Jonathan Ross has revealed that “a couple of people” from his season of The Celebrity Traitors are struggling to accept that his lying was just part of the game, despite filming wrapping up months ago.
The acclaimed BBC show drew an audience of over 12 million, who tuned in to watch Mr Ross, Cat Burns, and eventual winner Alan Carr trick their co-stars into believing they were Faithful.
The comedian and broadcaster was the only Traitor not to make it to the final.
Speaking on the latest episode of his Reel Talk podcast, Mr Ross said: “It is a bit weird because there are a couple of people from in there, I’m not gonna name names, who do seem to still, not hold a grudge exactly, but still seem to struggle with accepting that it was just a game, and that the lying and accusations that flew around were all part of the game.”
Jonathan Ross was banished from The Celebrity Traitors in episode 7
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BBCHe continued: “They are nothing to do with who we are or what we are or how we interact outside of that hothouse environment.
“But it is kind of weird. I’ve gone on record saying I struggled doing it. It was hard doing it.
“And those who’ve now seen the final, the emotions you see at the end from someone, I’m not going to name names, you can see how hard we all found it. I think everyone found it.”
The Traitors finalist went on to address the issue of other celebrities still being somewhat wary of him post-filming.
“I hate the word ‘triggering’ because it’s such a common word to use now and I think it’s used too casually,” he went on.
“But I think when you’re in a stressful situation you rarely react just because of that situation; there are almost always other factors that you might not even be aware of – old wounds and fears you might have about how you’re perceived or how you think people see you or how you think you are acting or whether you’re acting quickly,” he explained.
While Mr Ross may have ruffled some feathers on the show, many fans flocked to social media to share their love for the comedian.
“Jonathan Ross is just so brilliant. He helped make this Celebrity Traitors so successful,” shared one user on X, while others expressed disappointment over his exit in episode 7, repeatedly calling for producers to “bring him back!”
Jonathan Ross was the only Traitor not to make it to the final of the show
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BBCHowever, some viewers took issue with the show’s premise. One viewer penned: “Many of us are fed up with shows being horrible and nasty to each other. How about people being nice and kind to each other for a change? These programmes can and do bring out the worst in human nature.”
This isn’t the first time Mr Ross has spoken about the negative aspects of his time on the show.
The comedian, 64, was previously forced to clarify comments he made suggesting he “didn’t enjoy” being a contestant.
However, he later set the record straight, taking to X to write: “Despite rather misleading reports, I am NOT discouraging anyone from taking part in future series of Traitors.
“I am pleased I did it, an extraordinary experience, but I did not enjoy the duplicity as the game progressed.
“It’s a tougher psychological challenge than I expected, is all.
“But I would never try to talk anyone out of it, just trying to give them a sense of what to expect.”
There’s good news for fans of the show, as it has been confirmed that The Celebrity Traitors will return for a second series next year.
Several celebrities have expressed their interest in joining The Celebrity Traitors line-up next year
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BBCKalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC, said: “Studio Lambert have done an outstanding job as The Celebrity Traitors has well and truly captivated the nation, becoming a bona fide highlight of the year, bringing record numbers of people together to enjoy every twist and turn.
“In 2026, the doors of the castle will be opened again to welcome celebrity players to the game to see who can charm, who can scheme and ultimately who can survive in series two, which promises to be just as unmissable as the first.”
After the nerve-wracking final on Thursday, which saw Mr Carr successfully take home the charity prize pot after duping fellow celebs Nick Mohammed, Ms Burns, David Olusoga, and Joe Marler, speculation has already begun about who might join the next series.
Several celebrities have reportedly expressed their interest in joining the line-up next time around.