Celebrity Traitors returns for second series with a dramatic twist

The second series of the celebrity edition of "The Traitors" has begun on the BBC, opening with what the broadcaster's entertainment correspondent Noor Nanji described as a "wild curveball" for viewers and contestants alike.

The show, which pits a group of celebrities against each other in a game of deception and detection, returns with a new twist to its established format, though full details of the change were not disclosed ahead of broadcast.

Alongside the format shift, the opening episode featured an unexpected admission from one of the contestants playing a "traitor," a moment flagged by BBC coverage as particularly striking for long-time followers of the series.

The original series of "The Traitors" became a ratings success for the BBC, prompting the broadcaster to commission a celebrity spin-off featuring well-known public figures competing under the same rules of trust, suspicion and elimination.

Further episodes of the celebrity series are expected to air in the coming weeks, with viewers able to follow the unfolding game as "faithfuls" attempt to identify the "traitors" hidden among them.