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Clare Balding has lifted the lid on the brutal reality behind the upcoming Celebrity Traitors spin-off, revealing that pre-existing friendships were quickly ditched as the celebrities entered the game-playing pressure cooker.
The beloved broadcaster is one of 19 famous faces who recently wrapped filming the hotly anticipated BBC One series at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, with Claudia Winkleman once again donning her black cloak to host the treacherous twists and turns.
Speaking at the Goodwoof event this week, Clare offered a tantalising glimpse behind the scenes of the new series, admitting the psychological intensity of the show had a dramatic effect on the relationships between the celebrity contestants.
“It is so intense, and you get completely obsessed with the game,” Clare confessed.
“Obviously I knew quite a lot of them before I went in, but the friendships you had before go out the window! That, for me, is very challenging because I like to be friends with everybody!”
Known for her warmth and diplomacy, Clare admitted the cut-throat environment of the game pushed her well outside her comfort zone.
Credit: BBC/PA Wire
“It’s brutal, but I think I’m glad I did it. It will make good television and there are some really strong moments.”
As with the original version of The Traitors, the celebrity edition challenges players to outwit each other in a game of deception, trust, and sabotage, and even close friendships aren’t safe.
While Clare remained tight-lipped about her own role in the game, refusing to reveal if she was a Traitor or Faithful, she did offer one clue about a fellow contestant who impressed her.
“There are some people who are so clever. I mean, Nick Mohammed from Ted Lasso, he can solve problems and puzzles in like four and a half seconds. He’s amazing.”
Clare also shared her joy at connecting with fellow contestants outside of their usual circles, including Stephen Fry, Celia Imrie, Charlotte Church, Cat Burns, and Ruth Cobb.
“It was lovely to get more time to hang out with people like Stephen Fry, Celia Imrie, Charlotte Church who’s an absolute superstar, and a really cool young singer called Cat Burns, I would not have met her and Ruth Cobb who’s an actress in any other situation, and I loved that.
Yeah, it was great fun.”
Credit: BBC/PA Wire
With the cast kept closely under wraps and no air date confirmed just yet, excitement is already building. But one thing is clear, this star-studded spin-off of The Traitors is set to be must-watch TV.
