Viewers of The Traitors are in an uproar as a much-loved TV personality has seemingly vanished from the BBC’s star-studded lineup for the upcoming celebrity edition.
The announcement on Tuesday of the 19 celebrities set to appear on Celebrity Traitors, with Claudia Winkleman at the helm, was met with eager anticipation.
The cast boasts renowned names such as Stephen Fry, Ruth Codd, Celia Imrie, Tameka Empson, and Mark Bonnar.
Adding to the mix are comedians Alan Carr, Nick Mohammed, Joe Wilkinson, and Lucy Beaumont, alongside musicians Paloma Faith, Cat Burns, and Charlotte Church.
Nonetheless, there was a conspicuous absence that did not go unnoticed- comedy legend Bob Mortimer, aged 65, whom many fans had presumed would be joining the ensemble at Ardross Castle, reports Surrey Live.
His omission left numerous fans crestfallen, prompting a wave of dismay to sweep across X, previously known as Twitter, where one fan dejectedly posted: “NO BOB MORTIMER.”
Others expressed similar frustration, with comments like: “No Bob Mortimer? Gutted.” While another fumed: “I was promised Bob Mortimer.”
As the hotly anticipates celebrity version of the Traitors draws closer, the Mirror has launched its very own Traitors WhatsApp community where you’ll get the latest updates from the Castle and fan theories straight to your phone.
We’ll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in.
All you have to do to join is click on this link, select ‘Join Chat’ and you’re in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group.
We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Queries arose as to Mortimer’s whereabouts, with one fan asking: “WHERE IS BOB MORTIMER WHATS THE POINT.”
The sense of letdown was palpable, as another viewer decided there was now no point in tuning in without Mortimer, writing: “Where is Bob Mortimer? At least I don’t need to watch it now he isn’t in,” while another succinctly expressed their displeasure: “No Bob Mortimer. Booooooooooooooo.”
With the buzz building around Celebrity Traitors, the BBC has reportedly taken stringent steps to ensure secrecy surrounding the line-up, a move prompted by previous leaks.
The Sun reports that showrunners have orchestrated a military-style operation to transport the star-studded cast to Ardross Castle. Instead of jetting into Inverness Airport from their various global locations, the celebs will be journeying by an assortment of means including train, plane, automobile, and boat.
To further ensure privacy, a no-fly zone has been officially established over host Claudia’s Highlands base to deter drone photographers from capturing any images.
A source shared with the publication: “For a show with secrecy and shocking plot twists at its heart, navigating the celebrity version has been a real puzzler.”
They added: “Casting the likes of TV presenter Kate Garraway, former rugby star Joe Marler, and singer Paloma Faith creates a situation which is a lot more open to leaks and gossip than recruiting a call centre manager from Liverpool or a retired opera singer. So execs have worked really hard to lock down every inch of the production.”
The source further revealed that instead of a straightforward travel process, celebrities will be arriving via various modes of transport.
The informant also confirmed that a no-fly zone has already been implemented to prevent any behind-the-scenes preparations from being photographed.
The Traitors seasons 1-3 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.
