James Nesbitt has turned down a spot in The Celebrity Traitors line-up. The actor, who recently appeared in Harlan Coben's Runaway on Netflix, appeared on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Tuesday, where he explained his reasons for declining.
Already a fan of the reality series, Nesbitt told radio host Christ Evans that he was 'too scared' to take part. "When I was asked, because I was in at the BBC, and I went, 'Oh, sounds amazing,'" he began.
"Then I spoke to my agent, and he said no. Because I just thought, 'How do I follow that?' It was so brilliant'."
Noting that a stint on The Celebrity Traitors could impact his acting career, especially if he got caught out as a Traitor early on, Nesbitt added, "Do you know what, that unquestionably crossed my mind. I would, that was the first thing that crossed my mind. 'That could finish my career. He's rubbish.'"
While Nesbitt won't be competing in The Celebrity Traitors, the TV star will be able to tune in with the rest of the nation when season two premieres. Currently, a release date has yet to be confirmed, however, the BBC has promised more episodes in 2026, with Claudia Winkleman returning to host at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands.
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Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC, said: "Studio Lambert have done an outstanding job as The Celebrity Traitors has well and truly captivated the nation, becoming a bona fide highlight of the year bringing record numbers of people together to enjoy every twist and turn.
"In 2026 the doors of the castle will be opened again to welcome celebrity players to the game to see who can charm, who can scheme and ultimately who can survive in series two which promises to be just as unmissable as the first. Plus with Uncloaked returning and today's news of the positive contribution The Traitors brand has made to Scotland's economy, there is plenty to celebrate."
Related: The Traitors Ireland finally has BBC release date confirmed – getting a slot on BBC One
The Celebrity Traitors, which aired its first season in October, broke multiple viewership records during its run.
The finale, which saw comedian Alan Carr declared the winner, received 1.9m live requests on BBC iPlayer, which was the highest live-viewing number for any Entertainment episode on iPlayer of all time. Adding to its success, the final episode was watched by an impressive 15 million viewers.
Season two of The Celebrity Traitors will air in 2026.
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