Celebrity Traitors Bosses Scrap Scene After “Unthinkable” Moment Occurs
BBC / Studio Lambert
The Celebrity Traitors bosses were forced to ditch an entire cliffhanger after something wild occurred during filming — even more unbelievable than Richard E. Grant outing himself to Joe Lycett.
According to The Sun, the event made execs throw carefully laid plans out the window, and it will air later in Series 2.
“Legendary” Traitors Cliffhangers
“Cliffhangers on The Traitors have become legendary, so bosses never want to disappoint and hope to have the nation on tenterhooks all week,” a source told The Sun. “Waiting for Thursdays to come around – that’s part of the reason the format being fed out twice a week works. So they plot out likely moments in gameplay that will be the Friday cliffs.”
BBC / Studio Lambert
During production of The Celebrity Traitors Series 2 earlier this year, something “unbelievable happened that execs didn’t expect.
“It forced them to throw plans out the window to accommodate the epic moment – which should make great TV,” the source added.
Before filming a series, the show’s production company Studio Lambert plots which bits of gameplay would make good teasers. Past examples include Diane sipping from a “poisoned” chalice in Series 2 of the civilian series, and Fiona getting ready to uncloak herself as the Secret Traitor in Series 4.
Producers Expect The Unexpected
Speaking recently at The Celebrity Traitors Season 2 launch, the show’s executive producer Sarah Fay explained: “We always have an idea before going into pre-production what might be cliffhangers, but we have to be so reactive because who knows what the story is going to be.”
BBC / Studio Lambert
“Last year we went to deadlock at the Round Table when it was down to David [Olusoga] and Mark [Bonner] where it was a tie,” Fay continued. “We never knew that that was going to happen until, obviously, it was happening right before our eyes.
“I think the beauty of this game as well is every episode we’ve probably got about three options of what the cliffhanger could be because it’s so nail-biting.”
The first cliffhanger of series 2
Viewers endured their first cliffhanger of the currently airing Celebrity Traitors Series 2 at the conclusion of Episode 2. Before the credits rolled, the all-star cast were voting on who to banish from Ardross Castle after “big dog” and Traitor, Richard E Grant, battled to convince them of his innocence.
The Celebrity Traitors continues on Thursdays and Fridays at 8 pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
