James Acaster appeared to put the controversy surrounding his unexpected Celebrity Traitors confession to one side on Thursday, heading to the gym as the show’s latest episode became one of the year’s biggest television talking points.
Just hours before viewers saw his dramatic reveal in the penultimate episode, the 41-year-old comedian was photographed working out.
Acaster wore a T-shirt promoting his comedian friend Paul Williams’ album and a large pair of headphones. Looking thoughtful, he picked up a drink, checked his phone and walked home.
Millions of viewers later watched as the reluctant Traitor revealed his identity at the round table.
The comedian was reportedly so distressed after making the confession that filming was paused and the programme’s welfare team was called.
He had come under pressure from actor Michael Sheen, a Faithful, who questioned how Acaster knew specific details about Ross Kemp’s ‘murder’.
James Acaster headed to the gym on Thursday as he faced becoming the unwitting star of one of the year’s most talked-about television moments
The comedian was seen working out just hours before his dramatic reveal aired in the penultimate episode of Celebrity Traitors
Acaster admitted he was a Traitor before the group had voted, with an insider telling Our News Outlet that filming was stopped after he became ‘anxious’ and needed time to compose himself before addressing the group.
The comedian has previously spoken about his autism diagnosis in his stand-up, explaining how neurodivergence influences his outlook and creative work.
Although some viewers accused Acaster of ‘ruining’ the game one episode before the final, his co-stars and fellow comedians quickly defended him. Friends, however, said they were stunned by his decision.
A source close to Acaster said on Friday that they had been unaware of both his decision to confess and the impact the episode had on him.
They told Our News Outlet: ‘He is obviously bound to silence in advance, so we have not bothered him. We have not spoken to him about the show.’
During the episode, Romesh Ranganathan expressed his pride in Acaster, who has been his friend for a decade.
‘The amazing thing about James is that he has done something that I don’t think I’ve seen anybody do,’ the comedian said on camera.
‘He played a truly unique game, which was to accept his role, but to do it as a Faithful, helping in any way he possibly could. That is kind of typical of the sort of thing James A does, and I respect it a lot.’
Amol Rajan, who was murdered in the second episode after Traitors Maya Jama and Richard E. Grant chose to recruit Acaster instead of him, commented on a BBC clip, describing the comedian as ‘a remarkable soul’.
Strictly host Josh Widdicombe, who has been close friends with Acaster for years, responded with a series of heart emojis.
Broadcaster Dan Walker also defended Acaster’s strategy, writing on X: ‘I don’t know why people are angry about tonight’s Traitors.’
‘Great bit of telly, and I wonder whether the Faithfuls thought about voting for someone else and keeping that person in so they knew the identity of one Traitor they could then remove in the final.’
TV producer and writer Richard Osman said Acaster had carefully chosen a moment to reveal the truth without completely derailing the programme.
‘James Acaster throughout this whole process has been looking for an exit door where he doesn’t blow up the whole show, where he doesn’t just quit on the whole thing,’ Osman explained on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast.
‘You know, like at a party where suddenly there is a gap between you and the door and you think, “I could just go now and nobody is going to see me.”’
‘I think he just took the opportunity. I think he didn’t want to go into that end game. He didn’t want to go into that bit where you really have to look people in the eye, face to face, and say, “Yes, it was me.” I think he thought, “If I go here and now, at least Maya and Kenny have a chance.”’
‘I think he’s brilliant and he does bend the conventions of everything he does, and he did it here. I get it. As gameplay, it’s a hand grenade for sure. It’s interesting as a character study, and I would absolutely defend his right to do it.’
Millions of viewers watched as the reluctant Traitor revealed himself at the round table on Thursday evening
Filming was reportedly paused and the welfare team called after Acaster became distressed following his confession
Acaster’s close friend and podcast co-host Ed Gamble was the first person to interview him after his banishment on the Traitors spin-off show Uncloaked.
Viewers noticed that the debrief was unusually brief and vague, with Gamble avoiding questions about why his friend had spoken out at the round table.
Acaster has also spoken openly about his mental health, sharing his experiences of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts during a 2020 BBC interview.
He said he first became aware of his anxiety during his relationship with actress Louise Ford, who left him for Rowan Atkinson in 2013.
‘I was in a relationship where I was extremely anxious all the time, for about five months. It was unbearable,’ he said. ‘But because the relationship was going badly, I thought, “Well, the relationship’s bad and that’s why I feel like this. It’s not a puzzle. I haven’t got anxiety or depression.”’
In 2017, after splitting from fellow comedian Rose Matafeo, Acaster experienced suicidal thoughts for the first time. ‘I didn’t attempt it,’ he said, but added: ‘I was in New York, the first time I’d ever been, which should have been really exciting. Instead, I’d find myself thinking about ways I could kill myself. That scared me.’
‘I’m very lucky, personality-wise, that as soon as I recognise something needs doing, I’ll do it. So as soon as I got back to England, I booked a therapy session.’
During a 2019 appearance on Celebrity Bake Off, Acaster went viral after joking about his failed cherry Bakewell flapjacks: ‘I started making it, had a breakdown, bon appétit!’
