Celebrity Traitors viewers left ‘gutted’ as Clare Balding is the latest star to be banished from the BBC show
Celebrity Traitors viewers have been ‘gutted’ as Clare Balding became the latest star to be axed from the popular BBC soap.
On Thursday night’s episode, the remaining celebrities gathered around a round table to vote for people they believed were secretly working as Traitors.
The beloved journalist and presenter, 54, received the most votes after a whispered campaign by Traitor Jonathan Ross, who narrowly avoided being exposed.
Standing in front of her co-stars, Clare said: ‘I came up with one strategy, which was to be nice to absolutely everyone.
‘I had the best time and I love you all.
‘I’m… loyal and have been from the beginning.’
Celebrity Traitors viewers ‘gutted’ as Clare Balding becomes the latest star to be axed from the hit BBC soap
On Thursday night’s episode, the remaining celebrities gathered around a round table to vote for people they believed were secretly working as Traitors.
A gutted Stephen Fry said: ‘Oh God, how can we be so useless, we have lost a great Loyalist. What did we do?’
Charlotte Church added: ‘He was a very good Loyalist.’
Jonathan told the camera: ‘I must be the luckiest Traitor, The Loyalists did our dirty work. “From now on, everyone will scratch each other,” he said.
Clare’s expulsion from the roundtable sparked a wave of backlash from fans; Many fans admitted they were ‘gutted’.
Viewers on X, formerly Twitter, shared their thoughts, writing: ‘Esteemed for Clare!’
‘It was a complete waste that Clare had consistently made accurate observations. Believers have lost a good man (though not for missions)’,
‘The eviscerated Clare is gone’,
‘They were all heading towards Jonathan and then it was Clare who got the boot!?!’,
‘Poor Clare…’,
‘Alan Carr wasn’t laughing when Clare was exiled, but no one noticed! Poor, useless Loyalists.’
Elsewhere in the show, Traitors Jonathan, Alan Carr and Cat Burns decided to kill Ruth Codd, who was pursuing Jonathan during the roundtable.
Discussing their decision, the TV presenter said: ‘Ruth is not going to let this go and I feel the cloak being wrapped around my neck.’
“This might open fire on you,” Cat said. Jonathan replied, ‘I wouldn’t do this if I were a traitor, why would I put myself in the line of fire?’
Alan added: ‘Yes, let’s get rid of it quickly before we poison everyone.’
Entering her room to find the letter that killed her, Ruth said: ‘I knew this was coming’ before joking: ‘Jonathan and Kate Garraway are traitors!’
‘I’m extremely strong mentally and I’ll miss the Loyals,’ he added.
Celebrities were left shocked and confused when final stars Charlotte Church and Steven Fry arrived at the Scottish castle for breakfast.
Many of the stars looked around and said, ‘We miss Ruth, I don’t know what that means.’
Speaking to camera, Jonathan admitted: ‘There was a lot of heat on me yesterday so I have to be aware that people will be looking at me, I’m worried.’
Meanwhile, Joe Marler said: ‘I think they’ll kill Ruth to look like Jonathan.’
Joe Wilkinson said: ‘I agree, I don’t think it’s Jonathan.’
Ruth becomes the fifth celebrity to start the BBC hit series, leaving the Three Traitors in power.
