The BBC has revealed the line-up for Celebrity Traitors series two, with Richard E. Grant, Ross Kemp and Joe Lycett among those confirmed for a place at the iconic round table.
From bombshell betrayals to farting national treasures, last year’s all-star spin-off made for some of the most talked-about television since the show’s 2022 debut.
And it was comedian Alan Carr who took home the win during a tense finale in which he emerged as the last Traitor standing.
Even more comedians are set to enter the castle when the show returns this year, with James Acaster, Joanne McNally, Miranda Hart, Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan among the 21 locked-in names.
Once confirmed Faithful or Traitor, they’ll go head to head with the likes ofBella Ramsey, James Blunt and Martin Sheen to survive both murder and banishment on a nightly basis.
However, some fans have taken umbrage with the presence of Rob and Romesh, who are already all over the TV as it is.
As the list of celebrity contestants dropped, viewers took to social media to share their thoughts.
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And some were dismayed by the presence of two funnymen in particular, with imnickb4 describing it as ‘inevitable that Romesh and Rob would show up.’
In a sentiment dripping with sarcasm, LDB03 wrote: ‘Thank god we’re getting more Rob and Romesh, was slightly concerned I hadn’t see them on my TV this morning.’
He was joined by Ironfan94, who playfully described it as ‘refreshing’ to see the pair take part.
Even less charitably, fanvfavourites said that they could ‘stay home,’ while Chris_Taylor32 noted that Romesh had ‘taken part in everything’ by now.
However, not everyone was so cynical, with superbardiuk describing themself as ‘super excited,’ along with RuffustColin, who called their casting an ‘excellent’ decision.
Rob and Romesh’s double act netted them a Sky One TV series, Rob and Romesh Vs, in which they took on various challenges in the world of sport and entertainment.
First airing in 2017, the format most recently aired its eighth series, including ‘Shakespeare,’ in which the pair prepared to perform Romeo and Juliet at the iconic Globe Theatre.
Separately, they have both appeared on Last One Laughing (Rob in series one and Romesh in series two) and Taskmaster.
Romesh currently hosts The Weakest Link on BBC One, which features ex-Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh as its narrator.
He has also appeared on several episodes of Rob’s podcast, Parenting Hell, co-hosted by Josh Widdicombe.
Who’s in the Celebrity Traitors series two?
- Amol Rajan – Broadcaster
- Bella Ramsey – Actor
- James Acaster – Comedian
- James Blunt – Singer and Songwriter
- Jerry Hall – Model and Actress
- Joanne McNally – Comedian
- Joe Lycett – Comedian
- Julie Hesmondhalgh – Actor
- King Kenny – Content Creator
- Leigh-Anne Pinnock – Musician
- Maya Jama – Broadcaster
- Michael Sheen – Actor
- Miranda Hart – Actor
- Myha’la – Actor
- Professor Hannah Fry – Broadcaster and TV scientist
- Richard E. Grant – Actor
- Rob Beckett – Comedian
- Romesh Ranganathan – Comedian
- Ross Kemp – Actor
- Sebastian Croft – Musician
- Sharon Rooney – Actor
Romesh’s appointment to the Traitors’ castle may come as a surprise, following his announcement of plans to take a ‘step back’ from his TV career.
Speaking to Lauren Laverne on Desert Island Discs last year, he said: ‘There is no strategy. There’s no game plan. I have no endgame.
‘I do feel like I’m sort of settling into winding things up, like not winding things up, but I’m taking a step back.’
He then talked about ‘wanting to be at home a bit more’, but reassured fans that this was not ‘an announcement of retirment.’
Romesh added: ‘But I do feel like, relatively recently, this is quite fortuitous that we’re talking about this at the time that we are, because I have just hit this period of thinking I am probably going to just be a bit more measured in what I do going forward.
‘I think I might take a bigger break between bits. I’ve told you, I’ve not hit the thing yet; maybe this next thing could be it, but it’s not going to be it if I don’t go off and just live life.’
Celebrity Traitors will return to BBC One and iPlayer later this year.
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