The second season of The Celebrity Traitors is set to return on BBC One on 1 October, following a successful first run that broke ratings records. The show, filmed at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, features an expanded cast of 21 celebrities, including actors Richard E Grant and Michael Sheen, supermodel Jerry Hall, comedian Miranda Hart, singers James Blunt and Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and soap stars Ross Kemp and Julie Hesmondhalgh. The cast also includes mathematician Prof Hannah Fry, quizmaster Amol Rajan, and several younger participants such as Bella Ramsey, Myha’la, Sebastian Croft, Sharon Rooney, Love Island presenter Maya Jama, and content creator King Kenny. The lineup includes several comedians: Joanne McNally, Rob Beckett, Romesh Ranganathan, Joe Lycett, and James Acaster. Claudia Winkleman returns as host, having previously presided over Strictly Come Dancing. The series will air two episodes each week, on Thursday and Friday, with an extended 75-minute opener on 1 October. A bonus show, Traitor or Faithful? Claudia Decides, will be exclusive to BBC iPlayer. The series will also be followed by a spin-off show, Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked, hosted by comedian Ed Gamble. Filming took place from late May to early June, with contestants staying at Inverness Airport’s Courtyard by Marriott hotel. The show's first season averaged 14.9 million viewers, peaking at 15.4 million for the final, making it the most-watched show of the year and the top-rated entertainment programme since 2016. Bookmakers have predicted Joanne McNally and Bella Ramsey as the favorites to win, followed by James Blunt and Michael Sheen. Ramsey is expected to be strategic, citing experience with a similar board game over the past 12 years. Other tipped contestants include Maya Jama, James Acaster, and King Kenny, with Rajan as a rank outsider. Trailer clues suggest Ramsey may be a Traitor, while older actors Sheen and Grant appear to be relishing the game. Amol Rajan's wink at the Round Table has been interpreted as pride before a fall. Fans are also speculating about how Myha’la’s name might be misspelled on the slates. During filming, mathematician Prof Hannah Fry used statistical analysis and Alan Turing’s strategies to gain an edge, while Ross Kemp emerged as a leader in the early stages. Richard E Grant expressed surprise at the game’s "cruelty," and Joe Lycett joked about trying not to fart during his time at the castle. An intriguing rumor suggests that a third of the contestants, or seven, may end up as Traitors. Showrunner Ed Gamble promises a "wildly different game," while BBC entertainment director Ed Havard said "things happen that you didn’t think could happen on Traitors and have never seen before." Some celebrities have expressed frustration with their official headshots, with Rob Beckett joking about a possible Traitor in the Photoshop department. Fan theories suggest that the showrunners may favor the Faithful to win, given that Traitors have triumphed in the last two UK series. Some comedians have expressed concern that the "Alan Carr factor" may make them automatically mistrusted, making it harder for them to win. However, Joanne McNally hinted on her podcast that she knows who will win, suggesting she may be among those close to the endgame.