THERE are just two days to go until the long-awaited launch of The Celebrity Traitors.
A line-up of this calibre is rarely seen on a reality show, but every famous face has agreed to take part because they are such HUGE fans of the.
Just two days to go until The Celebrity Traitors kicks off, with a star-studded line-up of fans ready to join host Claudia Winkleman
While they are all , the competitive stars admit they cannot wait to indulge in some treachery – and will stop at nothing to win.
TV Editor Rod McPhee looks at some of the contestants ahead of Wednesday’s debut . . .
Alan Carr
Comedian & TV host
Viewers might be surprised when they see a different side to the TV host and stand-up comic once the challenges and skullduggery kick off on Wednesday night
HE’S built a career out of making us giggle, but is serious about emerging victorious on .
If playing the game to win — and proving all his friends wrong — means not doing it for laughs, then that’s what he’s willing to do on the One murder mystery show.
Viewers might be surprised when they see a different side to the TV host and stand-up comic once the challenges and skullduggery kick off on Wednesday night.
Alan, 49, said: “I’ll have to adapt — no . It’s one of those shows where you have to shape-shift.
“You have to chat to people you wouldn’t normally chat with just to see if they are hiding anything.
“I don’t think it’s a case of how good you are at being a Traitor or a Faithful. It’s how you adapt and how you draw on your social skills.”
My friends say I’ll be the first to go.
But Alan says it will be “a miracle” if he wins and bags £100,000 for his chosen charity in the process, and that is his ultimate goal.
He added: “I’d also like to win just to wipe the smirk off some of my friends’ faces! They said, ‘Alan, you are going to go home first.’
“I think my agent’s actually booked things in for the second week and he’s said to keep the engine running.”
“It would be incredible to not only to prove to my friends but to prove I can do it to myself.”
The end result will partly depend on how Alan copes with being either a Faithful or a Traitor.
He said: “If I’m a Traitor, I’ll try to murder as many people as possible. If I’m a Faithful, I’ll try to catch those Traitors.
“Whichever side I’m on, I think you can’t help but get sucked in.
“It becomes your world and that’s the part I’m really looking forward to — the routine of it and just being fully immersed.”
Which is why, after watching two series of the hit UK show he wanted to do the celebrity spin-off, because he is a huge fan.
Alan said: “It was a no-brainer. As soon as I was asked, I didn’t even mull it over. I just said, ‘I want to do it’.
“The only other thing I’ve done is . I was addicted to The Apprentice, and I said the same when that opportunity came along.
“There’s just such an air of mystery about . And it really is iconic now, isn’t it?
“’s iconic as the host, the castle’s iconic, and the show is, so it’s just nice to be part of something iconic.”
Kate Garraway
Presenter
After supporting her family through tragedy, Kate Garraway could not resist an invite to appear on The Celebrity Traitors
IN contrast to Alan, fellow contestant signed up for the show as a bit of light relief.
She had spent years juggling her job on ITV’s with holding her family together during her late husband .
, Kate was asked to take part in The Celebrity Traitors and as a fan of the first two series she could not turn down the opportunity.
Kate said: “I’ve been through so many challenges over the past five years, I’ve faced a lot of actual life- and-death moments, and I’ve done a lot of crying.
“It’s all been so serious. So, this feels like a chance to have fun and make a little mischief, playing in what I genuinely believe is the best game on TV.”
Kate has been doing research to improve her chances. She said: “I’ve watched all the series.
“When I knew I was taking part I started to watch it all again and I saw it with a different eye.
“Then I started to get pretty nervous as it can get really brutal at the Round Table, so I just decided not to over-analyse and go for it.
“Also, I love Claudia and have worked with her on other projects, so I know she will have me in fits of giggles and be so supportive.”
Game plan is to make mischief.
Kate thinks her journalism career might give her an advantage over the other competitors, because she can spot a liar. ]
She said: “I can definitely tell when someone is hiding something when I’m interviewing them.
“The Traitors is a fascinating game where even honest people revel in the idea of playing their fantasy self and there are some brilliant actors.
“But I’m so excited to meet such fabulous and famous people I may be fan-girling so much that I won’t be able to properly assess the situation like I do in ‘work mode’.”
Kate also admits she doesn’t have a strategy to win. She said: “I’ve seen people try it in previous series and I think it can backfire.
” If I’ve got any strategy it’s just to make the most of it and enjoy every moment.
“When I watch it at home, the mischievous part of me loves the idea of being a Traitor, especially as I don’t think anyone would suspect me, but the truth is I’m dreadful at lying.
