Celebrity Traitors' Richard E Grant apologised to Amol Rajan in 'clear the air' lunch

Celebrity Traitors' Richard E Grant apologised to Amol Rajan in 'clear the air' lunch Celebrity Traitors is back on the BBC for its second series after a successful run last year, and it's already seen the biggest faux pas of any of the series ever... Celebrity Traitors is back - and Richard E. Grant might have pulled off the biggest act of self-sabotage the show has ever seen, before ruining it again on Friday with another faux pas. The veteran actor and presenter Maya Jama were picked as the first two Traitors with the episode ending on a huge cliffhanger as fans wait to see who they have recruited or murdered. It ended up being James recruited, and Amol murdered. As the show got underway on Friday night, Richard E Grant made another mistake - and refused to deny he was a Traitor once more, whilst in the mission, Hannah and Jerry found out they'd be up for the next murder. In a dramatic cliffhanger, the celebs were about to vote for their first banishment, with all eyes on Richard... Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads. Key Events Amol Rajan had 'clear the air' lunch with Richard E Grant after show Amol Rajan has revealed he cleared the air with Richard E Grant after being murdered on Celebrity Traitors. Speaking on Radio 4 today, the Journalist, 43, said that the actor, 69, apologised to him and said that he went "completely mad" on the BBC show. "Absolutely [I played it all wrong]," he said. "There is generally a tactic that is applicable and effective - you've got to try and stay schtum. And the one or two things I might say in my defence are: you know how these things work—it's all in the edit. Also, lots of people were having a go at Richard, we all had a go at him because he said he was a traitor, which has never happened before and is a completely ludicrous thing to do. "So it wasn't just me doing it. I actually had a lunch with him (it was all filmed in Spring) a few weeks ago, and I did ask him and he said, 'I'm so sorry, I went completely mad and thought you were a threat.' So, in my defence, there were other people asking hard questions as well but my strategy as it was got me this close to becoming a traitor which, ah I would have loved!" Headache for BBC bosses as US version 'spoiling' huge twists While BBC bosses might be celebrating the soaring ratings for Celebrity Traitors, it's going to prove to be a bit tricky to prevent spoilers leaking out. It's usually a watertight operation for producers, despite being filmed months ago in May. The series is shot back-to-back with the US version's latest series at Ardross castle in the Scottish Highlands. Filming the shows, which includes using the same props and challenges, in quick succession isn't usually a problem. However, for the first time, the US series is airing two weeks ahead of the UK version. In the first episodes of the US version, called Traitors: New Blood, two traitors had to recruit two faithfuls to battle it out to become the third traitor. The unsuccessful faithful was then killed off. Viewers watched a similar version play out on Celebrity Traitors involving Richard E Grant, Maya Jama, Amol Rajan and James Acaster. Brutal Celebrity Traitors photo profiles TV photo promos have a history of sometimes being a little... off. And that could not be more the case for poor Rob Beckett and his Celebrity Traitors profile. "I think there's a traitor in the photoshop department," he quipped as he shared a photo of himself looking spaced out with an unsettling grin. "What the f*** has happened to my face." Among those to find it hilarious was his Traitors co-star Maya Jama, who posted three laughing crying emojis and wrote: "they did us all dirty tbh." While comedian Lloyd Griffith wrote: "You look like you’ve found God." Rob hit back: "@lloydgriffith or seen the Devil." His wife Lou even muscled in on the jokes, warning: "I’m using AI to replace you in every photo in the house with this one." Record could be set ahead of first banishment If poor Richard E Grant finds himself banished next, it will set a record for the earliest Traitor catch in the history of the UK show. A Traitor has never been caught in the first banishment. Hugo, from series four, was caught in the second banishment, while Ash, from series two, and Armani, from series three, were both caught in the third banishment. It won't, however, be an international record, as the first series of the New Zealand version caught Traitor Loryn in the first banishment they held. Amol shares one tactic 'you