Gordon Ramsay pulled out of Celebrity Traitors at the last minute leaving producers

He could have been the most treacherous Traitor of them all.

But we can reveal Gordon Ramsay pulled out of the the Celebrity Traitors at the last minute, leaving producers ‘frustrated’.

The TV chef, 59, was offered a deal to be on the new series, which is currently being filmed in the Scottish Highlands, but had to back out due to ‘scheduling issues’.

Elsewhere, Tom Hiddleston, 45, pulled out for the same reason, causing last-minute chaos for producers as they lost their two biggest signings.

One show source told the Daily Mail: ‘Gordon pulled out due to scheduling issues. He had other TV work to do.

‘Producers are frustrated that Gordon and Tom both had to pull out. They know those names would have drawn more international interest to the show.

Gordon Ramsay pulled out of Celebrity Traitors at the last minute leaving producers ‘frustrated’

The Traitors, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, is a high-stakes game that favours deception and betrayal, often uncloaking the darker side of a contestant’s nature

‘While the line-up has been widely praised, they’re annoyed because it was due to be even better before Gordon and Tom had to cancel.

‘They are hoping both of them will be up for the next series in 2027.’

On Thursday, Ramsay was pictured at one of his prior work commitments, the launch party for his new premium olive oil brand, Krude.  

The TV star posed alongside Emma Bunton, Nicole Appleton and Holly Willoughby at his lavish event. 

Meanwhile, Hiddleston was left devastated after his movie commitments clashed with his plans to head to the Highlands.

Discussing the series on BBC Radio 2 earlier this year, the actor said: ‘I mean, the celebrity one would be amazing. I think the whole show, the format is just the most ingenious thing, isn’t it? It’s completely compulsive. Maybe the best television I’ve ever seen.’

The Traitors, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, is a high-stakes game that favours deception and betrayal, often uncloaking the darker side of a contestant’s nature.

The Celebrity format – which sees 21 famous faces playing games to win £100,000 for a chosen charity and ‘Traitors’ secretly sabotaging them while trying to avoid being exposed and ‘killed’ – is notorious for provoking blazing rows between contestants and encouraging even the closest of friends to backstab each other.

The BBC has increased the budget for the upcoming series as the stars landed in Inverness via planes and private jets, while last year, many contestants were said to have travelled on the train.

Today, Ramsay was pictured at one of his prior commitments, the launch party of his new olive oil brand, Krude (Emma Bunton, Nicole Appleton, Ramsay and Holly Willoughby pictured L-R)

The A-list line-up was officially announced when the broadcaster dropped the first teaser trailer earlier this month, with the likes of Maya Jama, Richard E Grant, Jerry Hall, Romesh Ranganathan and Ross Kemp currently filming at the Scottish castle.

Elsewhere, the line-up includes Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Michael Sheen, Bella Ramsey, Amol Rajan, James Blunt, Rob Beckett, Joe Lycett, Miranda Hart and James Acaster.

Last year’s show was a smash hit for the BBC, with 15.4million viewers watching the finale, and also gave a boost to the careers of fan favourites such as 49-year-old comedian Alan Carr and retired rugby player Joe Marler.

It has been revealed that each contestant will receive a flat fee of £40,000 for the series – a major pay cut for many of them and a testament to how desperately they want to be on the show.

And the Daily Mail revealed there are some in this year’s line-up who are ‘terrified’ of how they will appear in the final edit – and pressure is already being put on the BBC to ensure they will come off ‘positively’.

Our insider said: ‘As it’s the second time round, they’ve seen just how big a boost it can give to a personal brand but it needs to be orchestrated carefully.

‘Last year, there were a few celebrities who were not best pleased with how they came across. But this year they are adamant they will come out positively and the BBC is under pressure to make sure they do.

‘One foot wrong, and it could become a PR nightmare.’

The Daily Mail has contacted the BBC and Ramsay’s representatives for comment.  

The Celebrity Traitors line-up 2026

 

 Jerry Hall

Jerry Hall rose to fame in the 1970s and became one of the era’s most recognisable fashion icons (pictured in October) 

Richard E. Grant

Richard E. Grant celebrated for his roles in everything from cult classic Withnail & I to modern flicks such as Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Pictured in November) 

 James Blunt

James Blunt shot to global fame with his debut album and the hit single ‘You’re Beautiful’

 Ross Kemp

Ross Kemp who recently returned to EastEnders to reprise his role as hardman Grant Mitchell, is said to be wanting to ‘challenge himself’

 Michael Sheen

Michael Sheen is celebrated for his incredible performances across stage and screen, particularly his work in Good Omens and The Queen

 Rob Beckett

Best friend of fellow Traitors star Romesh, Rob Beckett is known for his high-energy and booming laugh

 Sharon Rooney

Sharon Rooney is best known for her breakout role as Rae Earl in the acclaimed series My Mad Fat Diary

 Joanne McNally

Joanne McNally is known for her brutally honest humour and hilarious takes on dating, chaos, and modern life

 Amol Rajan

Journalist and broadcaster Amol Rajan has carved out a successful career across major UK media, including radio and television

 King Kenny

King Kenny, whose real name is Kenny Ojuederie, is a content creator known for prank videos and street-style social experiments

 Sebastian Croft

Sebastian Croft is best known for his breakout role as Ben Hope in the Netflix series Heartstopper

  Maya Jama

Maya Jama, 31, is quickly becoming one of the UK’s most popular stars and famously fronts Love Island.

 Miranda Hart

Miranda Hart broke through with her hit sitcom Miranda which became a resounding success and cemented her as a comedy legend

Romesh Ranganathan

Romesh Ranganathan has been taking British TV by storm in recent years is known for his deadpan delivery

 James Acaster

James Acaster is good friends with Ed Gamble who hosts The Traitors: Uncloaked. The duo present the hit food podcast Off Menu with Ed Gamble

 Bella Ramsey

Bella Ramsey rose to fame as Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones and gained global acclaim for their leading role in The Last Of Us

 Leigh-Anne Pinnock

Leigh-Anne Pinnock is known as a member of the girl group Little Mix, who found fame on The X Factor back in 2011

 Joe Lycett

From headline-grabbing TV stunts to cleverly staged public pranks, Joe Lycett has built a reputation as one of Britain’s most inventive and unpredictable comics

 Hannah Fry

Mathematician and broadcaster Hannah Fry is known for turning complex data into content which is engaging and accessible to viewers

 Julie Hesmondhalgh

Julie Hesmondhalgh is best known for her long-running role as Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, which made history as the first transgender character in a British soap opera

 Myha’la

Myha’la is known for her striking portrayal of brutal fintech expert Harper Stern in the HBO drama Industry