Reports suggest producers are considering British acting legends Richard E. Grant and Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville for the next series of the popular BBC show.
The search is on for the Celebrity Traitors casting team to assemble an even more impressive lineup than fans saw in Series One. In pursuit of this, executives have set their sights on two giants of British acting.
At the forefront is Richard E. Grant, who is reportedly being courted to appear in the popular BBC show. The 68-year-old actor is said to have caught the attention of producers eager to secure his involvement in the upcoming series.
Grant has been a mainstay in film since his breakout role in Withnail and I, and has gone on to star in acclaimed projects such as Gosford Park and Star Wars, while earning an Academy Award nomination for his performance in Can You Ever Forgive Me? nearly a decade ago, according to the Mirror.
If Richard decides to take part in the upcoming series of Celebrity Traitors, he would be following in the footsteps of earlier participants this year, including Charlotte Church, Paloma Faith, and eventual winner Alan Carr, who played a Traitor yet still emerged victorious.
Producers are also reportedly courting Hugh Bonneville, famed for his role as Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham in Downton Abbey, for a stint in the show’s iconic castle. A source told The Sun: “Richard and Hugh are national treasures and would fit perfectly in the luxurious castle setting. Richard is clever, witty, and endearing; Hugh is charming and funny. If they do join the series, viewers won’t know until it airs whether they are assigned as Faithfuls or Traitors, but it’s certain they’d be hugely entertaining from the start. Both would be brilliant at the roundtable and in the turret if made Traitors!”
Richard has previously spoken about the possibility of appearing on The Traitors, admitting he is a big fan of the show, although his daughter doubts he would last long. Speaking to The Observer towards the end of last year, he said: “I’m obsessed with The Celebrity Traitors. I loved watching the mega-sized brain of Sir Stephen Fry get frustrated because he just couldn’t figure it out. It shows how easily people follow the herd.”
“I’d love to go on it. My daughter joked that I’d be thrown out after half an hour because I can’t hide how I feel about anyone in any way,” Richard admitted.
Speculation is already growing over which celebrities will enter the castle this time, and the news about Hugh Bonneville and Richard E. Grant comes shortly after reports that This Morning’s Alison Hammond tops producers’ wishlist, alongside former EastEnders star Danny Dyer.
Alex Apati from Ladbrokes told the Mirror: “The team behind Celebrity Traitors have big shoes to fill after the success of series one. If the latest odds are anything to go by, we could be in for another star-studded lineup. Additionally, Four Weddings and a Funeral actor Hugh Grant is reportedly on producers’ radar as they aim to secure surprising big names.”
A television insider added: “They know landing Hugh would be a major coup and believe he’d be brilliant for the show. The bosses are keen to avoid the usual reality stars who appear in every series.”
The BBC confirmed: “We aren’t commenting on speculation. Details for series two of The Celebrity Traitors will be announced in due course.”
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