The Celebrity Traitors returns tonight with 21 stars and an expanded run

The Celebrity Traitors returns for its second series tonight with a larger cast, an extra episode and a schedule that will take the BBC competition through October. BBC News reported that 21 celebrities will gather at the round table this year, two more than took part in the first series, as Claudia Winkleman again presides over the game.

The extended opening episode runs for 75 minutes from 20:00 BST on Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer. BBC News said the series will continue every Thursday and Friday throughout October, with 10 episodes in total. The companion programme Uncloaked will air immediately afterwards on BBC One and BBC Sounds, with Ed Gamble returning as host.

Key facts about The Celebrity Traitors series two

• BBC News reported that 21 celebrities are taking part, two more than last year.
• The opening episode begins at 20:00 BST on Thursday and lasts 75 minutes, according to BBC News.
• BBC News said the full series consists of 10 episodes, airing on Thursdays and Fridays throughout October.
• The celebrities are competing to build a £100,000 prize for charity, with the final amount determined by their performance in the tasks, BBC News reported.
• Uncloaked follows the main programme on BBC One and BBC Sounds, with Ed Gamble hosting, according to BBC News.

The Guardian's TV tonight column described the return as the British television event of the year finally arriving, reflecting the scale of attention surrounding the follow-up. BBC News reported that the first Celebrity Traitors became the most-watched television programme of 2025 in the UK, drawing an audience of 15 million, with Alan Carr winning the series.

A cast spanning acting, comedy, music and broadcasting

BBC News said this year's group includes Michael Sheen, Jerry Hall, Richard E Grant, Amol Rajan, Bella Ramsey, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Maya Jama, King Kenny, Professor Hannah Fry, Romesh Ranganathan, Myha'la, Joe Lycett, James Acaster and Joanne McNally. The larger group gives the second series 21 players around the round table.

Several contestants have already indicated how they intend to approach the social strategy at the centre of the programme. BBC News reported that Ramsey said their interest goes back to games played at drama clubs and at home. "I've been playing a version of The Traitors since I was 10 years old," Ramsey said.

Professor Hannah Fry told BBC News she is "toxically competitive" and has already examined previous games for "statistical patterns". Leigh-Anne Pinnock, meanwhile, sought advice from singer Cat Burns, who reached last year's final as a traitor. According to BBC News, Pinnock recalled Burns telling her that the round table could become intense but that she should remember "it's just a game".

The comedians are also conscious that their professional instincts may attract early suspicion. BBC News quoted James Acaster saying: "I think we're going to be the first ones under the magnifying glass being looked at." Romesh Ranganathan said friendship would not prevent him betraying fellow comedian Rob Beckett, arguing that Beckett would be just as capable of turning against him if given the chance.

How the expanded series is structured

Element	Series two detail
Contestants	21 celebrities, according to BBC News
Opening episode	75 minutes from 20:00 BST on Thursday, BBC News reported
Total episodes	10, airing Thursdays and Fridays through October, according to BBC News
Prize	Up to £100,000 for charity, depending on task performance, BBC News said
Companion show	Uncloaked, hosted by Ed Gamble, immediately after the main programme, BBC News reported

The expansion follows the response to the previous series. BBC News said the new run has an extra episode after the popularity of its predecessor, while the number of celebrities has risen from 19 to 21.

Executive producer Sarah Fay told BBC News that the production team "always want to push the envelope" with the elaborate tasks. At the press launch, she said the team continually looks to evolve existing concepts or build new ideas around different cultural references.

What the trailer shows

BBC News reported that the trailer begins with the contestants arriving at a church before travelling to the castle in a fleet of black cars. Winkleman then chooses her traitors while the group is blindfolded, establishing the central deception before the competition moves into its first mission.

That opening task takes the celebrities into a lake wearing wetsuits, according to BBC News. The trailer closes with Winkleman's warning: "Fame won't save them."

Winkleman told BBC News that once filming is under way, her attention is fixed on the players. She described spending her time watching monitors from a room at the castle and joked that she sits there "like a weirdo just applying fake tan, watching". She added that when producers tell her to leave, she responds: "I am not leaving".

Her wardrobe also remains part of the programme's visual identity. BBC News quoted Winkleman describing this year's style as "human crow meets golf caddy meets the Artful Dodger", adding that the team was happy with the result.

Uncloaked returns with Ed Gamble

The main episodes will again be followed by Uncloaked, giving the series an immediate post-show discussion on BBC One and BBC Sounds. BBC News reported that Gamble watched "hours of footage a day" while preparing for the companion programme.

Gamble described how closely his routine became tied to what was happening inside the game. "So when they're eating breakfast, I'm eating breakfast watching them eat breakfast," he told BBC News. He joked that he would usually be sitting in his pyjamas eating cereal while watching the contestants do the same.

The combination of an expanded cast, an additional episode and the return of Uncloaked gives the second series a broader footprint than its predecessor. BBC News reported that the celebrities will be trying to maximise the charitable prize through their performance in the tasks while also navigating the central battle between faithfuls and traitors.

With the opener beginning at 20:00 BST and lasting 75 minutes, BBC News said the new series starts its Thursday-and-Friday pattern tonight. The Guardian's assessment of its arrival as a major British television event follows a first celebrity series that BBC News reported reached 15 million viewers and became the UK's most-watched programme of 2025.

Frequently asked questions

What time does The Celebrity Traitors series two start tonight?

BBC News reported that the extended opening episode begins at 20:00 BST on Thursday and runs for 75 minutes. The series will then continue every Thursday and Friday throughout October.

How many celebrities are taking part in The Celebrity Traitors?

BBC News said 21 celebrities are taking part in the second series, two more than last year. The group includes Michael Sheen, Bella Ramsey, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Hannah Fry, Romesh Ranganathan and James Acaster.

How many episodes are in The Celebrity Traitors series two?

BBC News reported that the second series contains 10 episodes. They will air on BBC One and iPlayer at 20:00, with Uncloaked following immediately afterwards.

What are the celebrities playing for?

BBC News said the contestants are competing for a £100,000 prize for charity. The final sum depends on how successfully they perform in the programme's tasks.