The key facts

  • The final was won by the Faithfuls Romesh Ranganathan and Sebastian 'Bash' Croft
  • The final was won by the faithful Romesh Ranganathan and Sebastian 'Bash' Croft
  • Experts name King Kenny, Miranda Hart, Maya Jama and Joanne McNally as the season's main 'breakouts'
  • According to The Times, Maya Jama could receive up to £1 million for a deal; The Sun reports a possible return of Miranda Hart's sitcom
  • According to The Times, Maya Jama could earn up to £1 million per deal; The Sun reports a possible return of Miranda Hart's sitcom

The winners of the final and the real 'winners'

In Friday's Celebrity Traitors final victory went to a pair of 'Faithfuls' — comedian Romesh Ranganathan and 24-year-old actor Sebastian 'Bash' Croft, known for his roles in Game of Thrones and Heartstopper. However, as BBC News culture correspondent Nour Nanji writes, the real winners of the season may turn out to be not the prize holders, but those who managed to make the most of their screen time. Industry experts name several contestants as the season's main 'breakouts', whose fame grew noticeably during the show.

King Kenny — the biggest career leap

According to most experts surveyed by the BBC, the biggest career boost went to 29-year-old King Kenny. Before appearing on the show, he was known mainly to a younger audience as a member of the British YouTube collective Beta Squad and, in the words of showbusiness journalist Nikki Onafuye, was 'the least familiar name to a mass audience'. Having become a 'Traitor', he made it to the tense final on Friday. Marina Hyde, on The Rest is Entertainment podcast, said Kenny has 'just been minted 100% as a mainstream star', while TV reporter Siobhán Sinnott predicts roles for him in panel shows, presenting and entertainment formats.

Hart, Jama and McNally

Miranda Hart, according to culture journalist Natalie Jamieson, became the season's 'number one star' thanks to her openness and recognisability: her tearful reaction to the banishment of her friend Joe Lycett became a rare heartfelt moment of the show. According to The Sun, the BBC is considering the return of her self-titled sitcom after a surge of interest; the BBC declined to comment on this information. Maya Jama, despite her dramatic banishment, according to this week's report in The Times, could command up to £1 million for a commercial deal. Sinnott, however, believes Kenny benefited more from the show, since Jama was already one of Britain's best-known TV presenters. Irish comedian Joanne McNally, initially the least famous of the castle's comedians, according to Radio Times, made it to Thursday's semi-final, and a few days ago it was announced that her stand-up tour has been extended into 2027 'due to phenomenal demand'.

Other notable contestants

James Acaster captured the country's attention with his 'sensational confession' that he was a Traitor: the reaction on social media was divided — from irritation to respect for the fact that he left the game on his own terms. Croft, in addition to his victory, is using the moment for his music career: his debut EP is released at the end of November. Jamieson also highlights Sharon Rooney, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Mawuli, who stood out for their wit, although the episode involving Rooney's disagreement during one of the challenges sparked debate on social media: some called her behaviour 'childish', while others saw it as a classic case of women being 'talked over' by men. Those who left the show early — Amol Rajan, Julie Hesmondhalgh and Hannah Fry — according to Sinnott, still got 'a good story' for future interviews.

A composite of three celebrities - Maya Jama, King Kenny and Miranda Hart. Maya is wearing a metallic-style bronze high-neck top, Kenny is in a blue denim-style jacket over a light shirt, and Miranda is wearing a dark blouse with light striped detailing. All three face the camera in a studio portrait against a green backdrop.Image source, BBC/Studio Lambert
Miranda Hart sits on a dark leather sofa in a warmly lit room, wearing a dark button-up shirt and dark trousers, with one arm resting on the arm of the sofa.
James Acaster stands behind a circular table on the set of Celebrity Traitors, wearing a bright red overshirt over a dark top and gesturing with both hands showing his palms held face up. A glass of water sits on the table in front of him.Image source, BBC/Studio Lambert
Image caption,

James Acaster

King Kenny and fellow Celebrity Traitors contestant Michael Sheen are shown in a field with scarecrows that have pumpkins as heads. Michael is wearing a black tracksuit top and black trousers and Kenny is in a grey top and black trousers.
Maya Jama, wearing a metallic-style bronze high-neck top, is smiling as she hands over a green cloak to Claudia Winkleman, whose face is not shown.
Joanne McNally stands between two large floral arrangements, wearing a bright pink-and-black patterned outfit. She raises both hands while addressing a congregation in what appears to be a church setting.
Sebastian Croft sits at a circular table decorated with star motifs, wearing a black and white striped jumper. A goblet of water is on the table, while a glowing ring-shaped light feature is visible in the background. He has his arms rested on the table with the fingers of his hands interlinked.
James Blunt is seen in a grey overshirt with military-style patches on the front, along with his surname. He has a Union Jack patch on the upper left arm of the shirt.
The seven Celebrity Traitors finalists standing around a fire pit outside the castle listening to Claudia WinklemanMaya Jama, King Kenny, James Acaster & Leigh-Anne PinnockRomesh Ranganathan and Rob BeckettClaudia Winkleman is wearing a thick, cream coat with the hood up. Behind her is the blurred outline of Ardross Castle.