The Celebrity Traitors: Interview with the first banished celebrity

Richard E. Grant was the first Traitor banished at the round table.

You got your wish when you were selected as a Traitor. What was going through your mind when you felt that tap on your shoulder?

I was absolutely exhilarated, because it was only on the fourth round of Claudia walking around that I was finally rewarded. I’d heard such panic breathing from Miranda Hart on my right-hand side, coughing from Jerry Hall on my left. Between these two respiratory ladies, I nearly gave up hope.

It would have been an excellent cover for you. Nobody would have heard you gasping with joy. And then you discovered Maya was your colleague. How did you find that partnership?

I had no idea at all because I had no interaction with Maya other than an initial meeting at the beginning. She wasn’t even on my radar as a possible fellow Traitor. But because I had botched the role so staggeringly by saying “I am a Traitor,” and then had people believe me, I had to hand over all power to Maya, and I think she enjoyed that.

What was the thinking behind telling people? Was it meant to be a big double bluff?

Joe asked me. He said, “Are you a Traitor?” I suppose what I should have done in retrospect is go round everybody and say, “Are you a Traitor? Yeah. I am a Traitor, I am Spartacus. I am a Traitor” to try and make light of it, but that may have dug my grave even deeper. It was a completely catastrophically idiotic thing to do! I can only imagine the faces of the producers looking at each other and mouthing ‘he said WHAT?!’

It certainly is a different strategy…

The strategy of no strategy is the strategy, clearly. I’d watched every iteration that I possibly could have of this game and I was manifesting, willing myself to get invited to be a Traitor so receiving that…well, I lost all sense of self control.

Straight to business with your first murder and recruiting a third Traitor all at once. What a dramatic first act! Why Amol and James?

Amol had been asking me questions, and was absolutely vehement that I was definitely a Traitor. I knew that I was absolutely in his sights, and then James Acaster, I was told, was the most trustworthy player. So, if somebody was going to be able to calm the waters, deflect and defend my having said this stupid thing, he would be the one. In retrospect, I made a second calamitously ill-judged decision by choosing him because he didn’t defend me at all. All he was thinking about was I’m now a Traitor and I must get rid of Richard as quickly as possible, which he did. Exactly what I would have done if I’d had the smarts that he does!

Did you expect the Round Table to go that way?

Yes, I did because when we were in the bar before going into the Round Table, Myha’la had made eye contact with me directly, but few others did. Miranda Hart was very friendly, and I thought, “Ah, she’s doing this to try and ameliorate the fact that she’s about to stab me” which is exactly what happened. I just felt it in the room before we headed into that Round Table.

It’s one thing getting the votes from the Faithful, but what about James and Maya? Did that surprise you?

It didn’t surprise me because they have to save themselves, and at the Round Table, James never uttered a word, other than when he was asked, “Who have you chosen and why?” He never said a word before, so he clearly listened to everything, and it was a tsunami of my name round the table. So, to have gone against that like Joanne did is risking your neck.

How did it then feel announcing to the room that you were a Traitor, and properly this time?!

I said, “it’s been my dream manifested to be chosen as a Traitor. And sometimes in life, your dreams come true, and sometimes they don’t.” And my face dropped, and all the people in front of me looked as if they had made the wrong decision. Oh my God, he is Faithful after all! And then I said, “I am an unfaithful Traitor,” to an instant unanimous standing ovation. It was a double-edged sword of the joy of being released and the humiliation of them being so glee-filled that they got one so early in the game. I gave it to them on a platter.

Do you want to see the Traitors go on and win?

I truly hope and believe that Maya and James Acaster are going to win.

What advice would you give to firstly the Traitors to go all the way, and secondly the Faithful? What should they be looking for?

They should take care not to engage with any 69-year-old actors!

And finally, if you could sum up the experience in three words, what would they be?

I’d say it’s been unforgettable, mischievous and lovely!

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