Television’s most cunning contest has been sprinkled with stardust. This week, the eagerly-anticipated Celebrity Traitors finally hit our screens after months of speculation and anticipation.

Among the 6.5 million viewers who tuned in to Wednesday’s premiere was the future King, making it the most-watched Traitors launch in the UK to date.

Prince William revealed he was a fan when he awarded the show’s creator Stephen Lambert an OBE at Windsor Castle earlier this week, calling the show a ‘big treat’.

But one thing is certain: there will be no special treatment for the VIP contestants. Their first task was to dig their own graves. 

They also had to stay in the same cheap airport hotel as their non-famous counterparts during filming, as we reveal in this behind-the-scenes guide.

Only real stars need apply

The producers were keen on having well-known figures for The Celebrity Traitors and certainly achieved that by attracting stars like Sir Stephen Fry, Celia Imrie, Clare Balding, and Kate Garraway to participate.

I’m told they put a ban on ‘low-rent’ reality television stars from the likes of Love Island taking a seat at the notorious round table.

An industry source reveals: ‘The team behind The Traitors had never seen anything like it. 

From the moment the celebrity series was announced last year, the phones rang non-stop with agents desperate to pitch their talent for the show.

‘But it was made clear that they only wanted prominent household names and weren’t looking for the typical reality TV personalities.’

The winner ‘takes’ it all

After three civilian series, most viewers are up to speed with the rules of the game, and the celebrity version is no different.

During Wednesday’s premiere, 19 celebrities arrived at Ardross Castle in the Highlands and, as they sat blindfolded at the round table, host Claudia Winkleman selected her three Traitors – chat show host Jonathan Ross, comedian Alan Carr, and singer Cat Burns – by tapping each one on the shoulder.

Now it is left to the Faithfuls to root out the dastardly trio before they’re ‘murdered’ one by one. 

The celebrity Faithfuls who survive to the end have the chance of sharing the £100,000 prize money – only in this version of the game, the money will go to their chosen charity.

If a Traitor remains undetected, they take the lot (and give it to a good cause).

The question is, though, can Traitor Alan Carr keep up the pretence? He has done nothing but sweat and squirm since donning the famous green cloak, confessing: ‘I feel sick. It’s the worst secret ever and it’s just burning me, I’m so nervous.’

No VIP treatment

Despite being celebrities, none of the contestants got to stay in the castle when the series was filmed back in May. 

Instead, they had to slum it in the same £80-per-night Courtyard by Marriott hotel used for the non-celebrity version of The Traitors. 

Just a stone’s throw from Inverness airport, the stars were put on one floor and a lockdown-style curfew was imposed. Mobiles were confiscated and a ‘production phone’ was issued for emergencies.

‘There was to be no social media, just old-fashioned phone calls,’ says my source.

While the rest of the hotel was still open to the public, the celebrities were only allowed out at certain times for cigarette breaks and short walks, with security guards keeping a watchful eye to make sure there was no conferring or sneaking between rooms.

One source confides: ‘They must have had a shock, some of them would never have stayed anywhere that s*** before, it was hardly salubrious.’

And while most of the celebrities travelled to Scotland by plane, Celia Imrie arrived on a luxurious sleeper train.

‘She’s a legend,’ says my source. ‘There was no way anyone would expect her to rough it.’

A nice little earner

There is one big difference between The Traitors and its celebrity spin-off: the VIP players have been paid to take part. 

During the civilian version, there is a small stipend to subsidise time away from work, which works out at roughly £100 per day.

But I can reveal that the celebs have all been paid the same flat rate of £40,000.

Celebrity Traitors was filmed over three weeks and, keen to avoid any leaks, the BBC rushed out its transmission.

But the success of previous shows has delivered one huge blow. For I can reveal that Syeda Irtizaali, the BBC executive who oversaw commissioning for The Traitors, has been poached by Netflix.

I’m told that she was the brains behind some of the casting decisions for the celebrity version, specifically Alan Carr, who she met when she commissioned his show Chatty Man for Channel 4.

The fashion war winner

As always, all eyes have been on Claudia Winkleman’s wardrobe. 

The host opened the series wearing her favourite £100 black Spanx leggings, paired with a £768 black wool cape from Luxury Family Affair, emblazoned with the word ‘Celebrities’ on the back. She also wore a pair of Givenchy boots worth a cool £1,800.

Winkleman’s outfits are the work of stylist Sinead McKeefry, who loves to give a nod to the show’s Highland setting. 

And in previous years, the Winkleman effect has caused pieces to sell out, including her chunky red jumper from season two and the dark-green Brora knit from season three.

But this year’s famous contestants are already giving her a run for her money in the style stakes.

Celia Imrie led the charge, arriving in a Catherine Walker tartan coat with silk velvet collars and cuffs costing £14,900. 

Welsh singer Charlotte Church, 39, looked serene in a £260 embroidered maxi dress by Zaimara. And Clare Balding, 54, wore a £500 orange double-breasted blazer from British designer Holland Cooper, for which she is an ambassador.

Only Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway, 58, opted for more ‘relatable’ attire in a £60 Boohoo tartan jacket.

I’m told that Paloma Faith was left ‘fuming’ that she couldn’t show off her designer wardrobe after being the first to be murdered by the Traitors.

‘I feel like I didn’t even have the opportunity to show the millions of outfits that I had planned to wear on the game,’ she said.

No love lost already

Many of the contestants already know each other.

Jonathan Ross, for instance, has known Charlotte Church since she was 11 when she appeared on the Big, Big Talent Show, which he hosted. These long-standing relationships could help to form useful alliances.

But some friendships have already become strained. Alan Carr ‘murdered’ his good friend Paloma Faith in episode two by rubbing poison lily on her face.

On Thursday, on podcast The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked, host Ed Gamble defended Carr, saying it was a difficult decision.

Faith said he was giving Carr too much leeway. ‘If the shoe was on the other foot, I would not have touched Alan’s face. 

Categorically, he had a choice – maybe it was the easiest option, but it was the choice he made and I don’t think it was very nice,’ she retorted. Ouch!