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The Traitors winners Stephen and Rachel give their verdict on Maya Jama – and who would be the best recruit
Who will beat the yawning in Thursday's episode?
BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry
- Katelyn Mensah
Published: Tuesday, 20 October 2026 at 12:40 pm
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The Celebrity Traitors returned for a second outing earlier this month and things have remained tense ever since Claudia Winkleman stepped out of the coffin – and this week is showing no signs of slowing down.
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The latest episode ended on a major cliffhanger as the Traitors were tasked with a murder in plain sight, but they had rather peculiar instructions.
Between King Kenny, Maya Jama and James Acaster, they had to make one of the Faithful yawn in a room where a perfume had been sprayed – but it couldn't have been more difficult.
The final moments of the episode saw Maya and James yawn over and over in front of Ross Kemp and Jerry Hall before the credits rolled, leaving audiences guessing until this week.
In an exclusive interview with Radio Times at the Pride of Britain Awards, former Traitors and season 4 winners Stephen Libby and Rachel Duffy shared their predictions on who could yawn first as they delivered their predictions on OG Traitor Maya Jama.
" I really hope it's Ross because if Jerry yawns, the two guys are in trouble the next morning," Rachel explained. "I think Ross, you know, he's paranoid as it is and he thinks everything's sus. So yeah, if Jerry goes, he'll know exactly who it was."
Stephen was in agreement, adding: "If Ross hasn't been murdered, then the Traitors are in a really sticky situation."
Jerry Hall. BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry
Unlike Stephen and Rachel's season, which had zero recruitments, this season of The Celebrity Traitors has already seen the recruitment of three Traitors, as well as the banishment of two. Only one original Traitor is still standing – Maya Jama.
"I think she's phenomenal and she's so steady, you know? And she has the right kind of temperament for it where she's just being herself, she's being cool and calm. So yeah, I love her," Rachel said.
Stephen noted: "It is a long shift being a Traitor from the very beginning, and it does start to kind of become... the burden becomes quite heavy, but she is just breezing through that castle with such ease. She's phenomenal."
Given the sheer amount of recruitments already, it's possible more could be on the way, especially if one of the Traitors get caught out from their yawning conundrum, and for Stephen and Rachel, they'd love to see Miranda Hart in the turret.
Rachel told Radio Times: "I love Miranda as a Faithful, but I also think imagine her in that turret with a cloak on her, doing her Little Mix moves. Oh my word. She would be hilarious. Like, she's just naturally funny. Her in the turret would be fun."
The Celebrity Traitors continues on Thursday 22 October at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
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Authors
Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer
Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.
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