Celebrity Traitors star James Acaster’s pal reveals ‘bumbling fool’ act could be his undoing on show
Comedian Brennan Reece has questioned whether his friend’s attempts to behave like a Faithful could raise suspicions among contestants.
James Acaster could find his attempts to deceive fellow contestants on The Celebrity Traitors backfiring because he is behaving too much like a Faithful, according to a comedian friend who believes his unusual tactics could eventually expose him.
The 41-year-old comedian, known for his appearances on Taskmaster, Mock the Week and Would I Lie to You?, was recruited as a Traitor by Maya Jama, 32, and Richard E. Grant, 69, before Richard was eliminated from the BBC competition.
James has since attempted to conceal his identity by behaving like a Faithful, but his friend Brennan Reece, 39, has suggested the strategy could ultimately make him a target for suspicion.
Speaking to betting website OLBG, Brennan said: “I reckon that his downfall could be being too much like a faithful.
“He said that he’s going to play the game like a faithful. When people do that, and they’re trying to catch people out, a bit like what Julie did, people then get suspicious of you, and everyone starts to look.
“That could definitely be a possibility.”
The comments came after James appeared reluctant to accept his new role, telling viewers that he intended to continue approaching the competition as though he were trying to identify the Traitors rather than working alongside them.
Brennan, who has performed alongside James on the comedy circuit, suggested his friend’s apparently awkward behaviour was concealing a more calculated approach to the game.
He said: “I think he’s doing it perfectly, to be honest. If you think about it like a game, people think that he is like a bumbling fool, because I guess that’s part of his persona.
“He’s like a flustered, angry person who gets annoyed at the little things in the world. He’s actually a really, really smart individual.”
James has established himself as one of Britain’s best-known stand-up comedians, with acclaimed shows including Repertoire and Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999.
He also co-hosts the food podcast Off Menu with fellow comedian Ed Gamble, 40, in which celebrity guests describe their dream meals.
His often exasperated comic persona has become a familiar feature of his television appearances, although Brennan suggested that viewers were seeing a markedly different side of him in the castle.
He said: “I know we don’t see everything because it’s edited, but it just feels like he’s sitting back.
“I know that his stand-up persona is very much on the front foot where he’s getting frustrated about things, whereas this feels very well played where he’s being almost like a passenger in the game.”
The latest series, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, 54, has already featured a dramatic exit for Richard, best known for his role in Withnail and I, after he openly declared himself a Traitor in front of fellow contestants.
Richard was subsequently banished at the round table, with both James and Maya voting against him.
The remaining Traitors then recruited mathematician and broadcaster Hannah Fry, 42, to join their team.
Maya, best known for presenting Love Island, has since defended her decision to recruit James and Hannah after both admitted they were struggling with the pressure of deceiving the other contestants.
Brennan also questioned whether James would be prepared to turn against his fellow Traitors, suggesting his discomfort with dishonesty could affect his decisions as the competition progressed.
He said: “James said he doesn’t like lying, and I think he’s being honest about it.
“I think Maya would throw him under the bus. I’ve never met the person, but there’s just a twinkle in her eye.
“It didn’t feel like she was that upset about Richard E Grant.”
Meanwhile, James has spoken publicly about the demands of filming the programme, comparing the production’s strict controls to those of East Germany’s former secret police, the Stasi, in an interview with The Times.
The Celebrity Traitors continues on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with contestants competing to secure a prize of up to £100,000 for charity.
