Imagine watching a murder mystery where Alan Carr and Celia Imrie are trading side-eyes in a castle instead of Brandi Glanville and Johnny Bananas trying to out-sass each other.
That’s the difference between The Celebrity Traitors and Peacock’s The Traitors — one feels like a deliciously tense psychological game, the other like a Bravo reunion that accidentally wandered into a whodunit.
The Celebrity Traitors proves something Peacock has stubbornly refused to acknowledge: when everyone in your cast is famous for being loud, you lose the subtlety that makes this format work.
The British edition is sharper, smarter, and infinitely more engaging precisely because it’s packed with people who have reputations to protect — not brands to promote.
Across six episodes, I’ve been genuinely hooked.
Alan Carr delivers one of the funniest, most naturally charismatic performances reality TV has ever seen, and Celia Imrie plays the game with grace, wit, and a masterclass in understated presence.
Neither of them is fighting for camera time; they are the camera time. Their charm and restraint make the paranoia land harder because it feels real, not produced.
Meanwhile, the U.S. version has turned into a greatest hits collection of reality archetypes — the villain, the chaos agent, the “I ‘m-not-here-to-make-friends” confessional regular.
It’s no surprise that The Traitors U.S. often devolves into noise. These people spend their careers turning drama into currency.
The Celebrity Traitors Features Massive Stakes
The game’s supposed to be about strategy, deceit, and emotional manipulation, but when every player is already performing for an audience, the tension evaporates.
Part of what makes The Celebrity Traitors sing is that its cast actually understands restraint.
When someone is accused of being a traitor, there’s this uncomfortable quiet — a beat of stillness before the denial.
On Peacock’s version, that exact moment would turn into a monologue or a meltdown designed for GIFs. There’s a thrill in watching players who don’t need to fill the silence.
That silence is where the paranoia grows, where the game breathes.
There’s also something inherently fascinating about watching actual celebrities — people with layered personas and cultural weight — navigate deceit.
When you’ve built a decades-long career like Imrie’s or cultivated public goodwill like Carr’s, every move matters.
A misstep could make you look cruel or foolish to millions. That’s real risk. Compare that to reality stars whose entire brands revolve around being unfiltered and unhinged — there’s nothing left for them to lose.
Casting is Key to Any Successful TV Format
The difference isn’t in production — both versions of The Traitors are glossy, well-shot, and dripping with atmosphere.
It’s in the energy. When players aren’t desperate to trend on social media, the paranoia feels earned.
You’re watching people lie because they have to, not because they can’t help themselves.
The British version plays like a champagne toast; the American one, a TikTok party that’s already gone off the rails.
Peacock clearly knows the format has legs — the network is already developing a non-celebrity edition of Traitors to air alongside the all-reality version.
But if the goal is to keep The Traitors fresh, the next logical step is simple: give the reality stars a rest. Let the show breathe with people who don’t already have a confessional reel ready.
The Traitors doesn’t need more reality. It requires more reality checks.
What are your thoughts on the U.S. iteration and its reliance on reality TV stars?
Do you think it’s time to pivot and deliver a show with real celebrities?
Hit the comments below. If you’re looking for high-stakes drama of the scripted variety, Tulsa King should be on your watchlist.
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Across the pond, The Celebrity Traitors has launched and features actual celebrities. Peacock’s version should take note.
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Taylor Sheridan is allegedly leaving Paramount for NBCUniversal, but don’t panic — his current shows will stay on Paramount+ while he builds his next empire.
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