What an episode! Episode 9 of Celebrity Traitors series 2 gave us one of the show’s most memorable moments yet: a traitor confessing his identity at the roundtable after catching his first whiff of pressure. James Acaster sacrificed himself in spectacular fashion - and, ultimately, did the Faithful a huge favour.
Comedian James Acaster will always be remembered as the reluctant Traitor: the one who hated lying so much that he flat-out refused to do it. You could argue The Traitors was never quite the game for him, but that’s neither here nor there. The real twist is that his decision affects more than just his own fate. Here’s why James’s bombshell move just exposed hwo the game will end.
James Acaster’s explosive moment
In the penultimate epsiode, James came under serious suspicion for what appeared to be the first time in the series. Actor Michael Sheen laid out his theory, starting with the players who were in the room when they believe Ross Kemp was murdered in plain sight. That immediately put all three traitors - Maya, Kenny and James - in the frame.
Michael then added another part to his theory: believing at least one traitor must be someone who had managed to fly under the radar so far. That led him to James, with one very dramatic finger point. It was a flamboyant bit of detective work - and, frankly a stroke of genius that, as it turned out, even James couldn't help but admire.
James had always wanted to be a Faithful, saying he was excited to play detective and use logic, clues and facts to work out who the Traitors were. So, when he was recruited and that was taken away from him, he doubled down and continued to play as if he was Faithful - refusing to lie from start to finish. He wanted the Faithful to succeed with logical clever thinking, and that’s what Micheal did.
Micheal was able to piece together the perfume-bottle murder in plain sight and explained: "It must have been really tough to get the opportunity to do it. The most likely time to do it was as everyone was leaving. So the one person, who didn’t leave the library and go into the atrium and is still here, is you." He then gestured towards James with smouldering confidence.
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Michael’s theory may not have matched exactly what happened, but his conclusion was right. And James seemed so impressed, and genuinely pleased, that the Faithful had worked him out, that he rewarded them with a confession.
James said: "I’m going to continue to do what I’ve done this entire game and continue to be honest." So when questioned at the table, he stuck to his morals and revealed, "I just want to explain my situation, I was made a Traitor." The players were, quite rightly, gobsmacked. We’ve seen a traitor reveal their identity before - Richard E. Grant tried an unusual tactic in episode one as we all remember - but James’s confession was a true bombshell. Bombshell who's aftershocks will be felt by many more than just James himself.
Why it means the Traitors are in trouble
James’s speech after his confession showed that he did it for the love of the game, to stick to his truth-telling morals and to live up to the Faithful he had always wanted to be. But his decision affects more than just his own fate. By confirming Michael’s theory, James has left his former fellow Traitors exposed.
"And now I think she’s a traitor." Those were some of Michael Sheen’s final words in the episode. He was referring to Maya Jama, who has spent much of the game flying under the radar and is now facing serious scrutiny.
But the theory that led Michael to James could put Kenny under suspicion, too. Michael’s first line of reasoning focused on who had been in the room during the murder, which brought all three traitors into the conversation. Then he suggested the group should look more closely at the quieter players who had not stuck their necks out. James’s confession confirmed that this line of thinking had helped uncover a traitor, giving the faithful a reason to keep looking at the others who fit that description.
Maya fits that profile, and players at the table had already accused her of not bringing enough theories to the group or attracting suspicion. James’s confession has made that behaviour look more significant: if Michael was right to suspect James because he had kept a low profile, could Maya - and Kenny - have been doing the same?
James Blunt seemed to be thinking along those lines after James’s confession. "I do start thinking it starts pointing in certain directions now. And I think I’m afraid to say, Maya was the assistant in there." Romesh Ranganathan agreed, saying that if he were a traitor, he would play the game exactly as Maya had.
James Acaster’s confession may have saved him from having to maintain his cover, but it has also given the Faithful a new way to look at the players who are still in the game. Could his decision spell the end for all the Traitors? It’s starting to look very possible…