should try to abide by' on the show Friday’s episode ended on a cliffhanger, after Grant attracted the most attention at the roundtable. The actor had accidentally revealed to multiple people he was a traitor shortly after he found out his role in Thursday’s episode. Speaking about Grant’s gaffe, Amol added: “What was that about? I mean no one’s ever done that. I mean who knows? I think the one tactic that you should try to abide by is to keep a little bit, you know, fly under the radar a little bit for the first few days. Just shut up for the first few shows.” Amol Rajan admits he played ‘the wrong game’ Journalist Amol Rajan has admitted he played “the wrong game” after he became the first player to be murdered. Speaking on The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked on Friday, Rajan said: “It’s hard not to watch it and think I, obviously, with 20/20 hindsight, I played the wrong game. That was a crazy, crazy once-in-a-lifetime (opportunity).” The former Today Show host said that he felt that if he had been recruited, he would have made a good traitor. He said: “Obviously, I wish I’d been chosen, and I wish I’d been a traitor. I can say, hand on heart, that if I’d been chosen as a traitor in the first, when Maya and Richard were, if I got the nod or the tap at the roundtable, I think it would have thrown me a bit. “I’d be like, ‘what am I doing? what’s going on?’, having genuinely spent a day as a faithful, if I’d then been recruited, I think I would have been quite a good traitor because I’d actually known what it was like to be a faithful. Tell us your thoughts... Fans react to episode two One X user wrote: "A little disappointed tbh, it's clear as day Richard is going so we've got a dead cliffhanger but we're also loosing someone with incredible potential so early and for no good reason but his own stupidity. A huge name and character gone for nothing." Another said: "Mixed positive, lacking real intrigue in the cliffhangers so far. Potential to be a great series but not as quick off the mark as all previous UK series. Richard has to go or the series will fester til he’s gone." A third wrote: "Loving it as always but I always tune off a bit during the tasks. Really didn't understand the grave digging thing." Joe Lycett's Traitors 'diary' Joe appeared on his Channel 4 show The Lycett Arms this evening, where he shared excerpts of his 'diary'. "I can't give too much away, but I did keep a diary throughout, so I thought I'll share the bits that I'm allowed to. Okay, here we go," he told viewers. Reading his diary, he quipped: "So day one, we arrive at the castle, and I'm surprised to see it's much smaller in real life. About the size of an average Greggs. Inside, it's kitted out to look like a Greggs. I realised I got off the train at the wrong stop and I'm actually in a Greggs." "Later on, Richard E. Grant announces to us all that he was Jack the Ripper. Day two me, Jerry Hall and Michael Sheen decide to gang up on Jo Whiley. She's not in the game, but this is a plan for afterwards." His jokes continued, adding: "Day four. Claudia tells us that while in possession of our phones, she's downloaded all the data on them. She takes me to one side and says 'I agree with everything you said about Tess Daly. I've been carrying her for decades.' Celebrity Traitors viewers left fuming Celebrity Traitors viewers were left fuming with how Leigh-Anne Pinnock was treated during the roundtable. On X one viewer wrote: "Yeah sorry but I’m always touching up my make up because I have oily skin, justice for Leigh-Anne". Another added: "Re Leigh-Anne touching up her makeup, I thought they’re not supposed to use external factors in their reasonings- only things directly related to the game?" A third said: "Leigh-Anne might get banished and I will lose it if she does". Someone else wrote: "Leave Leigh-Anne alone" as another added: "I'm so upset this is so unfair on Leigh-Anne." Maya's smart move Did you notice this about Maya's roundtable remarks about Richard? She said: “Richard, obviously we all love you. I’ve just been thinking he’s a bit wacky, he’s a bit woo-woo... You’ve been dancing around the place saying loads of crazy things…” The Love Islander presenter stopped short of giving her fellow Traitor a full throttled defence but also didn't throw him under the bus either. As such, she's played a blinder - if Richard survives, he won't feel betrayed by her, and if he doesn't, then she can claim she suspected him. Well played, Maya. Well played. Truth behind Celebrity Traitors' Jerry Hall's bonkers Bonnie and Clyde admission Jerry