The Celebrity Traitors returns TONIGHT, Thursday 1st October 2026, at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with Claudia Winkleman welcoming 21 new famous faces into the castle.
And what a cast they have found.
Michael Sheen, Maya Jama, James Acaster, Miranda Hart, Ross Kemp, Bella Ramsey and James Blunt are just some of the celebrities preparing to lie, accuse and become suspicious of absolutely everyone around them.
The opening episode is an extended 75-minute launch show, running from 8pm until 9.15pm, before The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked follows immediately afterwards.
There is also a brand-new iPlayer programme revealing more about how Claudia chooses who becomes a Traitor.
When does Celebrity Traitors 2026 start?
Get the cloaks ready.
The Celebrity Traitors Series 2 starts on Thursday 1st October 2026 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
New episodes will then air twice a week on Thursday and Friday evenings at 8pm. Episode 2 is already confirmed for Friday 2nd October at 8pm.
Series 2 consists of 10 episodes, produced by Studio Lambert Scotland for BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Celebrity Traitors Episode 1
Episode 1 airs on Thursday 1st October 2026 from 8pm until 9.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
The extended opening episode sees Claudia Winkleman welcome a brand-new group of celebrities to the Scottish Highlands to play the ultimate game of detection, back-stabbing and trust.
It won’t take long for the famous faces to start questioning everything – and everyone – as Claudia secretly begins assigning the Traitors.
The Faithfuls need to uncover who is lying to them and banish the Traitors from the game. Meanwhile, the Traitors need to remain undetected while secretly removing their fellow players.
Those who survive long enough could ultimately be playing for up to £100,000 for their chosen charity.
Simple enough when you’re watching from the sofa.
Probably slightly less simple when you’re sitting in a Scottish castle wondering whether the person smiling at you over breakfast spent the previous night plotting your murder.
Who is in the Celebrity Traitors 2026 cast?
There are 21 celebrities taking part in Celebrity Traitors 2026, with a brilliant mixture of actors, comedians, singers, broadcasters and online creators.
The full Celebrity Traitors 2026 cast is:
- Amol Rajan – Journalist and broadcaster
- Bella Ramsey – Actor
- James Acaster – Comedian and podcaster
- James Blunt – Singer/songwriter
- Jerry Hall – Model and actress
- Joanne McNally – Comedian
- Joe Lycett – Comedian
- Julie Hesmondhalgh – Actor
- King Kenny – Content creator
- Leigh-Anne Pinnock – Singer/songwriter
- Maya Jama – Broadcaster and entrepreneur
- Michael Sheen – Actor and presenter
- Miranda Hart – Actor and author
- Myha’la – Actor
- Professor Hannah Fry – Broadcaster and mathematician
- Richard E. Grant – Actor and author
- Rob Beckett – Comedian
- Romesh Ranganathan – Comedian
- Ross Kemp – Actor and presenter
- Sebastian Croft – Musician and actor
- Sharon Rooney – Actor
All 21 names have been confirmed for the new series.
And there are certainly some interesting personalities in there.
James Acaster, Joe Lycett, Joanne McNally, Miranda Hart, Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan all trying to work out who is lying around the same Round Table?
That alone should be worth watching.
Claudia Winkleman returns to the castle
Claudia Winkleman is back to oversee the missions, murders and Round Table banishments as the celebrities head to the Scottish Highlands.
The basic rules remain the same.
The Faithfuls need to identify and banish the Traitors, while the Traitors secretly murder other players and try to make it through the game without being discovered.
If you need a reminder of just how messy that can get, our The Traitors 2026 final recap covers how Rachel and Stephen managed to make it all the way to the end as Traitors.
The problem, of course, is that nobody really knows who they can trust.
And putting 21 celebrities into that situation should make things interesting very quickly.
Where is Celebrity Traitors 2026 filmed?
The Celebrity Traitors is filmed at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, near Alness and around 25 miles north of Inverness.
The striking 19th-century castle has become one of the most recognisable parts of The Traitors, with filming taking place inside the property and across its surrounding grounds and estate.
Ardross Castle sits within more than 100 acres of parkland and woodland beside the River Alness, giving the show that suitably dramatic, slightly ominous Highland backdrop.
How does Claudia choose the Celebrity Traitors?
This year we are also getting a closer look at one of the parts of the programme we normally don’t see.
A new programme called Traitor or Faithful? Claudia Decides will be available on BBC iPlayer from 9.15pm on Thursday 1st October.
The special reveals more about Claudia getting to know the players and questioning their intentions before deciding who might have what it takes to become a Traitor.
For anyone who has ever wondered exactly what happens before those dramatic cloak decisions are made, this could be a very interesting watch.
The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked is returning
Ed Gamble is also back with The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked.
The companion programme follows the main show, giving murdered and banished contestants the chance to discuss what happened inside the castle and, crucially, discover the identities of the Traitors.
There will also be interviews, unseen footage and plenty of discussion about the betrayals and mind games taking place in the series.
The first Uncloaked of Series 2 airs tonight at 9.15pm on BBC One, immediately after the 75-minute launch episode, and will also be available through BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
Celebrity Traitors 2026 launch night schedule
If you’re planning a full evening of Traitors viewing, Thursday 1st October is looking rather busy.
8pm – 9.15pm
The Celebrity Traitors Episode 1
BBC One and BBC iPlayer
9.15pm – 10pm
The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked with Ed Gamble
BBC One, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds
From 9.15pm
Traitor or Faithful? Claudia Decides
BBC iPlayer
The main series then continues with Episode 2 on Friday 2nd October at 8pm on BBC One and we will be back with our recap articles!
Can Celebrity Traitors do it again?
The first Celebrity Traitors series was a huge success for the BBC, with its finale reaching 15 million viewers within seven days. The BBC said it became the biggest UK title of 2025 at seven days at that point in the year.
Alan Carr eventually made it all the way to the end as a Traitor.
Which proved that looking permanently terrified while being extremely funny is apparently quite an effective strategy.
Now we get to see whether any of this year’s celebrities can manage something similar.
With professional actors accustomed to performing, comedians who can talk their way out of almost anything and Professor Hannah Fry potentially analysing everyone’s behaviour before breakfast, there should be plenty to keep us guessing.
The Celebrity Traitors Series 2 starts Thursday 1st October 2026 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
And yes, we’ll almost certainly all be watching from our sofas claiming we spotted the Traitors immediately!
