Celebrity Traitors fans to see 'real' Joe Lycett on BBC show: 'Everyone thinks I'm gay but I have a girlfriend and kid'
This could be confusing in a game of lies and deceitJoe Lycett has promised fans they will see a completely different side to him when watching The Celebrity Traitors.
The flamboyant comedian, 38, has lifted the lid on what he’s actually like behind closed doors before the 2026 series kicks off – and he’s not like people might expect.
Joe says he actually has a female partner and a child, despite people thinking he is “the gay comedian off the telly’.
He’s also warned that he’s likely to be “tranquil” in Ardross Castle, rather than loud and bolshy.
Celebrity Traitors’ Joe Lycett: Faithful or Traitor?
Joe has spoken out ahead of series 2 of The Celebrity Traitors starting. He will be seen entering Ardross Castle in Scotland next week alongside 20 other famous faces.
Other names include Hollywood actor Michael Sheen, former EastEnders star Ross Kemp and actress and comedian Miranda Hart.
Joe says he wants host Claudia Winkleman to select him as a Faithful first. But he really hopes to be brought into the Traitors’ fold as the competition progresses.
“I want to start as a Faithful and then be converted,” he explains. “I think I’d find it very stressful being a Traitor, but I think you only get one chance to have a go at it, don’t you?
“Being a Faithful is probably a much nicer experience because you don’t have all the cognitive load of having to lie all the time, and you get to go to bed earlier.”
Joe then drops the bombshell. He reveals what he is really like away from the set of a TV or comedy show.
Joe Lycett: ‘Everyone thinks I’m gay’
The comedian admits that his celebrity persona is somewhat different to how he is in real life – despite the boundaries initially being blurred.
“So, when I started doing stand-up, my on and off-stage persona were quite similar,” Joe admits. “I showed off at parties because I wanted attention and then, gradually, as I got that attention through doing stand-up, I could calm down in real life.
“When I’m not out on stage I’m very calm, thoughtful and peaceful. I think the comics know what I’m like on and off stage, but I think the others who, for the first time, will spend time with me not in ‘show mode’ might see that as suspicious.”
Joe, who previously confirmed he is bisexual, adds: “I definitely come across assumptions of, ‘Oh, he’s the gay comedian off the telly’ and I explain I’ve got a female partner and a son with said female partner.
I’m really quite a tranquil individual when not in performance mode which may surprise some.”
Interesting. Could this split personality make or break Joe’s time in the castle? Only time will tell!
When does The Celebrity Traitors start?
Celebrity Traitors fans can watch Joe and his fellow famous faces arrive in the Scottish Highlands next week. The new series starts on Thursday October 1, 2026.
Fans can tune in to the bumper episode from 8pm and it is immediately followed by Ed Gamble’s Uncloaked spin-off.
The series will then continue every Wednesday and Thursday for the next few weeks.
We’ve been waiting so long for this – and now it’s almost here!
