# James Acaster’s confession lifts a tentative Celebrity Traitors series

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/sky-high-ratings-for-a-lacklustre-series-the-celebrity-traitors-has-become-too-nice-for-its-own-good/
- Published: 2026-10-30T16:52:28+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-30T17:22:17+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/oct/30/celebrity-traitors-has-become-too-nice-for-its-own-good
- Topics: Art, Culture

## Key points

- James Acaster confessed to being a Traitor.
- Repeated recruitments weakened the game’s momentum.
- Record ratings have not guaranteed a compelling series.

## Summary

James Acaster admitted at the round table that he was a Traitor and had helped murder Ross Kemp, after Michael Sheen challenged him. The confession was a major moment in a series that has set ratings records, but the article argues the celebrity edition has felt tentative and failed to match the format’s usual tension.

The piece says Richard E Grant’s early mistake led to repeated Traitor recruitments, disrupting the Faithfuls’ theories and weakening the story’s momentum. It also argues that some recruits, including Acaster and Hannah Fry, seemed uncomfortable with betrayal, while familiar celebrities being eliminated early left viewers with less to enjoy. The finale could still bring surprises.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.