Well the writing was on the wall. Poor Professor Hannah Fry was never going to be long for this Celebrity Traitors game after being handed a cloak against her will, and despite making some compelling arguments to defend herself, she just couldn’t turn the tide of opinion enough to survive the latest banishment.
Of course, that left a vacancy in the candlelit turret – and remaining Traitors Maya Jama and James Acaster had an important decision to make: ‘murder’, or recruit?
It was a given that, with their numbers dwindling so early in the game, the opportunity to take another one for their team was too good to pass up. But who was on the shortlist? Joanne McNally, Joe Lycett and King Kenny.
BBC
Now, seeing queen of the punchline Joanne meeting under cover of darkness for clandestine meetings sounds like absolute TV gold, and anything that gives Joe Lycett more airtime is a win in our book. But if we’re being honest with ourselves and talking good gameplay, King Kenny was the brilliant option.
By his own admission, Joe Lycett was ‘”on his knees” to be recruited – something he made absolutely no secret of telling absolutely everyone that he came across before heading off to bed. Subtle.
Meanwhile Joanne McNally made a fairly big slip-up during the last round table, making it sound like she was there with Ross Kemp while the Traitors were running about the woods. Of course, we know she wasn’t – but with so little to go on, the Faithful surely aren’t about to let that one go.
BBC
King Kenny has been a formidable player in the game so far, and was instrumental in Hannah Fry being exposed in the last banishment. “If she’s not a Traitor, I give up playing this game to be honest,” he told his fellow Faithful earlier that day.
What’s more, King Kenny’s absolutely ecstatic response at the result (as a fully-fledged Faithful at that point) is probably the best alibi that any of the current Traitors actually have to hide behind.
There’s also been a key ingredient missing from the Traitors ever since Richard E Grant’s exit. The beloved actor had to go after that catastrophic episode-one blunder, it’s true, but his infectious enthusiasm and delight at Claudia Winkleman’s shoulder pinch hasn’t quite been matched.
In short, we need some of that proper Traitors energy.
BBC
Alan Carr was hysterical to watch last season. While his skills as a Traitor were forever up for debate, there is no doubt whatsoever that he relished his role in the game. He was gleeful to sign on that ‘murderous’ dotted line every night, and it just made it more fun for us as viewers watching at home.
We love James Acaster’s unique approach to his not-so treacherous antics, and it may just get him through undetected, right to the end. By his own admission, the Taskmaster favourite is still playing the game as a Faithful – which is how he wanted to play – and the most he has been a Traitor in the game was when he gave Hannah a round of applause as she exited.
Maya Jama said she wanted to be in her villain era on the show, and King Kenny’s energy is about to bring exactly what the turret is needing, making for a powerful, strategic trio.
“The Faithful are doomed,” King Kenny exclaimed in the final moments of Thursday’s episode. And it certainly looks that way right now.
Celebrity Traitors airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK’s biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world’s oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).