitors James Acaster and Maya Jama, the latter of whom said in the turret: “I want to save him”.
By our numbers, the balance seems to be tipping towards more Faithfuls working in Richard’s favour rather than against it - so will he remain another week? We have a feeling he might...
When is the next episode of The Celebrity Traitors on?
The next episode of The Celebrity Traitors (episode 3) will air on Thursday 8th October at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The episode will be an hour long.
