The Celebrity Traitors returned on a cliffhanger last night as viewers waited to find out who was the first to be banished. But despite three players being booted during the episode, one celeb stole the show… with a fart.
In possibly the funniest moment ever to grace reality TV, acclaimed actor Celia Imrie ruined the tension of a dramatic challenge by loudly breaking wind as host Claudia Winkleman tried her best to frighten the group.
As the celebrities were escorted by masked figures to The Traitors’ terrifying cabin in the woods, which has been the scene of many a scary mission, and were chained together, Winkleman said menacingly, “Players, welcome to the worst team building away day experience in history.”
The tension was broken by the sound of a loud fart as Imrie smirked and the group fell about laughing. Winkleman asked: “What just happened?” and Imrie owned up: “I just farted, Claudia. It’s nerves, but I always own up.”
It immediately became the iconic moment of the series, as Ed Gamble said in spin-off show Uncloaked: “I don’t think there’s anyone else who could have got away with that,” adding that it was “one of the finest television farts of all time”.
Read more: Celebrity Traitors’ banished star says ‘I won’t live exit down’
Traitors player Kate Garraway gave an insider’s view on the hut fart on Thursday’s Good Morning Britain, recalling: “It was so loud! How could somebody so elegant, so petite, so gracious, let off that huge sound?
“And it was so nerve-racking in a serious moment. It was my favourite, favourite moment in that cabin, which was deeply unpleasant. She’s adorable, we salute you.”
In the episode’s final banishment, which saw Tameka Empson sent home, Traitor Alan Carr voted to banish Imrie and later told her: “Do you know why I voted for you, can I be honest with you? It was that fart in the hut.”
Celia Imrie on The Celebrity Traitors. (BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry)
One viewer commented on X: “Television has peaked. We’ve seen Tom Daley shirtless in the shower, followed by Celia Imrie farting out of fear.”
Someone else wrote: “Celia Imrie owning her fart like it’s a BAFTA moment. Queen behaviour.”
Another Traitors fan added: “Celia Imrie winning a BAFTA for best “on-screen fart” was not something I was expecting this year.”
“Celia Imrie’s long and impressive acting career gets totally eclipsed and upstaged by a one second fart in a shed,” commented one viewer.
The cultural significance of the fart
Celia Imrie accepting blame for the fart on The Celebrity Traitors (BBC)
Emma Clarke – Yahoo Lifestyle’s take
Perhaps you think we’re over-egging it and that Imrie’s flatulence issues aren’t that deep, but her on-screen indiscretion is so refreshing – and needed.
Despite it being a normal, healthy bodily function, with a recent review by Zoe finding that women fart on average 8 times a day, while men pass wind 9 times daily, people still find it a taboo subject.
In fact, within the same report, 1.6% actually said they never pass wind – which speaks more to their internalised shame about the act than the reality, as it’s not possible to go your whole life without being affected by flatulence.
What’s also telling is that younger people in the study (those aged 18–23) said they break wind most often (9.8 times per day). Of course, this could be down to diet and other lifestyle factors, but it could also possibly demonstrate how the fear and embarrassment around the topic of farts is felt less when we are younger. Only when we get older and more self-conscious does it become an issue for us to cover up.
It’s why, then, seeing (and hearing) someone as high-profile and legendary as Imrie pass wind on national television is so vital – much like how fellow actor Miriam Margolyes has in the past. It reminds us that, actually, it’s nothing to be ashamed of and that we shouldn’t try and keep it in for the sake of saving face.
Celia Imrie’s snooping mission
Celia Imrie doing some snooping on The Celebrity Traitors. (BBC screenshot)
The ill-timed fart was not Imrie’s only stand-out moment from the episode.
The Thursday Murder Club star decided to turn sleuth again and try to work out who the Traitors were by listening in to other players’ conversations…but somewhat blew her cover by telling everyone her plan.
Over lunch, she told Clare Balding, Kate Garraway and Lucy Beaumont: “I’m going to go and snoop and listen to other conversations,” as Garraway replied: “Yeah, that’s a good idea.”
Imrie explained to the camera: “If I was a Traitor, I’d be worried, because I’m vocal in my investigations.”
But not everyone saw her logic, as she told Alan Carr, Cat Burns, David Olusoga and Joe Marler: “I’ve just left the table with the girls in the breakfast room to snoop on other conversations.”
Carr told her: “You know if you’re snooping, you know you’re meant to not tell people you’re snooping? First lesson at snoop school – don’t tell people you’re snooping.”
The Celebrity Traitors streams on BBC iPlayer.