Is Celebrity Traitors UK Actually Happening – And Do We Want It?

While in the US, The Traitors has always included celebrities, up until now the UK version has steered clear of any famous contestants. But recently, rumours have started to swirl about a possible celebrity version this side of the pond. 

The Traitors Is Reportedly Getting A Celebrity Version

Will There Be A Celebrity Traitors UK?

Reports of a celebrity version of The Traitors UK began to surface in January, spurred on by Stephen Lambert (whose production company Studio Lambert brought the Dutch show to the UK) telling Global’s The News Agents podcast: ‘I think it would be pretty entertaining.’ He added: ‘we talk to the BBC about the future of all our shows and that’s obviously a possibility,’

And now, according to Deadline, the deal between Studio Lambert and the BBC is almost over the line. Sources say Celebrity Traitors UK would be filmed in 2025, and premiere on TV later in the year. However, neither party has confirmed anything just yet.

The cast of The Traitors at the nightly roundtable. (BBC/Studio Lambert Associates/Llara Plaza)

Will It Be a Success?

The question is: how will a celebrity version match up to the original? While any news of new Traitors piques our interest, part of the charm of the first two UK seasons was the fact that the players were decidedly ‘normal’ – no influencers, no reality TV stars, just an eclectic mix of people who really wanted to win the prize money. 

Just like early seasons of Big Brother, this was undoubtedly a part of the show’s colossal success. You could feel winning the pot of money would mean a huge amount to the players – plus you could argue ‘normal’ civilians are more interesting to watch than celebrities: they’re less guarded and rehearsed, and give more unpredictable reactions. Still, no doubt a celebrity version would still reel in the viewers, particularly if they get the right people in…

Who Could Star In Celebrity Traitors UK?

A few names have been flying round the rumour mill. Friends star Courteney Cox – who is a friend of the show’s presenter Claudia Winkleman – is allegedly in the running. Cox is apparently a Traitors fan, and appeared in a sketch with Winkleman earlier this year. 

Winkleman has also spoken about the celebs she’d like to have on the show, saying: ‘Victoria Coren Mitchell so I can cuddle her – I know her, that sounds weird – Adam Woodyatt, always. Andrew Garfield and I’ll have Stephen Fry as well.’

Other rumoured names include:

• Rebekah Vardy
• Coleen Rooney
• Alison Hammond
• Gary Lineker
• Rylan Clark
• Matt Hancock

Which Celebrities Have Starred On The Traitors US?

The US version of The Traitors includes a mixture of ‘normal’ civilians and famous faces. Previous series have included Love Island star Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, former House of Commons Speaker John Bercow, boxer Deontay Wilder, and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Brandy Glanville.