We’re four episodes in to the second series of The Celebrity Traitors and James Acaster has delivered laughs (unsurprisingly), nervous energy (understatement) and one unforgettable line: “[The Traitors] is like the Sugababes”. Referring to the girlband that had many different formations over the course of their pop reign, it seemed like a flippant, albeit hilarious, remark – and yet it's deeper than that. Or so we believe.
You see, James might have entered the castle all anxious energy and awkward charm, but there’s a lot more to this comedian than meets the eye. Like his ever-expanding army of fans (he's now a heartthrob, don't you know), we’ve been watching him very closely and we believe he’s using a cunning tactic that will get him to the final – and it all starts with the Sugababes. Here’s why James is the dark horse of series 2 - and why his plan might just see him crowned our 2026 champion…
What did James Acaster say about the Sugababes?
If you watched episode three (of course you did), you’ll remember that James and fellow Traitor Maya Jama recruited mathematician Hannah Fry. When the trio discussed their new addition in the turret, James told his fellow Traitors: “It’s changing a lot, this Traitors. It’s like the Sugababes.” We all remember the girlband that had many, many different line-ups, right? There was Mutya, Heidi, Amelle, then Jade… Anyway, it was a moment of TV gold, but it was also a lot more than that.
In that very moment, James appeared to acknowledge just how replaceable every Traitor is, himself included. And if there’s one lesson he can take from the girlband’s ever-changing line-up, it’s that survival isn’t necessarily about loyalty to the original group, but about knowing how to navigate its inevitable changes. Given James already appears to have cottoned on to that, he’s quickly become the most dangerous player in the game. Enter our Keisha (ahem, she had the longest continuous stint in the Sugababes).
What tactics is James Acaster using in The Celebrity Traitors?
If you ask us, James knows exactly what he's doing. He's cunning this comedian and yet he knows how to make his fellow players think quite the opposite.
Survival over solidarity
Right now, James’s biggest advantage is that he knows that to win the game, staying loyal to his fellow Traitors simply won’t work. If that means throwing another Traitor under the bus, that’s exactly what he’ll do. We’ve seen it in action. Who voted for Richard E. Grant in episode 3? “I voted for Richard because you’re the most suspicious man I’ve ever met in my life”, he said at the Round Table. Brutal.
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Later on in that very episode, we got more insight into his thought process. When he and Traitors Maya Jama and newly recruited Hannah Fry were in the turret, he told the pair: “I think for all three of us, the best thing to do is to play the game how we were going to play it as Faithfuls anyway, individually.” Clearly, James has already plotted his game well in advance – and he’s determined not to let anything - or anyone - get in the way of it.
Comedy as camouflage
James is a comedian so, not to state the obvious, but making people laugh comes naturally to him. He is, however, using a special kind of humour to his advantage: self-deprecation. “I’ve got a really boring theory” he said at the latest Round Table, suggesting he’s not intelligent enough to come up with something worth taking seriously. “It’s just me going on the little boy detective facts thing, but we know for a fact that Richard was a Traitor and if someone was recruited before that Round Table and he was involved in it, I think Richard would just like to hang out with Michael. And I completely understand why”.
The players all laughed – and what happened next? They brushed it off and moved on. In order to have longevity as a Traitor, James knows that going under the radar is key. And if you present yourself as a voice that doesn't really need to be heard, that's exactly the outcome you'll get. As Marina Hyde said on The Rest is Entertainment podcast recently: “If you’re a bit dim at the game, the longer you stay and the better for everybody.” Well done, James.
One step ahead
In episode 3, Traitors James, Hannah and Maya had an important decision to make: who to murder next. It took James all of a second to come up with an idea, suggesting he’d already thought this through carefully. “I think if we want to make it chaotic, we’ve got to murder James Blunt,” he said. “Everyone is going to be like ‘What is going on?’, they’re not going to be able to figure it out.” And then came the humour. “It makes my life easier because every time someone says James, I’m turning round and half the time it’s for him. It’s getting a little bit annoying!”
It was funny, of course it was, but beneath the joke was an interesting bit of game-playing. James wasn’t just thinking about who to murder, he was thinking about how to throw everyone off their game – and keep his on track. While James did, in fact, survive, and Bella Ramsey sadly didn't (episode 4, if you need reminding), James got exactly what he wanted: he showed us that he's got his game figured out, while also getting a laugh from his fellow Traitors along the way.
Will James Acaster win The Celebrity Traitors?
While we sadly can’t confirm or deny whether James will emerge victorious from The Celebrity Traitors castle just yet, the odds are definitely in his favour. According to Oddschecker, Maya Jama is the favourite to win, but we all know that the favourite never actually wins, right? And if the Sugababes have taught us anything, it’s that the line-up can change at any moment, which puts third favourite James in the perfect position to swoop in and steal the crown. Keisha, the floor is yours…
The Traitors continues at 8pm on Thursday 15th October on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
