Celebrity Traitors legend Richard E Grant hits back at claims that he faked now-iconic moment

Richard E Grant has denied claims that he deliberately exposed himself as a Traitor on The Celebrity Traitors in order to leave the BBC show early.

Grant was selected as a Traitor in the castle alongside Maya Jama, but accidentally gave his secret away in the opening episode when he admitted he was a Traitor, leading the other players to vote him out at the roundtable.

He became the first celebrity banished from the current season after his confession, describing himself as "an unfaithful traitor".

Taking to Instagram yesterday (20 October), Grant wrote: "I usually wouldn't comment on things like this, but I've been made aware some press outlets are suggesting I 'staged' my Traitors reveal to get out of filming.

"This is categorically false. I'm an avid fan of the show and have been since it first aired. Being picked as a Traitor when I was convinced I'd be a Faithful was an absolute dream and a sheer shock to the system."

The actor, known for Withnail and I and Can You Ever Forgive Me?, has since been candid about the slip. Speaking on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he called it a "completely catastrophically idiotic thing to do", saying he never imagined the other contestants would take his confession seriously.

Grant explained that the moment came just after the group had left the roundtable and he had assumed his admission to Joe Lycett would be taken as a joke rather than a genuine reveal.

Reflecting on the moment he realised his error, he joked that the producers watching on must have been stunned. "I could just see the producers mouthing, 'He said what?!'," he told Kuenssberg.

Behind the scenes, the reveal left the production team just as shocked. Speaking to Radio Times and other press, executive producer Sarah Fay said her reaction was "a mixture of a little bit of sick coming up in my mouth and a punch at the same time", and that the team had never imagined a Traitor would give the game away so soon after the roundtable.

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Ed Gamble, who hosts The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked, said Grant had been "vibrating with excitement" in the turret, adding: "It felt like he felt like he'd been given the lead role in the film, and he just had to tell everyone.

"But it's such an insane moment. I hadn't even arrived in Inverness. I watched the Traitor selection, and then I was like, 'Right, well, I better go and pack for Inverness.' And then next thing you know, my phone's buzzing on the Uncloaked Group, going, 'You will never guess what's happened!'

"This is why you never stop watching the feed because something like that could happen. And what an amazing moment! Such an insane way to start a brilliant series."

Maya Jama is now the only original Traitor remaining in the turret, with newer recruits James Acaster and King Kenny joining her to wreak havoc in the castle.

Watch Amol Rajan talk to Radio Times about his Celebrity Traitors exit below:

The Celebrity Traitors continues on Thursday 22 October at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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