Romesh Ranganathan has spoken for the first time about his ‘incredible’ win on the show, revealing he ‘drew a thin line between a great game and a terrible game’ on Celebrity Traitors.
After successfully eliminating Maya Jama and King Kenny from the castle, the comedian was crowned champion in Friday’s final alongside actor Sebastian Croft.
Speaking on his BBC Radio 2 show a few hours after the final aired, Romesh admitted that his time on the show had been ‘absolute’, and admitted that at times he felt he was going to be murdered.
The final was attended by 11.2 million viewers, making it the most watched show of 2026 so far.
Making his show debut, Romesh, 48, received a warm welcome from his crew members as he declared himself the ‘winner of Celebrity Traitors’.
Sharing details about her time at the famous Ardross Castle, she said: ‘I knew it would be thrilling, but I honestly can’t tell you how perfect it is.
Romesh Ranganathan, who looked emotional as he won Celebrity Traitors, has spoken for the first time about his ‘incredible’ win on his BBC Radio 2 show.
‘You basically, the whole time, you’re living that game, and imagine that situation where you’re on camera, but you can’t completely trust whoever you’re talking to.
‘And that’s your kind of existence, it’s very strange, and at the same time I’ve known for a while what happened, but there were moments in that game where I felt I was done.
‘When Rob, Leigh-Anne, Ross Kemp and I were in the basement, and they were deciding which of us to kill, I literally felt like I’d put my head on the roof of the Round Table.
‘I was joking because obviously I wanted Leigh-Anne to have the key, but at the same time I thought ‘Have I exposed myself here?’ Is this my job done? And so in that moment, when I hugged Claudia it was so surreal, I literally thought I was going home.
‘Similarly I had no idea how much was talked about in the context of the murder, it was strange to see.
‘The shield challenge, where my pieces moved, and I didn’t complete the shield. I thought I would definitely be murdered tonight because obvs they are targeting me, they have indicated so.
‘And again, I know it sounds like fake humility, it’s a thin line between a great game and a terrible game as a loyalist.
‘When we, [Sebastian] And I won. I just couldn’t, it was absolutely unbelievable, and there was a moment when I knew we had won and Bash didn’t.
The comedian was crowned champion in Friday’s final alongside actor Sebastian Croft after they successfully fended off traitors Maya Jama and King Kenny.
A pregnant Leigh-Anne Pinnock was among the Celebrity Traitors finalists who appeared on Romesh’s show, and she was seen arriving at the Radio 2 studios on Saturday.
Winner Sebastian ‘Bash’ Croft also posed for pictures with Traitor King Kenny after the thrilling finale aired on Friday evening.
‘And I thought “let’s keep this going for about three minutes”, but I didn’t.
‘And you know the other thing? On the same night that Bash and I won The Traitors, Arsenal were confirmed as Premier League champions. I’m going to tell you, it was one hell of a night!’
Romesh later hosted another mini reunion on his BBC Radio 2 programme, with fellow champion Sebastian, 24, and his co-stars King Kenny and Leigh-Anne Pinnock joining him in the studio.
Little Mix star Leigh-Anne, 35, who took part in the show while three months pregnant, said she ‘felt like superwoman’ She said of the experience: ‘Emotionally too, I think it was probably the hardest thing out of all of these and I’m really glad I kept my composure.’
Ross Kemp, who dazzled audiences with his hyper-vigilance and paranoia, had early suspicions that the singer was a traitor.
After watching the show back, he commented how the former EastEnders hardman was ‘really picking on me.’
Host Claudia Winkleman also recorded a message for the contestants, telling them: ‘Hello Romesh, hello everyone else, this is Claude here. I just wanted to say a big congratulations, you all were amazing. Many congratulations to Romesh and Bash for winning.
Viewers applauded Romesh and Sebastian for beating up traitors Maya Jama and King Kenny, who flew under the radar until Thursday’s episode, when fellow traitor James Acaster revealed his identity in a moment of tension.
They raised £41,500 for each of their chosen charities – Choose Love for Sebastian and the Refugee Council for Ranganathan.
They shared an emotional embrace when host Claudia Winkleman congratulated them on their big win.
‘I trusted Bash and I was right. I can not believe it! “I really hope my mom would be proud,” Romesh said.
In his exit interview he said: ‘I think my biggest highlight is making a friend in Bash – relying on the fact that I thought he was a friend in that last game and that’s paying off, it’s something I feel really good about.
Sebastian burst into tears and said: ‘It was unbelievable. This really could be the best day of my life.’
Adding what was the highlight of his experience, the actor shared: ‘It was that moment when Rome said the word Faithful, and the embrace we had was absolutely wild, it was crazy.’
The winning pair then joined the host and celebrity finalists outside the picturesque Highlands castle, where they raised a glass around the fire pit.
Just days before his big moment on the show, Romesh jokingly referred to himself as a ‘national treasure’ and told the audience of about 140 guests that he ‘knew who the winner was’.
‘I’m sure you’re excited that I’m here,’ he told the crowd, ‘It’s a big deal to the people in the front row who can practically smell me. National treasure right in front of you.
‘First of all, let’s get this out of the way: Who wants to know what happens in The Traitors?’
A source told the Daily Mail that the audience went wild after the question was asked. However, Romesh was on his best behaviour, avoiding any fuss – and telling the BBC.
The comedian is known as the broadcaster’s ‘Golden Boy’, starring on many of their programmes, as well as having his own Radio 2 show.
Earlier this year, the Daily Mail revealed it had been paid to produce a ‘shameless’ BBC license-fee advertisement. The four-minute ad campaigns for a £180-a-year bill and urges viewers to pay it.
He continued to tell the crowd: ‘I bet you do! Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to tell you, but I know.’
The Weakest Link presenter made the comments in front of an intimate crowd at a pub in New Malden while testing new comedy material for his upcoming tour, Romesh Ranganathan Will Change Your Life, which starts next month.
Hours before the final, they added more dates to the massive tour.
‘Basically I’m going on tour for a little while, and I’m just improving some parts I’m not sure about and trying some new things. “Obviously if this had all ended I wouldn’t be here performing,” he said.
His Traitors win is set to further boost his already successful career, with industry insiders now describing him as ‘the most wanted man on television’, alleging he earns the equivalent of £40,000 a week.
‘He’s also the hardest-working guy on TV and he’s very well-liked. This has paid off for him in a big way, and despite his huge new earnings and opportunities he remains incredibly humble. ‘He hasn’t forgotten where he came from,’ said one source.
Meanwhile, Croft, already a familiar face having appeared in Game of Thrones and Heartstopper, has launched his own music career.
Earlier in the series, BBC chiefs were left stunned as the show was hit with allegations of racism after Myhala, famous for acting in the BBC drama industry, said there was ‘unconscious racial and cultural bias’ within the game after becoming the second star to be ‘fired’ last week.
However, bosses are said to be thrilled with the outcome of the hit show.