‘The Celebrity Traitors’ Breaks UK Premiere Records With 8.8 Million Viewers
The BBC's 'The Celebrity Traitors' returned with a record 8.8 million viewers, topping 50% of the UK TV audience and beating every previous franchise launch.
Programme
- Season 2 premiere of 'The Celebrity Traitors' drew 8.8 million viewers, peaking at 9 million, per overnight BBC figures.
- The launch beat previous franchise premieres by around 3 million viewers and captured over 50% of the UK TV audience.
- The show airs Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m. BST on BBC One and iPlayer; civilian 'Traitors' Season 5 arrives early next year.
More than 8.8 million viewers watched the Season 2 premiere of “The Celebrity Traitors” on BBC One Thursday night, according to overnight figures, with viewership peaking at 9 million.
The numbers set a new premiere record for “The Traitors” franchise in the U.K. The launch drew roughly 3 million more viewers than the first season of the celebrity version last year and the most recent civilian season. Overnight data also showed that more than 50% of everyone watching television in the U.K. at that moment was tuned in, making the show the top program of the evening. The total will grow further as viewers who missed the episode catch up in the coming days.
The cast explains much of the draw. Host Claudia Winkleman welcomed a roster of recognizable names to the Scottish castle this season, including Richard E. Grant, Bella Ramsey, Myha'la, Maya Jama, James Acaster, Jerry Hall, James Blunt and Michael Sheen. Grant emerged as an early standout in the premiere, throwing himself into the game with visible enthusiasm and immediately causing chaos among the contestants.
The schedule gives the BBC a full month of appointment viewing. “The Celebrity Traitors” airs on BBC One and iPlayer every Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. BST, with the second episode following the day after the premiere.
The record launch extends a franchise that now spans multiple formats and territories. Season 5 of the U.K.'s civilian “Traitors” is scheduled to premiere early next year, keeping the flagship version of the show in continuous rotation.
In the U.S., the format has become equally entrenched. Alan Cumming hosts the celebrity version on Peacock, and the streamer launched a civilian spinoff, “New Blood,” in September. With the U.K. celebrity edition now posting franchise-best numbers, the format's expansion across editions and markets shows no sign of slowing — and the BBC will be watching whether Friday's second episode can hold an audience of nearly 9 million.
Source: Variety Film