“I don’t think I could look someone in the eye at the Round Table and tell a bare-face lie. I’m the sort of person who looks really guilty walking through Customs even though I’ve got nothing to hide.
“If I am a Traitor, though, I’ll give it my all.”
Singer
Charlotte Church is eager to test her intuitive skills and see how her focus on self-nurturing and awareness of others plays out
“I’M looking forward to testing my intuitive skills, which are such an important aspect of what it is to be a human being.
“Part of what I’ve been working on in myself for the last couple of years is focusing on nurturing myself, and being back in my body, rather than constantly in the mind.
“Hopefully, that makes you much more sensitive to your environment.
“And, of course, the environment includes other humans. I’m just really fascinated to see how it all pans out.”
Actor
Mark Bonnar hopes his people skills and perceptiveness will give him an edge as he tackles the challenges and intrigue on The Celebrity Traitors
“I THINK I’ll bring my people skills into it. I don’t know if I’ll bring my acting skills. Well, I might have to . . . who knows?
“I think what I have is a good ear, I’m good at listening to people – I’m friendly, I’m personable, I’m fairly perceptive.
“I like to think I can sense when something’s not quite right and I think I’m a good team player.
“I can’t imagine anything better than running around in a forest trying to solve puzzles.
“It’s the rest of the game that I worry about!”
Rugby ace
Rugby star Joe Marler says he’ll play dumb and friendly as a cover – but when the game starts his ‘game face’ will be on and he’s there to win
“MY strategy, if I’m a Traitor, is to play dumb and friendly. ‘I’m just really happy to be here.
“How much fun is this? Oh, my God! How nice is the castle! Have you tried the food? Yeah, the food is incredible’ – that sort of attitude.
“Little do they know I’m plotting to murder them!
“I’m here to win it. I’m not here to just be like, what a great experience.
“I might think that afterwards, grateful to have played whatever part I had in it.
“But as soon as that game begins, my game face is on.”
Broadcaster & presenter
Jonathan Ross is thrilled to experience The Celebrity Traitors firsthand and plans to assume everyone is a Traitor
“I LOVE the show. I’ve watched all the versions around the world, and I love playing games.
“I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be in the castle.
“It’s one of those experiences that money can’t buy – to actually be in The Traitors after you’ve watched it so many times.
“Because, of course, we all watch at home, and I’m fascinated to see how it feels to be right in the middle of the action.
“Also, because I don’t trust any celebrities, I think I’m going to assume they’re all Traitors!”
Actress & comedian
Actress and comedian Tameka Empson has vowed she won’t be the first out
“IF I am chosen to be a Traitor, I like to think that I’m the one that people would least expect.
“That said, I think it might be a bit stressful.
“So maybe I should be a Faithful. Oh, I just don’t know! I think I’d be a good Traitor though.
“I’m not going out first! I hope Claudia is good at improvisation – because I am not going out first.
“I just won’t go. I will just refuse. It’s going to be different.
“Yeah, sorry everyone but I’m staying. How about that for a plot twist?!”
Olympic diving champion
Tom Daley is determined to win while having fun – and he plans to keep up his knitting every day
“I’M very competitive. Oh, I want to win. That’s the whole point of the game.
“I’m there to have fun, but at the same time I want to do well.
“I’m spending this time away from my family so I’m fully putting myself into it and I want to do them proud.
“And absolutely every day I’ll be doing my knitting.
“I’ve got a whole suitcase full of wool!
Actress
Actress Ruth Codd admits she’s not as dark or active as she appears on TV and plans to delegate tasks during the missions
“I THINK because of the way I dress, everyone thinks I’m dark and spooky all the time. And because of the parts I play.
“I’m not really like my roles at all. Well, I’d like to think so, because I normally end up playing really mean people!
“I’m not really looking forward to the missions – I’m not a huge fan of exercise.
“I’m not an active gal, and that’s not a disabled thing, that’s a laziness thing.
“I will probably pull the disabled card and just delegate. That’s probably what I’m going to do!”
Comedian
Joe Wilkinson says he’s embracing the challenge on The Celebrity Traitors and will be happy to be chosen as a Traitor or Faithful
“I’M a big fan of the show. I turned 50 and I thought I’d like to do some weirder stuff.
“When the show was first out, I always said I wanted to be a Faithful because I thought it would be too stressful to be a Traitor.
“Now I’m here, I’m kind of thinking ‘in for a penny’.
“So, I don’t know, and I think I’ll only know how I’ll feel if I get the tap on my shoulder.
“I think a bit of all of us will be like, that’s a blessed relief if we’re not chosen. That said, I would like to see the turret.”
