Celebrity Traitors final: Ranganathan and Croft win, £83,000 prize goes to charity

The key facts

The winners are comedian Romesh Ranganathan and actor Sebastian 'Bash' Croft, who split £83,000 between Refugee Council and Choose Love
More than 15 million people watched the series; the final was likely the most popular TV programme of the year
After James Acaster's confession, questions arose about the editing and producers' interference
After James Acaster's revelation, questions arose about editing and producer interference

The Faithful win in a tense final

The second season of The Celebrity Traitors came to an end on Friday — of the 21 original contestants, seven remained by the final, and the winners were two of the Faithful: comedian Romesh Ranganathan and 24-year-old actor Sebastian 'Bash' Croft, known for Heartstopper. This was reported by BBC News. The winning pair will split the £83,000 prize between two refugee charities — Refugee Council and Choose Love.

How the outcome was decided

Before the final stage — the endgame at the fire pit — YouTuber King Kenny betrayed his fellow Traitor, Love Island host Maya Jama, at the last 'round table'. In the endgame, singer James Blunt took part alongside Kenny, Ranganathan and Croft. When the votes to banish James and Kenny were tied, Bash persuaded Romesh to vote against Kenny — and that secured the Faithful's victory. 'Absolutely gutted. I was so close. I could feel the win,' Kenny said. James Blunt then demanded another round of voting himself and was banished, leaving Ranganathan and Croft alone.

Reactions and the eliminated

'This might be the best day of my life,' said a tearful Bash Croft. Ranganathan added that he hoped his mother and his younger son Charlie, who had talked him into taking part, were proud of him. Earlier in the Friday episode, actor Michael Sheen was the first to be 'murdered', and at the endgame Kenny voted against Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock, who called herself foolish for trusting him. Earlier in the season, Ross Kemp, Jerry Hall, Miranda Hart, Joe Lycett, Hannah Fry and Amol Rajan had all left.

Unusual tactics and questions about the editing

The season will be remembered for two contestants who revealed themselves as Traitors: Richard E. Grant did so as early as the second episode out of sheer excitement, while comedian James Acaster — the most reluctant Traitor in the show's history — gave himself up under pressure at the round table on Thursday. According to The Sun, filming of the scene was paused and Acaster was checked on by support staff after he became nervous. A BBC spokesperson said on Friday that the safety and wellbeing of contestants is 'the highest priority' and that a dedicated team of experienced welfare specialists monitors the players. Particular attention from viewers was drawn to the editing: attentive viewers noticedthat Romesh's shocked reaction to Acaster's confession appears to have been taken from a later moment — after he had voted against him. TV critic Ian Hyland wrote that 'the most damaging thing about the James Acaster incident is perhaps that it showed just how much producers and editors interfere with the show.' The BBC gave no separate response on the editing.

Ratings and debates about the season

More than 15 million people watched the series, and according to the BBC, Friday's final was likely the most popular TV programme of the year. Yet as early as Thursday Hollywood Reporter, noting the record ratings, asked why the season was often called 'a bit dull' on social media: viewers missed the betrayals and loud conflicts, and no analogue of Alan Carr emerged among the contestants — the comedian who, as a Traitor last year, effortlessly deceived everyone and won. The final episode, however, restored the show's dramatic tension.