The Celebrity Traitors is back for a second season, and has already delivered backstabbing, accusations and suspicions among its famous cast.
While any series of Traitors guarantees plenty of tension, there’s something about the celebrity version in particular that just feels so much more sinister. From episode one, Ross Kemp was suspicious of his fellow traitors and there was a tension in the air that doesn’t usually kick in until a few episodes in on normal Traitors.
According to one psychologist, this is to be expected.
In fact, it turns out that having a famous cast brings more than just star power to the iconic castle.
BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry
Writing for The Conversation, Paddy Ross, an Associate Psychology Professor at Durham University explained: “In the celebrity version, players will probably know others professionally, personally, or perhaps be fans of each other’s work before the game begins.
“All of this will affect their perception of others, influencing who they will trust and why.”
Ross went on to note: “Some contestants are simply far more famous than others. This creates an imbalanced power dynamic, which could lead to players higher up in this established celebrity hierarchy having more influence over those lower down.
“Additionally it may influence how those lower down, but who have power as a traitor, might choose to wield it.”
BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/BBC Creative
Finally, the psychology expert shared that celebrities’ concerns about public perception during their time on the show may play a key role in how they perform in the game. For example, a Traitor might worry that targeting a well-loved household name might backfire against them when the show airs.
Of course, all contestants, whether famous or not, will have some worries about how they are perceived on the show, but for many celebs, their livelihood could depend on.
Ross explained: “Fear of public backlash against decisions could well come into play. A young up-and-coming star may perhaps think twice before ending the game for a senior figure.”
The Celebrity Traitors continues on Thursday night at 8pm on BBC One.