Hall insists being the perfect Faithful is in her blood as she joins the cast of The Traitors - but just how accurate are her claims? The fabulous Texan supermodel tells the cast of the BBC show that her uncle was responsible for capturing infamous American outlaws Bonnie and Clyde. The couple roamed the United States with their gang during the Great Depression between 1932 and 1934 indulging in a spree of criminal acts kidnapping, bank robberies and even murder. They were eventually ambushed and killed by a law enforcement posse, led by retired Texas Ranger Frank Hamer. "My relations were all law enforcement officers," Jerry says. "My uncle was a Texan Ranger - he caught Bonnie and Clyde. So beneath this dumb blonde is a smart brunette." Celebrity Traitors set to oust Richard E Grant and break baddie banishment record According to TV Editor Nicola Methven, Richard E. Grant is up for the chop in a record setting victory for the Faithfuls: "The cast of The Celebrity Traitors is gearing up to become the first group ever to catch a Traitor at their first roundtable - with Richard E Grant now firmly in their sights." Read more of what Nicola had to say here... Joe Lycett reveals Traitors spoilers Joe Lycett has said he's giving away as much as he can about the Celebrity Traitors on his show The Lycett Arms... Obviously, that's nothing, so instead he's offered some jokes. According to Joe, Richard E. Grant confessed to being Jack the Ripper and to creating the Atomic Bomb, Ross Kemp became convinced that a hand dryer was trying to kill him and the game took so long that the celebs resorted to eating each other. Sounds like an, erm, lovely time? Joe Lycett jokes about Ross Kemp's paranoia In the opening song of his Channel 4 show The Lycett Arms, Celeb Traitors Faithful Joe Lycett has poked fun at his co-star Ross Kemp. "If you want to keep things calm, don't touch Ross Kemp's arm!" Joe sang to the camera. Ross has been incredible paranoid so far on the Traitors. Almost every time someone comes near him, he thinks he's about to be murdered in plain sight... even when one star just tapped him on the arm. An iconic Traitors moment? Will this Traitors moment go down in history? James Blunt very confidently said that the likely explanation is often the simplest one... and then proceeded to give us a very complicated explanation for why Hannah Fry might be a Traitor. All while, ironically, ignoring the very simple idea that the most likely Traitor is probably the person who said they were a Traitor. It's so classically Traitors for someone to jump to the wrong conclusion with such confidence, though. Celebrity Traitors fan lays out plan for success What do we think of this plan a Celeb Traitors fan has come up with: "BANISH richard RECRUIT bella BETRAY maya and WIN" I reckon they're onto something - Richard is obviously a liability and a goner already, Bella is clearly intelligent, and as for Maya, some people have her in their cross hairs already so she might be the next easiest Traitor to throw under the bus... Amol backs James Despite James' recruitement being the reason Amol left, he's convinced the newest Traitor may become the best one. Asked if he knew who the Traitors were before they were revealed to him, he had no idea. "No, I can’t say I did. Not with Maya anyway. I mean, it all makes sense in hindsight. And Richard straight up told us! I think the Faithful have got a real challenge now with Acaster in the mix. I think he is going to be brilliant," he said. Amol Rajan's Traitors funeral Richard's confession Richard E Grant appeared on the radio today to give out a cash prize, and quipped he had “a tendency to get to the punchline too quickly” after his Traitors mistake. He was handing out a prize of £1.25 million pounds to Andy from Essex, saying: "Hi it’s Richard E Grant and I’m just calling to tell you, your life has changed forever, because you have just won 1.25 million pounds. Congratulations! I have a tendency to get to the punchline too quickly sometimes! [laughs]” Andy from Essex said "I can’t believe this, is this really genuine?" Amol speaks out "I knew fame is this mask that you go on with. People think they know you but they don't really," he said. Amol said he wanted to "shut up" and not focus on his journalist background. Amol was asked about Richard's Traitor comment - joking "what the hell was that about". Next murder victim 'revealed' There has been much debate by fans on whether Jerry or Hannah would be next to be murdered, given they were the only two shortlisted for death. Harriet, a key Faithful from one of the