The BBC has issued a welfare statement after filming of Celebrity Traitors was halted during the semi-final when James Acaster became visibly upset
Carrington Walker Live News Journalist and Benjamin Blosse
12:06, 30 Oct 2026
James Acaster made a never before seen move in last night’s episode(Image: BBC)
The BBC has released a statement following dramatic events that unfolded during last night’s episode of the hit programme The Celebrity Traitors.
The semi-final descended into chaos when James Acaster revealed himself as a traitor at the round table. Following Thursday night’s broadcast, it emerged that filming had to be suspended when Acaster became distressed during the dramatic finale.
The 41-year-old comedian was then banished from the roundtable after his confession. However, the episode needed substantial editing after production ground to a halt, according to the Manchester Evening News.
James Acaster at the Round Table during the penultimate episode of the Celebrity Traitors(Image: Euan Cherry/Studio Lambert/BBC/Press Association)
Welfare assessment
He also reportedly received a welfare assessment before the roundtable commenced. An insider told The Sun: “What you don’t see is the moment when James got upset as he crumbled when he could see he was about to be caught.
“Both the producers and the other celebrities could see how he was struggling with the pressure of keeping his true identity secret and he reached some kind of breaking point when he was confronted. That saw the team feel compelled to intervene, and filming was brought to a halt as they assessed the situation. They spoke to both James and the rest of the stars and didn’t allow filming to resume until they were sure everyone was in a fit state.”
The BBC has now confirmed that contestants’ welfare remains their “highest priority”. A BBC spokesperson stated: “Our highest priority is always the safety and welfare of everyone taking part.
“Players are closely monitored and supported throughout by production which includes a dedicated and experienced welfare team”. A representative for Acaster declined to comment.
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Maya Jama (Image: BBC)
What Acaster said afterwards
Acaster entered the game as a faithful but was subsequently recruited as a traitor, a role he found deeply challenging.
The stand-up comic came under fire at the roundtable following a discussion surrounding former EastEnders star Ross Kemp’s murder in plain sight, during which he struggled to mount a convincing defence.
He told his fellow contestants: “I just want to explain my situation, I was made a traitor without wanting to be. I’ve had a unique experience on this that no-one’s had before, where I wanted to be a faithful and that’s all I’ve wanted to be.
“I couldn’t just go ‘guys it’s me, vote for me’, but that’s all I can do really’.”
Acaster revealed he had deliberately drawn attention to the perfume bottles responsible for Kemp’s death. After receiving the highest number of votes at the roundtable, the comedian remarked: “When I came into this experience I told Claudia (Winkleman, the show’s presenter) that all I wanted to be was a faithful, and all I wanted to do is go around this castle and try and help the faithfuls as much as possible catching traitors.
“I’m really proud to say that’s what I’ve been able to do, under the circumstances. I am, reluctantly, a traitor.”
Acaster becomes the second traitor this series to expose their true colours before being rumbled, following Richard E Grant’s accidental slip-up moments after his selection. After the programme, Acaster suggested his exit – which included scenes cut from the broadcast after production was paused – has paved the way for an exciting Celebrity Traitors finale.
He remarked: “I feel pretty good getting to episode nine, and now we’ve got a proper final on our hands. With three Traitors, it would have been a foregone conclusion that we were going to win. Don’t get me wrong, I thought it was hilarious at one point that we were just going to walk our way to the final and win the whole thing, but this is much better, isn’t it?”.
King Kenny(Image: BBC)
He continued: “As a Traitor sometimes, when you see people have real life reactions that are bigger than the game, you feel bad. I would have to remind myself they don’t have a game without you, literally, if no one’s doing this stuff, they can’t play, and they all want to play.
“So you are doing an important job here. When they catch you, they’ll be really happy and they’ll like it.”
James revealed that planning to disclose his traitor status helped him cope with the pressure of the role. He explained: “The idea of doing that got me through the whole experience because you feel as a traitor sometimes, when you see people have real-life reactions that are bigger than the game, you feel bad.
“And I would have to remind myself they don’t have a game without you, literally, if no one’s doing this stuff, they can’t play, and they all want to play.
“So you are doing an important job here, so they all have something to do, and when they catch you, they’ll be really happy and they’ll like it, and it will feel good to just tell them and see that reaction.”
Maya Jama, James Acaster & King Kenny(Image: BBC)
Final line-up revealed
Thursday’s episode saw actress Sharon Rooney fall victim to murder, while comedian Joanne McNally was cast out of the castle.
Friday’s nail-biting finale will see Traitors, TV presenter Maya Jama and social media star King Kenny, go head-to-head with faithfuls singer James Blunt, Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock, actor Michael Sheen, comedian Romesh Ranganathan, and actor Sebastian Croft.
Thursday’s episode left viewers in the dark as to who Jama and King Kenny had in their sights for their next murder. Jama found herself under the microscope early in the episode after raising a glass to her fellow contestants with the words: “To killing them, banishing them even.”
A Thursday mission saw contestants pocket £5,000 for the prize fund, pushing the total to £64,500. The show features twenty one celebrity contestants, with those designated as faithfuls tasked with rooting out the traitors amongst them. Under the cover of darkness, the traitors systematically “kill off” their fellow players.
The action unfolds at the stunning Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, with the winning celebrity charity standing to pocket a whopping £100,000. Catch the Celebrity Traitors final on BBC One at 8pm this Friday.