The tension inside the Scottish castle hosting BBC One’s The Celebrity Traitors reached new heights on October 22, 2025, as the reality competition aired its fifth electrifying episode. This season’s trio of Traitors—Jonathan Ross, Alan Carr, and Cat Burns—have so far played a masterful game, evading suspicion while orchestrating a string of dramatic eliminations. But as the dust settles after the latest murder and a historic tie at the roundtable, fans and contestants alike are left questioning whether the Traitors’ luck is about to run out.
In a twist that has social media buzzing, the Traitors chose to murder Charlotte Church overnight. According to Edinburgh News, Charlotte was one of three celebrities at risk, alongside David Olusoga and Kate Garraway. The decision was revealed at breakfast, with Cat Burns explaining, "It doesn’t give any indication it is us." Alan Carr added that the move would "cause a ripple through the faithful as they wondered why it was her." Celia Imrie, reflecting the general confusion, described the aftermath as leaving the Faithful "befuddled."
This murder, however, may have been a strategic blunder. As Cosmopolitan and Daily Mail both reported, fans on X (formerly Twitter) were quick to voice their opinions. One viewer wrote, "I think murdering Charlotte was a big mistake for the Traitors, she was someone who was getting suspicion! Everyone at breakfast was gonna banish her! Plus she was good at the challenges!" Another chimed in, "These Traitors are not good. They’d have all voted Charlotte out this episode #TheTraitors." The consensus among many fans is that by eliminating a contestant already under suspicion, the Traitors may have squandered a valuable scapegoat—one whose continued presence could have deflected attention from themselves.
The Faithfuls’ suspicions are now shifting. Nick Mohammed, lauded for his puzzle-solving prowess, has begun to focus on Cat Burns. In a confessional, Nick admitted he was keeping a close eye on Cat after she concealed having a shield in the previous challenge. While he’s not ready to confront her openly, he suspects her under-the-radar gameplay could be a cover. As the Faithfuls’ strategy evolves, quieter contestants like Cat, Celia Imrie, and Mark Bonnar are coming under increasing scrutiny. After several failed attempts to root out Traitors among the more vocal players, the Faithfuls seem poised to take a gamble on the less obvious suspects.
Yet, Cat Burns’s own approach is shifting as well. In this episode, she floated the idea of sacrificing a fellow Traitor to "reignite" the Faithfuls’ spirits—a tactic that has spelled disaster for overconfident Traitors in past seasons. Alan Carr and Cat even discussed the possibility of betraying Jonathan Ross, with Alan confessing, "If one more person [had voted for him], I would’ve put his name." Cat replied that she would indeed have considered throwing Jonathan under the bus. It’s a risky move, but as suspicion rises around Jonathan, the Traitors may have no choice but to turn on each other to ensure their own survival.
The episode’s second major shock came at the roundtable, where the banishment vote ended in a deadlock for the first time in the show’s history. As Daily Mail and Edinburgh News detailed, David Olusoga and Mark Bonnar each received five votes after two rounds of voting. Host Claudia Winkleman sternly announced that neither would leave until the tie was broken, and if a third tie occurred, fate would decide. Both Mark and David made impassioned pleas to their fellow contestants, but the suspense was left unresolved as the episode closed on a cliffhanger, leaving fans fuming and desperate for answers.
Meanwhile, the Faithfuls’ paranoia is reaching fever pitch. Joe Marler, in particular, has become a vocal leader in the hunt, targeting actors like Mark Bonnar for their "specific set of skills." Nick Mohammed weighed his suspicions between Stephen Fry and Jonathan Ross, while Lucy speculated that Stephen’s continued survival might indicate he’s a Traitor. The roundtable has become a battleground of shifting alliances and second-guessing, with even the most cunning players struggling to stay a step ahead.
Outside the castle, Cat Burns is enjoying a surge in popularity. As reported by Daily Mail, she’s set to swap her Traitor’s cloak for sequins, performing on Strictly Come Dancing’s Halloween results show on Sunday, November 2. Her double booking has led fans to hope her run on The Celebrity Traitors will last, at least until her dancefloor debut. But Cat’s moment in the spotlight wasn’t all positive: during a quiz segment, she admitted not knowing who Helen Mirren or Judi Dench were, prompting a flurry of incredulous reactions online. "Cat.... Who's Helen Mirren?!??!? Not gonna lie, that's mad!!" one fan tweeted. Another joked, "Cat needs to be banished for not knowing who Helen Mirren is." The moment added a touch of levity to an otherwise high-stakes episode, but also revealed Cat’s youthful perspective—she’s just three years younger than some fans expressing shock at her pop culture blind spot.
By the end of episode five, the body count was mounting. According to Edinburgh News, seven Faithfuls had already been eliminated, with Charlotte Church becoming the latest murder victim. The list of departed contestants includes Paloma Faith, Tom Daley, Ruth Codd, and now Charlotte, alongside banished players Niko Omilana, Tameka Empson, and Clare Balding. The game is thinning out, and with each exit, the odds of a Traitor being caught increase.
Looking ahead, the show is set to return for its sixth episode on October 23 at 9pm, promising more intrigue and, perhaps, a resolution to the unprecedented tie-break. As the Faithfuls regroup and the Traitors recalibrate, the balance of power in the castle is more precarious than ever. Will Cat’s bold strategies and Alan’s nervous giggles continue to protect them? Or will the Faithfuls’ new focus on quieter players finally expose the masterminds behind the murders?
With a historic tie, shifting alliances, and a possible Traitor betrayal on the horizon, The Celebrity Traitors is delivering the kind of high-wire drama that keeps viewers glued to their screens—and guessing who will be next to fall.
