Murder most FAMOUS!

CLAUDIA WINKLEMAN on inviting celebrities to play her hit game of strategy and suspicion

- WORDS: STEVEN PERKINS. PHOTOS: BBC

THE CELEBRITY TRAITORS NEW WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, 9PM, BBC1 ENTERTAINMENT

Dust off your cloaks and prepare for some of your favourite stars to engage in deception, double-dealing and dastardly tactics as The Celebrity Traitors makes its debut on BBC1 this week.

Claudia Winkleman has invited 19 household names to join her at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands for a special spin-off from BAFTA-winning show The Traitors. However, the presenter admits that she was initially resistant to the idea of giving the game a famous makeover...

'I was scared, but only because I'm in love with this show,' says Claudia, 53, who has helmed three series of the original, with a fourth on the way. 'I wanted to keep it small - once a year felt like enough. Thankfully my bosses ignored everything I said!'

STAR WARS

Rumours of a star-spangled version have been circling since the first series of The Traitors became a word-of-mouth hit in 2022. So when it was officially confirmed to be in the planning stages last year, expectations were high about the calibre of celebrities that might take part - and Claudia was delighted to discover that so many national treasures had signed up.