Viewers were stunned when The Celebrity Traitors returned on Thursday, and it was revealed that Traitors Jonathan Ross, Cat Burns and Alan Carr selected another star to be murdered. The trio ultimately opted to 'kill' Ruth Codd, while considering David Olusoga or Charlotte Church. Taking to X, viewers were devastated by the killing, due to the star's iconic one-liners and how quickly she sussed out Jonathan as a Traitor.
One said: "Ruth is an icon. Shading Kate Garraway and gunning for Jonathan Ross. Our hero," while a second posted: "THEY KILLED RUTH!!!! Icon down!!!" A third commented: "The castle is going to be much poorer without Ruth Codd that’s for sure," while a fourth penned: "NOT AR RUTH CODD!"
After her murder, Ruth said: "I was murdered definitely because I was a threat to the traitors. I was one of the few people in the group that had my own mind that couldn’t be influenced. I’m mentally extremely strong and stubborn. I really do wish the faithfuls the best of luck."
Who else has been eliminated from The Celebrity Traitors?
Ruth was the third murder from The Traitors. In the second episode, Alan 'killed' singer and close friend Paloma Faith in 'plain sight', brushing her face with the 'poison lily'. Paloma wasn't impressed with the decision, telling Uncloaked host Ed Gamble: "If the shoe was on the other foot, I would not have touched Alan's face. Categorically, he had a choice – maybe it was the easiest option, but it was the choice he made and I don't think it was very nice."
After all surviving the first banishment, the Traitors opted to target Olympic legend Tom Daley. The 'murder' sent shockwaves around the castle and reflecting on his time on the show, the father-of-two said: "I was firstly sad and then very confused about what The Traitors are doing because I clearly would be someone that would get banished at the Round Table.
"If any of the Traitors just planted that seed at the Round Table, I'm sure I would be banished. They could have murdered someone that they know would never have gotten banished at the Round Table. Maybe they thought of me as a threat. Maybe I was getting too close to the right answers."
The Faithful so far haven't caught any Traitors, instead banishing two of their numbers. For the first roundtable, it was YouTuber Niko Omilana who was banished with many of the cstars split between him and GMB host Kate Garraway. On social media, he opined: "One thing I will say is; I believe this is the worst group of Faithfuls ever. Nice people, terrible Faithfuls. Truly.
"I knew I was finished when people were voting for me and people were saying, 'I don't even think it's you, but I had to put a name down'. Then, I realised they were just vibesing it. People know that The Traitors go in there planting seeds but they're not thinking about who's planting the seeds."
The second Faithful to be banished was Tameka Empson in an incredibly close vote, which saw nearly every star around the Roundtable get a vote. In an appearance on Uncloaked, Tameka joked that in her exit, she wanted to "cuss out" Line of Duty star Mark Bonnar who brought her name up at the Roundtable, ultimately leading to her banishment.
There was another banishment towards the end of the episode, with the stars opting to eliminate broadcaster Clare Balding. "Brilliant Double Triple Bluff by Jonathon Ross," one said after the star avoided being banished. Another penned: "I will be banging my pots & pans for Clare Balding this Thursday at 8pm. U will live on forever. Can't believe it. Really cant believe this. Goodbye England's Rose."
What else has happened on the series?
Attracting seven million viewers, fans have been taking to social media throughout the series with commentary and memes. Many have been loving Alan Carr's chaotic take on being a Traitor, with the comedian visibly winking to fellow Traitor Jonathan Ross after he successfully 'killed' Paloma. "I'm worse than Linda," the comedian said in a confessional.
However, one of the most viral moments came in the third episode, when Celia Imrie farted while host Claudia Winkleman explained the rules for their next challenge. The moment gave the cast the giggles as Claudia asked: "What just happened?" One fan enthused: "THIS MOMENT DESERVES A BAFTA," while a second posted: "#CelebrityTraitors right that's it. Everyone pack up and go home. We’re never beating Celia Imrie dropping her guts on prime time T.V. We've peaked as a nation."