previous series, is convinced Jerry will head home. She thinks it's too 'obvious' to murder Hannah and puts more suspicion on the Traitors. Fans agreed, with one writing: "Honestly a baller traitor strategy would be to go after Jerry and frame Hannah as a recruited traitor, not only has she thrown suspicion that isn’t correct so far but that will have people not trust what she says that IS helpful. Plus good for missions #CelebrityTraitors." Richard's skating on thin ice... Is this the end for Richard? Our TV editor Nicola Methven writes: "Richard E Grant’s chance of staying in the show for longer than the first few minutes of the next episode is looking gossamer thin. Claudia described his bizarre entrance into the game, complete with instant blurt-out, as “iconic”. But I think idiotic is surely a more fitting description. Imagine being so delighted to be somewhere, so incredibly happy to have landed the role you really wanted - that you instantaneously stuff it right up. Richard, you plonker. The editing of this second episode was interesting. Viewers were given enough of the round-table arguments to see which way the wind was blowing (hurricane for Richard). But they stopped short of showing any names being written on slates, presumably because it would give the game away entirely." So my prediction is that it’s a landslide victory for the Faithful against Richard, and he’s sent packing - leathers or no leathers. Hannah's putting herself at risk.. Well Hannah is effectively sealing the envelope on her own death letter from the Traitors... She said the Traitors are not 'bluffing' and are not 'sure', and Richard comes under fire again. It really is going to end badly for Richard very soon... "It's too obvious" they say - well yes it is! Roundtable begins! Our first roundtable of the series - and so far it seems quite relaxed. There's talk about Julie's incredible acting, and now talk is on whether Richard is a Traitor. He's now being asked to give his theories on who the Traitors are - can he keep this going, or is he about to expose himself as a Traitor AGAIN? A traitorous Traitor? We usually get some backstabbing from the Traitors but not in Day 2! If we're being honest, James was the only choice when it came to recruitment, but he's already made it clear that he's not opposed to throwing Richard under the bus. And if I were him, I'd do it too. Save yourself James, Richard's too much of a loose cannon. Who is Sebastian? Sebastian Croft made his debut on The Celebrity Traitors on Thursday night, and can now be seen competing on Claudia Winkleman's hit BBC show alongside a host of famous faces. Sebastian Croft, also known as Bash Croft, is an actor, and, at 24 years old has already had quite the career, appearing in some of TV's biggest hits. Born in Oxford, he was privately educated at the prestigious Dragon School, which also boasts comedian Jack Whitehall and Harry Potter star Emma Watson amongst its alumni. Underdog Rob has the best theory! Well, Rob has just made a good point. If Jerry and Hannah had both been Traitors, what would happen tomorrow morning, as no one else could be murdered and Traitors couldn't murder themselves?! Interesting how producers could have handled that if it had happened! Traitor heaven! If I were a Traitor, I'd be over the moon with having just Hannah and Jerry on my murder list. For starters, neither of them have pointed the finger much, so there's no reason it would cause the others to get suspicious and even better, I wouldn't have much of a choice. When you've got everyone to pick from, the faithfuls are going to wonder why you picked that celeb to murder, but when you've only got two? Well, your hands were tied, anyone could have made that choice. This is Traitor heaven, an easy kill! Murder awaits! Just TWO stars are up for murder next. Our TV editor Nicola Methven writes: "When Jerry Hall was deciding that “haggis” was on the menu for her while lying in a shallow grave - did she spare a thought for poor Professor Hannah alongside her? I think not. Of course, Hannah took it in her stride and pretended it was all OK. But now both of them are for the chop and it’s a great shame, because they are two people we really want to stay. Hannah because she’s so damn clever - just wait til you hear her analysis of the Traitors during the roundtable later - and Jerry because she’s so funny. Anyone who sits around laughing at Romesh and Rob, and calling them “my boys”, should not be bumped off. Hmmm. I hope the producers could think of a clever ruse to keep them in the castle but - it’s not looking good ladies."