Last year, no less than 15 million viewers watched the first Celebrity Traitors final.
And since then, they have been waiting with bated breath for the next installment to hit their screens.
The BBC has released the trailer for the highly anticipated series, as presenter Claudia Winkleman leaves the star-studded line-up shaking in the chilling debut teaser.
The new series marks Claudia’s return to the BBC after leaving her chat show The Claudia Winkleman Show after just one series.
And back in a spooky church, the celebrities, including Maya Jama, James Blunt and Richard E Grant, gather in the pews as Claudia asks, “A moment of silence for the celebrities gathered today.”
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 most successful 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.
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
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, Joanna 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.
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.
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
The camera then panned over a terrified Miranda Hart, Rob Beckett, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Bella Ramsey (pictured left), Ross Kemp, Sharon Rooney and Richard E. Grant (pictured right)
Rob Beckett looked petrified as he sat behind fellow comedian Joe Lycett
Details about the new series are being kept a closely guarded secret, so it remains to be seen who Claudia will choose as her three betrayers.
A third of the 21 stars would end up as Traitors in a huge twist that no one saw coming
Sharon Rooney looked shocked in the teaser clip
Miranda Hart (L) and Julie Hesmondhalgh (R) both had serious expressions
Ross Kemp kept a straight face as Claudia made her dramatic exit
“Those working on the program were quite shocked by the handling of the core traitors,” one source said The sun.
‘They went on a recruitment spree never before seen on the famous or the ‘civilian’ version of the show in Britain. Last year, the three Traitors originally secretly selected by Claudia continued as a trio for the entire competition – which turned out to be a winning approach.
‘But in the sequel series that all changes. There is an exciting shift in the balance of power. Even though the entire program is based on deception, no one thought it would reach these levels.”
The Daily Mail has contacted the BBC for comment.
The first series of the celebrity version of the popular program was released in October last year and saw 49-year-old Alan win £87,500 for his chosen charity Neuroblastoma UK.
After a nail-biting season, fans were jumping for joy when a second one was confirmed – and filming began in May.
The BBC game show, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, has increased security for the upcoming series to ensure the public does not find out which of the celebrities have been chosen as traitors.
Locks have been installed in the editing room and staff are prohibited from talking about the show outside the building.
Last month an insider told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: ‘They say it has become a sort of The Masked Singer set-up, shrouded in secrecy with closed off production areas.
“Only a few people are allowed in and out.”
