It has been revealed that The Celebrity Traitors will return on September 23 – after last year’s star Joe Marler leaked the date.
The former rugby star joined Richard Osman and Marina Hyde for a live edition of their The Rest Is Entertainment podcast at London’s Southbank Center on Saturday.
And as the trio chatted, Joe gave his advice to this year’s contestants, before announcing the date the show will return to screens.
Joe said, ‘What is it, September 23rd, next series?’ as Richard confirmed: ‘By the way, just to point out that there’s an absolute embargo on it starting on September 23rd… the cat’s out of the closet, isn’t it?’
The BBC released the trailer for the highly anticipated series last month, as presenter Claudia Winkleman left the star-studded line-up shaking in the chilling debut teaser.
After Alan Carr triumphed as Traitor in the series last year, this year celebrities including Maya Jama, James Blunt and Richard E Grant will enter the tower.
Celebrity Traitors release date leaked by Joe Marler and Richard Osman as they broke strict embargo during live show
He joined Richard and Marina Hyde for a live edition of their The Rest Is Entertainment podcast at London’s Southbank Centre, saying: ‘What is it, September 23, next series?’
Richard explained that he had spoken to some of the stars involved in this year’s series, noting: “Sounds like it was pretty intense,” which Joe said was very different to his series.
Joe said, “I think it was a slightly different emotion than our experience. Ours was very hilarious, and everyone enjoyed catching up, you know, and talked to the point where they said, “Guys, we’re trying to play a game.”
‘It’s not just for laughs – “Oh, remember when you went to that party, honey?…”
‘Whereas these people really want it from the start and then I think they see how well the first series went and there’s a bit of pressure on them to say, “Oh, I wouldn’t mind a bit of that.”
Maya and Jerry Hall are two of the biggest names leading this year’s cast, along with legendary actor Richard E. Grant and comedian Romesh Ranganathan.
Michael Sheen, Miranda Hart, Ross Kemp, Bella Ramsey and James Blunt are also heading to Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands.
Comedians Rob Beckett, Joe Lycett, Joanne McNally and James Acaster will also take part, alongside Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
The line-up is completed by mathematician Hannah Fry, broadcaster Amol Rajan, Coronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, prankster King Kenny, Industry star Myha’la, Heartstopper’s Sebastian Croft and My Mad Fat Diary’s Sharon Rooney.
Meanwhile, the new series marks Claudia’s return to the BBC after she walked away from her chat show The Claudia Winkleman Show after just one series.
In the new trailer, the celebrities gather in the pews of a creepy church as Claudia asks, “A moment of silence for the celebrities gathered today.”
Maya and Jerry Hall are two of the biggest names leading this year’s cast, along with legendary actor Richard E. Grant and comedian Romesh Ranganathan
Claudia Winkleman left Maya Jama, James Blunt and Richard E Grant shaking in chilling teaser
Michael Sheen and Maya Jama sit in the pews of a creepy church in the trailer for the latest series
The camera then panned over a terrified Miranda Hart, Rob Beckett, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Bella Ramsey, Ross Kemp and Sharon Rooney.
“Thoughts and prayers,” Claudia said before walking down the aisle, adding, “Who doesn’t love a dramatic exit.”
Funeral-style flowers can be seen behind Claudia, reading ‘RIP VIP’.
Details about the new series are being kept under wraps, so it remains to be seen who Claudia will choose as her three betrayers.
With this line-up proving to be the best yet, it was previously reported that bosses were forced to double their £1 million budget in a bid to meet the demands of the A-List contestants.
In June it was reported that the show’s producers are ‘shocked’ by the way the new series has developed after the original Traitors went on a ‘recruitment spree’.
A third of the 21 stars would end up as Traitors in a huge twist that no one saw coming.
Insiders say the tactic caused an “exciting power shift” in the game, reaching new levels of backstabbing and betrayal.
It’s said to be completely different to the first series of the Celebrity spin-off, which saw Alan Carr and Cat Burns remain together as Traitors for the entire series after Jonathan Ross was previously banned.
