Celebrity Traitors fans ‘work out’ why the BBC ended Round Table episode before a single banishment vote was cast
We've waited almost a week to hear a name read outCelebrity Traitors ended on a cliffhanger BEFORE a single player had written down a name for banishment last week – and fans have ‘worked out’ why.
Avid viewers are certain that an episode of The Traitors has never finished before chalk had been put to slate at a Round Table.
Any banishment cliffhangers have previously come once the majority of the players have read out their votes.
This usually gives fans a good clue as to who is most at risk from banishment.
But last Friday, episode 2 finished with Claudia Winkleman telling the Round Table: “The time for talk is over.”
The credits then rolled, without even a whiff of a single name.
Fans have been mulling over this ever since and, ahead of tonight’s episode, are convinced they know why it was done.
Celebrity Traitors banishment cliffhanger under spotlight
The main question on the nation’s lips right now is whether Richard E. Grant will be banished. The actor revealed his Traitor identity within minutes of Claudia tapping on his shoulder.
While some feel it was a double bluff, it appears the majority of Faithful correctly think Richard massively slipped up. Comedian Joe Lycett is very much certain Richard is a Traitor.
The Round Table chat focused on the actor. But viewers didn’t even get to see if a single person wrote his name down.
Fans believe this was deliberately done to draw back the most number of viewers possible for tonight’s episode (October 8, 2026).
One viewer wrote on The Traitors UK Facebook group: “I’ve done a bit of digging and no UK Traitors series has ever ended before they even put names on their slates, which what happened on Friday.
“The closest we’ve come before is when the names are revealed and there was a tie in the voting. Then the show ended. And that’s only happened twice.”
Another agreed: “Normally they show the voting and cut out at the last vote.”
A third penned: “I said exactly the same! They’ve dragged it out another week for him to get some interviews in. I know they have cliffhangers all the time, but I felt Friday’s episode ended abruptly just so we have to wait another week to find out.”
A fourth said: “Been saying it all week. Getting their moneys worth by keeping him in the conversation.”
And someone else chimed in: “It seemed bizarre on Friday, that it stopped when it did.”
What time is The Celebrity Traitors on tonight?
The good news is that we are only a few short hours away from finding out if Richard does get banished. The next episode starts at 8pm on BBC One tonight (Thursday October 8, 2026).
The show will run for 65 minutes, with an end time of 9.05pm. Ed Gamble will then pick up straight after with the next instalment of spin-off show The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked.
It won’t be a long one tonight – just 25 minutes in fact.
BUT Ed will be chatting to the latest banished player and murder victim, so make sure you don’t miss it!