He later revealed that he had been in the middle of a mental health crisis and had not slept for more than 40 hours when the episode was filmed. After it aired, he contacted the Samaritans.
In 2020, Acaster said he was attending therapy twice a month and acknowledged that he might experience another period of depression or anxiety in the future.
‘There have been three points in my life where things have fallen apart. At 35, I’d be pretty naïve to think it won’t happen again,’ he said. ‘What I’d like is to understand why those three times happened, so if it happens again I can be more on top of it.’
Some fans accused Acaster of ‘ruining’ the game one episode before the final, but his co-stars and comedy friends rushed to defend him
Romesh Ranganathan spoke proudly about his friend of ten years during the episode following Acaster’s banishment
Dan Walker defended Acaster’s strategy, writing on X: ‘I don’t know why people are angry about tonight’s Traitors’
Amol Rajan, who was murdered in episode two after Maya Jama and Richard E. Grant recruited Acaster instead of him, called the comedian ‘a remarkable soul’
Viewers watched as Michael Sheen, 57, turned his suspicions on Acaster and Maya Jama over Ross Kemp’s ‘murder in plain sight’, telling them: ‘If you are Traitors, you’ve done it brilliantly.’
Realising that Sheen had worked out the truth, Acaster replied: ‘I understand how you’ve put it all together. I can’t really argue that it sounds feasible, and that sounds like it could have happened. I can promise you that I didn’t spray him.’
The comedian then shocked the group by declaring: ‘I just want to explain my situation. I was made a Traitor without wanting to be.’
‘I’ve had a unique experience on this that no one has had before, where I wanted to be a Faithful; that’s all I wanted to be. I couldn’t just go, “Guys, it’s me, vote for me.” But that’s all I can do, really.’
The insider said filming was paused so Acaster could calm down before continuing the discussion.
They said: ‘The pressure got to him, and it was clear he was finding it difficult. Everyone agreed filming should be stopped before things got too heated.’
‘Everyone was aware of the pressure getting to James throughout the series; it was difficult to watch him struggling.’
Acaster received every vote and, before leaving, told his fellow celebrities: ‘When I came into this experience, I told Claudia that all I wanted to be was a Faithful and all I wanted to do was go round this castle and help the Faithfuls as much as possible, catching Traitors. I’m really proud to say that’s what I’ve been able to do under the circumstances.’
‘I am, reluctantly, a Traitor,’ he added, admitting that a ‘weight has been lifted off his shoulders’.
Acaster’s Celebrity Traitors co-stars arrived at the BBC for the finale photocall on Friday morning. Pictured: Leanne Pinnock
Finalist James Blunt appeared relaxed as he arrived for promotional duties
Sebastian ‘Bash’ Croft smiled for cameras hours before the highly anticipated final aired
Claudia Winkleman wore her signature black outfit for a day of promotional appearances
Jerry Hall looked stylish in leather trousers and sunglasses as she arrived
Miranda Hart was also seen at the BBC after leaving the show the previous week
Ross Kemp looked smart in a striped blazer as he prepared to reunite with his fellow contestants after his face-to-face murder
Amol Rajan gave a thumbs-up ahead of the reunion after being murdered in the second episode
Uncloaked host Ed Gamble was also photographed arriving for the finale celebrations
Fans described Acaster’s confession as the most ‘unprecedented twist in TV history’ as the dramatic scene left viewers stunned.
Reacting on X, one viewer wrote: ‘Nah James A just gave up on the game completely. What am I watching?’
Another posted: ‘JAMES JUST OUTING HIMSELF AS A TRAITOR AT THE ROUND TABLE,’ while a third called it ‘easily the most unprecedented twist in Traitors history’.
A further viewer wrote: ‘Our entire living room when James Acaster said he was a Traitor before the vote took place #CelebrityTraitors.’
Maya Jama appeared defeated, telling viewers: ‘Tonight was the hardest night of the whole experience.’
‘No words, no thoughts. I knew James didn’t want to be a Traitor after we chose him. There was not one piece of me that could jump up when he said he was a Traitor. I’ve played a good acting game so far, but that part I just couldn’t pretend.’
In his exit interview, Acaster said the plan to expose himself had helped him cope throughout the competition.
‘The idea of doing that got me through the whole experience,’ he said. ‘You feel as a Traitor sometimes, when you see people have real-life reactions that are bigger than the game, you feel bad.’
‘I would have to remind myself they don’t have a game without you, literally. If no one’s doing this stuff, they can’t play, and they all want to play.’
‘So you are doing an important job here, so they all have something to do. When they catch you, they’ll be really happy and they’ll like it, and it will feel good to just tell them and see that reaction.’
Acaster said he had felt safe going into the round table. ‘I went in thinking, “I’ve got no heat on me whatsoever.” It was a surprise, but I was glad that they caught me,’ he added.
The Celebrity Traitors final will see Maya Jama, King Kenny, Romesh Ranganathan, James Blunt, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Sebastian Croft compete for the £64,500 prize pot, which will be donated to their chosen charities.
