The Traitors stars want Derren Brown to be in a celeb special

the traitors
(Image credit: BBC)

As the UK fell in love with new reality TV show The Traitors last winter, there was only one question on the nation's lips: 'when will we get a celebrity special?' Plenty of similar shows have delivered successful celeb spin-offs in the past, from Big Brother to Channel 4's Hunted, so it seems only right that we get one for The Traitors too.

We did of course get a tease for one in the form of a Comic Relief sketch, which saw host Claudia Winkleman be joined at the Round Table by the likes of Ewan McGregor, Dawn French, Stephen Merchant, and Allison Hammond. However, an actual celeb special is yet to be officially announced despite various rumours and comments from cast/crew.

It is something many of us want to see though, including the stars of the last season. Speaking to GamesRadar+ on the red carpet at the recent BAFTAs ceremony, both Wilfred Webster and Amanda Lovett showed enthusiasm for the idea, also revealing that they have thoughts on who should be part of the celebrity cast. Whilst Lovett said that Catherine Tate should join but in character as Nan (from the TV specials and recent movie), Webster shared an altogether different idea: "Derren Brown! Derren Brown in The Traitors would be the best!"

derren brown

(Image credit: Channel 4)

And he's right - having the beloved hypnotist, mentalist, and illusionist extraordinaire would definitely shake things up at the castle. In fact, Webster admitted that during the filming of the first season he thought that Brown might be involved already: "I was convinced that it was him! When we filmed we didn’t know who the host was going to be. Somebody asked me and I was like ‘it has to be Derren Brown, surely’ but then Claudia walked out who, of course, is the complete opposite, but it wouldn’t have been the same without her." It really wouldn't have but Brown in The Traitors - we need to see it!

Meanwhile as we await any further updates on a celebrity special, casting for the second season of the hit show is currently underway. Earlier this year Winkleman announced the news via social media, encouraging those who think that they will make for a sneaky traitor or a dedicated faithful to apply. 

In the video the hooded host said: "Hi, it's Claud here. Sorry to interrupt, I've got a small question for you and yes, you're right, the cloak might be giving it away. Can you spot a liar? Could you betray those around you? How would you fare at the Round Table? What I'm asking is, would you like to play?"

Production company Studio Lambert will probably have the pick of the bunch given how popular the first season of the show was. And that's not just with audiences as it also recently won Best Reality/Constructed Factual Show and Best Entertainment Performance (for Winkleman) at the BAFTAs. Could a second season do this again? Only time will tell...

The Traitors is available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK now. But if reality TV isn't your bag, check out our guide to the most exciting new TV shows coming our way across 2023.

Emily Murray
Entertainment Editor

As Entertainment Editor at GamesRadar, I oversee all the online content for Total Film and SFX magazine. Previously I've worked for the BBC, Zavvi, UNILAD, Yahoo, Digital Spy and more.

Read more
Doctor Who
Doctor Who season 2: Release date, cast, and everything we know about Ncuti Gatwa’s next season
Neil Patrick Harris in Doctor Who's 60th anniversary specials
Dexter fans praise "insane" casting for new series' second season as Doctor Who's Neil Patrick Harris joins Peter Dinklage, Uma Thurman and more
Ncuti Gatwa in Doctor Who season 2
Doctor Who fans think they've spotted a tease for surprise villains in new season 2 trailer
Gabriel Basso as Peter Sutherland in The Night Agent season 2
The Night Agent season 3 features stunts that the lead star "can't believe Netflix signed off on" as he confirms that the "insane" first episode has already filmed
Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock
Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch says there’s only one thing that would make him return to the BBC drama, as well as "a lot of money"
Next James Bond
Next James Bond: The 25 actors who could replace Daniel Craig as the new 007
Latest in Drama Shows
fool me once
Harlan Coben’s new novel is set to be "more of a sequel" to the hit Netflix series Fool Me Once: "I don’t know any time that’s ever happened"
Owen Cooper in Adolescence
Sorry, Adolescence season 2 isn't happening, despite its 99% Rotten Tomatoes score and record-breaking Netflix audience
Nick Offerman as Bill and Murray Bartlett as Frank in The Last of Us episode 3
The Last of Us season 2 showrunners tease a "gorgeous" episode akin to season 1’s Emmy-nominated Bill and Frank story: "Just you wait"
Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last of Us
The Last of Us season 2 showrunners changed the way they introduce Abby so fans don’t get "spoiled in between seasons": "It felt appropriate to give viewers that context right off the bat"
Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal as Joel in The Last of Us
The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin praises Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal for "spectacular" take on one of Part 2's most iconic scenes in season 2
Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last of Us
The Last of Us showrunner praises Abby actor's "physically tremendous" performance ahead of season 2: "We just haven't f**ked up in casting"
Latest in News
Pillars of Eternity
10 years later, in a post-Baldur's Gate 3 and Avowed world, Obsidian is giving its own throwback CRPG Pillars of Eternity a turn-based combat mode
Destiny 2 Lightfall
When Destiny 2 "weekly active users dropped lower and faster than we'd seen since 2018," Bungie assembled an A-Team to put out some fires: "We needed to do something"
Velma, Daphne, Fred, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo looking at a giant key which is also a clue
Netflix is rebooting Scooby-Doo as a live-action series from the producer of Supergirl and The Flash centered around a "supernatural murder" at a summer camp
Astro Bot
Astro Bot went through 23 pitch iterations before its director promised PlayStation "happy gameplay" and "overflowing charm," though it did once end with robot decapitation that made "some people really upset"
Tomb Raider
5 years after Avengers, 2 years after its last layoffs, and who knows how long before Perfect Dark and Tomb Raider return, Crystal Dynamics announces another round of layoffs
AI Limit
"AI is not as effective as it might appear": Dev of AI-focused Soulslike RPG says they didn't use any AI-generated content and it can't match "genuine creativity"