Celebrity Traitors stops filming after star becomes ‘visibly stressed while shooting’

Things got super intense during filming for Celebrity Traitors (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/BBC Creative) The Traitors always makes for a tense viewing experience, so we do not doubt that it’s 100 times more stressful for those actually taking part. And while filming the new series of The Celebrity Traitors, one star reportedly became ‘visibly stressed’, resulting in shooting being halted. Comedian James Acaster already has a legion of fans, with the announcement of his Traitors casting causing major excitement on social media. He’ll join the likes of Maya Jama, Miranda Hart, Ross Kemp, and James Blunt at the roundtable when the Claudia Winkleman-hosted game of deception and betrayal returns to the BBC in a matter of days. But ahead of the launch, a source has revealed just how ‘passionate’ the reality show became, telling The Sun that the psychological demand was overwhelming at one stage. Consequently, his Ardross Castle castmates reportedly raised concerns with the Studio Lambert production team, who paused the game to check on him. Comedian James Acaster reportedly became ‘visibly stressed’ (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/BBC Creative) To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video ‘The show is incredibly intense, and during one particular scene at the castle, James became very anxious and panicked,’ the insider said. ‘Some of the other celebrities on the show spoke up and said cameras should stop rolling so he could calm down, and production were in agreement as well.’ They added that ‘everyone looks out for each other’, so there’s a ‘proper sense of camaraderie’, even if the stars are forced to lie, scheme, and backstab their way through the process if they want to emerge victorious. ‘It was good for James to have a breather, as everyone felt it was for the best.’ Thankfully, as the source said, the break ‘didn’t affect the outcome of the game at all’. What it did do is prove ‘just how passionate and tense everyone on set was’. Who is in the Celebrity Traitors season 2 cast? Amol Rajan- Journalist Bella Ramsey – Actor Hannah Fry – Mathematician James Acaster – Comedian James Blunt – Musician Jerry Hall – Model Joanne McNally – Comedian Joe Lycett – Comedian Julie Hesmondhalgh – Actor King Kenny – Social media personality Leigh-Anne Pinnock – Singer Maya Jama – Presenter Michael Sheen – Actor Miranda Hart – Actor Myha’la – Actor Richard E. Grant – Actor Rob Beckett – Comedian Romesh Ranganathan – Comedian Ross Kemp – Actor/Presenter Sebastian Croft – Actor/Singer-songwriter Sharon Rooney – Actor ‘It’s easy to become fully immersed.’ A BBC spokesperson added to Metro: ‘The Traitors is a unique and immersive game, and we recognise that taking part can be intense at times. ‘Our highest priority is always the safety and welfare of everyone taking part. Players are closely monitored and supported throughout by production, which includes a dedicated and experienced welfare team.’ Stand-up favourite James, 41, is best known for co-hosting the Off Menu podcast with pal and The Traitors: Uncloaked host Ed Gamble. He’s also made appearances on some of the country’s biggest comedy and panel shows, such as Taskmaster, gone viral on several occasions for his deadpan comebacks and storytelling, and has released a string of books. In his 2019 book, Perfect Sound Whatever, he bravely opened up about his 2017 mental health breakdown, which stemmed from splitting from his girlfriend, parting ways with his agent, and uncertainty around his career. James, 40, has spoken openly about his mental health in recent years (Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) James experienced ‘serious suicidal thoughts for the first time’, which made him realise he needed professional help. Through therapy and immersing himself in music and art, he was able to rebuild himself following a year-long struggle with depression and intense anxiety. On his reasons for opening up, he told The New Yorker in 2022: ‘I do feel very lucky to work in a job where, when I did have a breakdown, I was able to make something out of it that felt positive.’ He said discovering musicians who had endured their own hardships and ‘connecting’ to them was also a huge boost. ‘One of the reasons that I decided to be a bit more open about myself and my mental health in my stand-up was that I’ve really benefitted from people turning those experiences into art. ‘It’s made me feel less alone. You really see the benefit of it when you’re in the audience, and you want to do the same.’ As for Celebrity Traitors, James admittedly had reservations heading into the series after Traitor Alan Carr’s unexpectedly brilliant, award-winning triumph last year. Second time around, there are more comedians than before, with Rob Beckett, Joe Lycett, and Joanne McNally taking part, which James called ‘a concern’. He quipped that Alan Carr ‘tainted’ things for comedians on the reality show by joking his way to victory (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert/Paul Chappells) Who will Claudia Winkleman choose as the Traitors this time? (Picture: BBC) ‘There will be suspicions that it’s going to be at least one of these guys, that we might form an alliance if we’re not broken apart,’ he mused. ‘I think we’re going to be the first ones under the magnifying glass, being looked at, particularly at the beginning when you have absolutely nothing to go on.’ He quipped that Alan’s win ‘tainted [them] all’ after he famously ‘disarmed everyone with jokes’. As for why he decided to take part, he said he, like the nation watching in its millions, is a ‘huge’ Traitors fan. ‘I really loved the first Celebrity series and instantly became jealous that I wasn’t doing it. I had to get in here!’ Reps for James Acaster have been contacted for comment. Series 2 of The Celebrity Traitors begins on October 1 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Deals of the Day I tried L'Oréal Paris's new PDRN serum and my skin looked glossier after one use This new Cricut gadget turns your favourite photos into stickers in minutes From kitchen hatches to burgundy walls – the biggest home trends for 2027 Oodie’s cosy blanket sale has arrived just in time for Christmas shopping Save over £700 on Simba's top-rated mattresses in this limited-time sale Arrow MORE: Strictly’s Katya Jones caught mouthing feelings about Emmerdale’s Lawrence Robb Arrow MORE: Eagle-eyed Strictly viewers think Danny Dyer made explicit comment about judge Arrow MORE: Bethany Antonia’s Strictly performance convinces fans she will break show’s curse TV Newsletter Sign up and tell us which TV shows you love to watch to get personalised updates every morning.