Sir Stephen Fry has been named as one of the contestants on the first celebrity edition of The Traitors, with the QI star the only known Jewish participant in the upcoming series.
As reported by The Sun, Fry is one of 19 celebrities who have begun filming for the BBC show, set in a remote Scottish castle.
Known for his extensive work across literature, broadcasting and film, he was reportedly enthusiastic about joining the show and is said to be a long-time fan.
The format of The Traitors remains unchanged for the celebrity version, with a group of contestants secretly split into Faithfuls and Traitors. Each night, the Traitors covertly “murder” one of the Faithfuls then, by day, the entire group votes to eliminate suspected Traitors.
The aim is to reach the end of the game without being unmasked as a Traitor. While the standard version carries a cash prize, the celebrity format may alter the reward structure in favour of a charity donation or special trophy.
Welsh singer Charlotte Church who has made headlines last year for singing “Free Palestine” during a performance at Glastonbury is also reportedly involved in the show.
The rest of the celebrity cast includes broadcaster Kate Garraway, comedian Alan Carr, Olympian Tom Daley and historian Professor David Olusoga.
Small screen stars also understood to be taking part include Celia Imrie (Calendar Girls), Nick Mohammed (Ted Lasso), and Tameka Empson (EastEnders).
Other participants include singers Paloma Faith and Cat Burns; comedians Joe Wilkinson and Lucy Beaumont; presenter Jonathan Ross; sports broadcaster Clare Balding; former England rugby player Joe Marler, YouTuber Niko Omilana, and Line of Duty’s Mark Bonnar.
The show will be hosted by Claudia Winkleman and filmed in the Scottish Highlands.
A BBC spokesperson told The Independent: “The Traitors includes lies and deception, so it would be foolhardy for any Faithful to speculate before the game has begun.”
The series is set to air later this year, though the broadcast date is not yet confirmed.
