Celebrity Traitors star claims show edited down James Acaster exit: "He didn't fall on his sword"

James Blunt says viewers never saw the full, "heavy" interrogation that cornered his co-star.

James Acaster walking down the hallway with people walking behind him.

BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry

Published: Wednesday, 4 November 2026 at 10:05 am

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James Blunt has claimed that the edit of Celebrity Traitors made James Acaster's confession look far more voluntary than it really was.

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In a new interview with BBC News, the singer explained that the comedian "didn't fall on his sword" but was "pinned to a post" by his fellow players before admitting he was a Traitor.

In the penultimate episode of the juicy series, Acaster revealed himself to be a Traitor before any votes were cast, after being questioned over his role in Ross Kemp's murder in plain sight. He was swiftly banished, but many viewers were unsure if they'd seen the full extent of the roundtable.

Blunt, a Faithful who reached the final before being banished by Ranganathan and Croft, said viewers only saw a fraction of what happened at the roundtable. "He didn't fall on his sword. That's what you saw, that's what you feel, but he didn't," he said.

"You didn't see the full extent of the interrogation. It was heavy in there and it was clear cut. He was pinned to a post. We got him. We really, really got him."

James Acaster wearing a red jacket, sat down shrugging his arms.

James Acaster. BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry

He noted that the actual sequence of events "hasn't really been revealed", insisting Acaster "didn't just say, 'Oh guys, you got me.'" According to the report, Blunt hinted that Acaster had been caught out in a fib about a perfume bottle linked to the murder.

Following his exit, Acaster appeared on Alan Carr's Life's a Beach podcast and explained that he "said a lot more around that roundtable than the edit would suggest".

"Most of the time, they want to keep how the Traitors vote as a surprise. They don't want to be like there's hints that I might go one way or the other. So a lot of the time what I said at the roundtable is cut out," he explained.

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It was previously reported that filming of the penultimate episode was halted so producers could intervene when Acaster became distressed at the roundtable.

A spokesperson told Radio Times: "Our highest priority is always the safety and welfare of everyone taking part. Players are closely monitored and supported throughout by production which includes a dedicated and experienced welfare team."

In the finale, Faithfuls Romesh Ranganathan and Sebastian Croft were crowned the winners after banishing the remaining Traitors, Maya Jama and King Kenny, and shared the charity prize pot.

Celebrity Traitors is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of Katelyn Mensah, smiling against a lime green background.

Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer

Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.

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