Richard E Grant's blunder steals spotlight in Celebrity Traitors premiere

The coffin arrived first. Claudia Winkleman emerged from it in a church, carried aloft by druids, to greet twenty-one celebrities who had gathered to play The Celebrity Traitors. "That was quite the nap," she said, stepping out into the gothic theatre of it all. Model Jerry Hall spotted the resemblance between Winkleman's entrance and Cleopatra's grandeur, calling out "Claudiapatra!" The host had considered hiding in a suit of armour instead, or perhaps a grandfather clock—she'd settled on the coffin as her preferred bit of pageantry.

But Winkleman's arrival was not what the first episode would be remembered for. That distinction belonged to Richard E Grant, who managed to undo the entire premise of the game within minutes of learning he was a traitor. Selected alongside presenter Maya Jama as two of three traitors, Grant immediately turned to those around him and announced, with apparent glee, that he was indeed a traitor. The silence that followed was audible. Singer James Blunt laughed it off as "an interesting angle." Comic Rob Beckett told him: "I think you've just done something that's never happened in the game—it is a bold strategy." Grant later confessed to camera that this may have been "the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life." He'd been so thrilled at being chosen that his excitement had simply spilled out.

The next day, ex-BBC journalist Amol Rajan approached Grant to ask what had happened. Rather than weaving doubt or laying careful groundwork, Grant simply admitted he'd been so blatant about wanting the role that when asked directly, he'd said yes. It was an odd response, perhaps because he was flustered. Rajan dubbed him the "Lord of Chaos." Yet Jerry Hall, who has known Grant for thirty years and is his neighbour, chose to believe him innocent. "He says and does eccentric things," she said. "He's an amazing guy, but I think he's acting out because he's not been chosen." Miranda Hart, the comic and writer, also suspected Grant might be faithful, though she admitted confusion. Winkleman herself thought Grant had simply been giddy—thrilled like an actor who'd landed a lead role and couldn't help telling everyone.

Grant eventually stepped back, letting the cooler and more composed Jama take the lead in their strategic decisions. Meanwhile, the other celebrities were busy establishing their own positions. Ross Kemp, the former EastEnders actor turned documentary-maker, admitted his nervousness in the church but came alive during the task. Alongside ex-army captain James Blunt, he led teams to find treasure on a pirate ship, securing £15,000. But back in the castle, paranoia consumed him. When Bella Ramsey placed a captain's hat on his head in celebration, and then Leigh-Anne Pinnock from Little Mix touched his arm as she passed, Kemp became convinced he'd been murdered by a traitor. Ed Gamble, who hosts the spin-off show Uncloaked, found it hilarious: "What a variety of men live within the Ross Kemp sphere. He's a big hard man running that mission. And then immediately terrified of a member of Little Mix touching him on the arm."

Other celebrities had made their intentions clear. Hannah Fry, the mathematician, said she was "dripping with prefect energy" and wanted to be a faithful. YouTuber King Kenny wanted to be perceived as innocent so he could "avenge Niko," referring to Niko Omilana, who'd been banished first in series one. Actress Myha'la aimed to seem "doughy-eyed, fun, and maybe a little naïve," a departure from her scheming character in Industry. Fashion became its own subplot: Rob Beckett observed that Julie Hesmondhalgh, wearing a shield she'd won, looked like "a cardinal" in her long red dress. Joe Lycett arrived in a polka-dot shorts suit with a purple feather collar. Jerry Hall wanted to stay long enough to "wear all my fabulous outfits." James Blunt deadpanned: "Well, look, if you go early, I'll wear your outfits."

The episode's final twist arrived when Grant and Jama had to select their third traitor. Two celebrities would be chosen to meet them in person, argue for survival, and one would join the traitor team while the other became the show's first murder victim. Grant chose Amol Rajan and James Acaster—both had pressured him about his blunder. "Amol is the biggest Rottweiler on me," Grant said, hoping to deflect suspicion. "James Acaster is laser-eyed in his conviction that I am a traitor." Acaster, despite wanting to be a faithful, made his case: "If I go tonight, the first person they're looking at is you." Rajan leaned into his credentials as a lie-detector: "I do think I am uniquely placed to take the heat off you. I'm here because I sniff out liars for a living. If I'm on your side, I'll throw them off the scent." Both men then lay in coffins, as Winkleman had, to await their fate. Rajan had said earlier that he was "90% that nice, warm guy who's on the news, but I'm also 10% psychopath." Whether his Machiavellian side would emerge remained to be seen.