Key Points
- The latest episode of The Celebrity Traitors achieved a peak audience of 9.7 million viewers on Friday night, alongside an average audience of 9.5 million and a 57.2% audience share.
- The broadcast concluded on a tense cliffhanger as actress Sharon Rooney and comedian Joanne McNally faced banishment, with content creator and traitor King Kenny holding the deciding vote.
- Comedian Miranda Hart was eliminated by the traitors earlier in the episode after being targeted for being “a good detective”.
- Miranda Hart spoke about her gratitude for participating in the series following her battle with chronic illness linked to Lyme disease.
- While Friday’s figures mark a slight dip from Thursday’s peak of 10.3 million viewers, the launch episode remains the largest TV audience of 2026 at an average of 15.41 million.
London (Ireland Now News) October 24, 2026 – The BBC’s reality gameshow The Celebrity Traitors drew a peak audience of 9.7 million viewers on Friday evening. Hosted by Claudia Winkleman at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, the episode concluded on a dramatic cliffhanger during a heated banishment vote. The broadcast achieved an average audience of 9.5 million and a 57.2% overall audience share.
What Happened During the Dramatic Roundtable Vote?
As reported by Casey Cooper-Fiske of PA Media, Friday night’s broadcast concluded in suspense as faithful contestants Sharon Rooney and Joanne McNally faced potential banishment at the roundtable. Both players fell under heavy suspicion throughout the episode and accumulated an equal number of votes from their fellow contestants.
According to Laura Harding of PA Media, both contestants were given a final opportunity to plead their cases before a re-vote took place. Comedian Joanne McNally acknowledged that she had “made a few slip ups” during gameplay, whereas actress Sharon Rooney told the group to “do what you want because it’s a game”. When the tied vote required a final deciding decision, the show ended abruptly before content creator and traitor King Kenny cast his crucial vote.
Who Was Murdered in the Scottish Highlands?
Earlier in the episode, the traitors selected comedian Miranda Hart as their latest victim, eliminating her from the castle because she was deemed “a good detective”.
As noted by Laura Harding of PA Media, Hart reacted emotionally to her murder, expressing crossness at herself for focusing heavily on her suspicions surrounding McNally. Following Hart’s departure, McNally reflected on her presence in the castle, stating: “She was really powerful, Miranda was like the mother”.
Hart spoke candidly about what the experience meant to her personally and professionally after having dealt with fatigue stemming from a chronic illness linked to her Lyme disease diagnosis. As recorded by PA Media reporting, Hart stated that the show allowed her to “get back and do the thing that I love professionally, and do the things I love personally, wandering round the Scottish Highlands and connecting in nature”. She added: “There was times I didn’t think that would be possible again”.
How Do the Latest Viewing Figures Compare Across the Series?
As confirmed by official BBC ratings data and ratings organisation Barb, the show continues to pull in dominant broadcast figures across the UK:
| Episode / Metric | Peak Audience | Average Audience | Audience Share / Context |
| Launch Episode | — | 15.41 Million | Largest TV audience so far in 2026 |
| Thursday Episode | 10.3 Million | — | Featured the murder of actor Ross Kemp |
| Friday Episode | 9.7 Million | 9.5 Million | Secured a 57.2% audience share |
While Friday’s peak of 9.7 million represents a minor dip compared to Thursday’s peak of 10.3 million—which saw EastEnders actor Ross Kemp murdered in plain sight—the program remains one of the highest-rated entertainment events of the year.
Background of The Celebrity Traitors
The hit format features 21 celebrity contestants residing at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands. While the majority of participants are designated as “faithfuls,” a select few are secretly assigned as “traitors” who meet under cover of darkness to “kill off” fellow players. The faithfuls must work together to identify and banish the traitors during daily roundtable debates. The celebrities are competing to win a potential cash prize of up to £100,000 for their chosen charities. The series is scheduled to return on BBC One and iPlayer on Thursday at 8pm.
Prediction: How Will This Development Affect Television Audiences and Game Show Programming?
The massive viewership figures and strong audience engagement generated by The Celebrity Traitors cliffhanger are expected to have a notable impact on television audiences and broadcast scheduling strategies:
- Heightened Audience Retention and Social Engagement: By ending on an unresolved tied vote, the BBC successfully drives sustained public discussion across social media platforms. Viewers will likely tune in in high volumes for the subsequent episode to see King Kenny’s decisive vote, reinforcing live linear TV appointment viewing.
- Increased Investment in High-Stakes Reality Formats: Reaching a 57.2% audience share proves that celebrity spin-offs of psychological gameshows remain highly lucrative for public service broadcasters. Network executives are likely to commission similar high-concept reality formats featuring established public figures to replicate these ratings.
- Charity Awareness Expansion: As the remaining contestants push deeper into the game toward the £100,000 prize pot, the charitable causes supported by the participating celebrities will gain heightened visibility among millions of viewers nationwide.
