If you were to check into a rather unremarkable hotel bustling with some of the nation’s most famous faces, there might be one thing that leaves you puzzled.
It’s the sight of four enthusiastic young women, each gripping their phones and zipping through the hallways with trays piled high with snacks.
Welcome to the Courtyard, a hotel reminiscent of a Premier Inn, nestled near Inverness Airport, where the cast of Celebrity Traitors is stationed for three weeks of shooting.
Behind the scenes of this popular BBC show, a meticulous operation is underway to ensure the Traitors—including supermodel Jerry Hall, film stars Michael Sheen and Richard E. Grant, and singer James Blunt—are well-fed, hydrated, and ready to plot. The organization is as precise as a military maneuver.
“This operation is led by four ‘runners,'” confides an insider from the show. “They may look glamorous, but their job is to cater to the celebrities’ every whim.”
“Requests come through on their phones, and it’s all systems go. Whatever the stars desire is promptly delivered, as they are confined to their rooms,” the insider adds.
With no room service on offer, the celebs, used to having their every diva-ish request fulfilled, are reduced to summoning food and drink via WhatsApp.
Which is why other guests at the hotel have watched open-mouthed as orders of Nando’s, Malbec and double gin and tonics have been whisked along the corridors at all hours.
Celebrity Traitors kicked off in dramatic style deep in the Scottish Highlands as the famous faces were spotted filming the explosive opening task of the brand new series on May 7
Pictured: Courtyard by Marriott, the cast’s no-frills airport hotel in Inverness
Pictured: The Traitors castle one hour away from the airport
Indeed, production company staff, who are also based at the hotel, have been overheard muttering that booze is very much needed after a day’s work.
Some of the stars – who are banned from talking to each other to ensure no secrets are divulged outside the game – are even apparently summoning the runners for a chat just to relieve the boredom.
‘You overhear them saying that they have Jerry Hall and Richard E. Grant upstairs waiting for their snacks,’ reveals my snitch.
‘There’s quite a lot of booze being drunk. It must be tough doing the show and it must be boring just sitting in a bedroom.
‘There isn’t much showbiz glamour going on. The hotel isn’t up to much – it’s certainly not as lavish as what they are used to. But at least they are waited on 24/7.’
This year’s line-up also includes EastEnders actor Ross Kemp, comedians Miranda Hart, Rob Beckett, Romesh Ranganathan, Joe Lycett, Joanne McNally and James Acaster, Love Island host Maya Jama and Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
Mathematician Hannah Fry, broadcaster Amol Rajan, ex-Coronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, prankster King Kenny, Industry’s Myha’la, Heartstopper’s Sebastian Croft and My Mad Fat Diary’s Sharon Rooney, are all booked into the Courtyard.
If conditions inside the hotel – billed on Tripadvisor as offering ‘solid value’ – are budget-style, the views are even less appealing.
Maya Jama is pictured during a task on The Celebrity Traitors
The contestants were seen searching for treasure aboard a wrecked pirate ship on a stoic Scottish loch as filming got underway for the hotly-anticipated series
There are none of the stunning Highland hills, misty lochs and ancient turrets of Traitors Castle (really Ardross Castle, an hour’s drive away).
Instead celebrities must make do with the bustle of Inverness Airport or, on the other side, the local landmark affectionately dubbed the ‘Cloud Factory’ – the West Fraser wood panel plant which pumps out smoke constantly.
And while Traitors Castle boasts rooms bedecked with sumptuous antique furnishings, including four-poster beds, the Courtyard vibe is simpler.
Each room has a bed, small sofa, wardrobe and TV. There’s not even a bath – just a walk-in shower with complimentary mini bottles of toiletries.
You wouldn’t blame our celebs for going a little stir crazy. But woe betide anyone who tries to make a break for it.
Guards are stationed at either end of the corridors where the celebrities are staying, effectively sealing off entire sections of the hotel and ensuring there are no accidental run-ins or leaks that could lead to off-screen treachery.
Meanwhile, at the back of the hotel, a large black screen has been erected that allows the contestants to enter and leave, shielded from both the eyes of the public and any Faithfuls twitching their curtains. ‘Nothing at all is left to chance,’ says my source.
Downtime is tightly controlled, too. The hotel’s small ground-floor gym is available to the celebrities but only one at a time, with crew members stationed outside to ensure no contestants cross paths during their workouts.
Outdoor runs and walks are allowed but only with a chaperone.
‘There is absolutely no chance they can say anything untoward,’ says the source. ‘They are watched like hawks.’
And no doubt they’ll be watched by millions when the series airs in the autumn.
