BBC’s military-style measures to keep Celebrity Traitors cast secret revealed including ‘no fly zone’
THE Traitors is known for its surprise twists and savage game play, so it’s no surprise BBC bosses intend to up the ante for the first celebrity version.
I can reveal that execs have put in place a military-style operation to transport the all-star cast to Ardross Castle to try to quash any leaks of the line-up.
Instead of flying into Inverness Airport from their homes across the globe, the celebrities will travel by a number of means, including rail, air, car and even boat.
A no-fly zone is officially in place over host Claudia Winkleman’s Highlands HQ as well to stop drone photographers securing any images.
A source said: “For a show with secrecy and shocking plot twists at its heart, navigating the celebrity version has been a real puzzler.
Casting the likes of TV presenter Kate Garraway, former rugby star Joe Marler and singer Paloma Faith creates a situation which is naturally 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 that they can.
“Instead of a simple travel process which could be open to leaks, celebrities will all arrive via various methods of transport from all over Scotland.
“And there’s a no-fly zone already in place over Ardross Castle and the surrounding area to stop any preparations being snapped, or any of the action during filming.
“Preserving the magic of the show has become an obsession.”
Fans are already anticipating the star-studded version, which begins filming in April and will air later this year.
Some 10million watched series two of the civilian players in January.
Other names in the frame fot the celeb version include Clare Balding, Robert Peston and Alan Carr.
GARY’S LOOKING SHARK
AFTER four decades in showbiz, you’d think Gary Barlow would be used to a few sharks.
But he was left trembling after encountering a real-life Jaws while out filming his new travel jaunt Down Under.
Gary said: “We were going for a dive in the Great Barrier Reef, we had all our wetsuits on, and just as we were about to dive in, the guide at the back of the boat said there’s a tiger shark.
“I’ve always been told, don’t go near tiger sharks. I tell you what, it was big. It was very big.
“All the guides were high-fiving one another because none of them had seen a tiger shark before in that area.
“They thought it was incredibly exciting and I thought it was incredibly terrifying.”
Gary Barlow’s Wine Tour: Australia begins on Friday, April 11, on ITV1.
JIMMY: IT’S GOOD I’M A GROUCH
COMIC Jimmy Carr says that being known as such a grump means fans are never left disappointed when they meet him out and about – unlike with cheeky chappy Peter Kay.
Jimmy, whose Last One Laughing series on Prime Video is getting rave reviews, told the Oh My Dog! podcast, out now: “Peter Kay, when he bumps into people, everyone expects to be invited for Christmas because he’s so avuncular and friendly and charming.
“Whereas I’ve got a bit of edge on stage, so I think if I just go,
‘Morning’, people go, ‘Oh, it’s not as bad as I thought it would be’.
“Happiness is expectations exceeded. I exceed people’s expectations.
“I put the bar very, very low.”
That’s the spirit, Jimmy.
ALAN CARR’s Interior Design Masters doesn’t need a makeover – as the BBC has recommissioned another two series.
The competition sees ten novice designers do up a series of rooms to win a contract with John Lewis.
Alan said: “To get it recommissioned twice is really special.”
COLSON’S PC LEGO BUY BYE
CORONATION Street star Colson Smith has revealed what it was like leaving the ITV1 soap for the last time.
The actor, who played PC Craig Tinker, said: “On Thursday night in my dressing room there was a pile of Lego Craig Tinkers.
“I bought everyone one and I put them in a bag with a sticker on the front which says, ‘Craig Tinker will always be there when you need him’ in a police uniform.”
He added to the On The Sofa podcast: “Ian, our boss, did a speech to Craig Bartholomew Tinker – full-name. Once, when I did a quiz on the bus to the National Television Awards, Ian got the question ‘What is Craig Tinker’s middle name?’ wrong.
“And I was like, ‘You’re the boss and you’ve got it wrong!’.”
LOUIS THEROUX says he is close to shaving off his hair completely due to alopecia leaving him “patchy as f***”.
He added on Instagram he would enhance it with, “Big glasses a la (Stanley) Tucci, big muscles a la Dwayne Johnson, plus a year-round tan. That’s the formula”.