Jerry Hall wanted to be a Traitor — then defended one as a Faithful

Jerry Hall began The Celebrity Traitors as a Faithful in the second series premiere, broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 1 October 2026. The model and actress joined 20 other celebrities at a Scottish Highlands castle, but her opening assignment put her on the opposite side from the Traitors she had hoped to join.

Her first assessment of Richard E Grant showed the difficulty of that position. After Grant openly declared that he was a Traitor, Hall said: “I don't believe he is a Traitor.” Viewers knew something she did not: Claudia Winkleman had selected him alongside Maya Jama.

Why Jerry Hall wanted to be a Traitor

In pre-show comments published by Radio Times, Hall explained the appeal of being on the inside: “If you are a Traitor, you know all the facts. It's a bit more powerful.” That was a preference about how she wanted to play, rather than a revelation of the role she would receive.

Hall said she joined because she loved watching the programme and enjoyed games. She described the invitation as an opportunity for another adventure, and said she was excited to play whichever role she received. Her wish to become a Traitor does not establish that she was unhappy to become a Faithful.

Who is Jerry Hall?

Radio Times identifies Hall as a 70-year-old model and actress whose modelling prominence dates to the 1970s. Her screen work includes Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman. Celebrity Traitors places her among a cast drawn from acting, comedy, music, presenting and other public careers.

The contestants are competing for the chance to win £100,000 for a charity of their choice. Faithfuls try to identify the concealed Traitors, while the Traitors secretly arrange other players’ elimination. Knowing who belongs to which group is the information advantage behind Hall’s preferred role.

What Jerry Hall said about Richard E Grant

According to Poppy Huggett’s premiere report for The Standard, carried by inkl, Grant told Joe Lycett: “I am a traitor.” Lycett asked whether he was, and Grant questioned the point of being in the game without that role. James Blunt described the approach as “an interesting angle”.

Lycett returned to the statement, telling Grant he would pretend not to have heard it and asking what he was. Grant then answered: “I'm a faithful.” The exchange left the other players having to judge two contradictory statements, while viewers already knew which was true.

Hall said she had known Grant for 30 years and that he was her neighbour. She suggested he might be “acting out because he's not been chosen”. Her interpretation was mistaken in this exchange: Grant really was a Traitor. It does not tell us how accurately she would read him, or anyone else, later in the series.

Grant subsequently expressed concern about the attention he had attracted, saying: “That may be the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life.” He also said he needed to reduce the attention coming his way. The report does not establish whether his original declaration was a deliberate tactic or a slip.

How the premiere changed the Traitors lineup

The opening selection contained two Traitors rather than the usual three. The Standard’s premiere account notes that the previous celebrity series began with Alan Carr, Jonathan Ross and Cat Burns in those roles. This time, Jama and Grant were given a decision about who would join them.

Amol Rajan and James Acaster were selected to pitch for the remaining place. One would become a Traitor; the other would be eliminated in what the programme calls a murder. After making their cases, the pair lay in coffins while Jama and Grant discussed the choice.

The premiere left that decision unresolved. Huggett reported that no player had yet been murdered or banished, and that Julie Hesmondhalgh and Joe Lycett had received protection from the first murder. Hall’s confirmed position at this point was still her opening assignment as a Faithful.

When Celebrity Traitors returns

The published schedule puts the next episode on Friday 2 October at 8pm UK time on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The series airs on Thursday and Friday evenings and runs for ten episodes, one more than the previous celebrity series.

For viewers seeking the players’ reactions, Ed Gamble hosts the companion programme Traitors: Uncloaked. It follows the main episodes on BBC One, iPlayer and BBC Sounds, featuring eliminated players and previous contestants, with additional interviews and analysis available on Sounds.