THE CELEBRITY TRAITORS returns to screens tonight, with Irish comedian Joanne McNally among the famous faces preparing to lie, scheme and turn on each other in a Scottish castle.

The hugely popular BBC series is back for a second season following the success of last year’s celebrity edition, which saw comedian Alan Carr triumph as a Traitor.

This time, 21 celebrities will enter Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, with Claudia Winkleman once again secretly selecting a number of them to become Traitors.

When is it on, and how can I watch from Ireland?

The Celebrity Traitors begins tonight at 8pm on BBC One, with an extended 75-minute opening episode. It will then air on Thursday and Friday nights at 8pm.

Irish viewers face a catch if they miss the programme live, as BBC iPlayer is officially available only in the UK, meaning viewers here cannot simply use the service to catch up afterwards.

Availability of BBC programmes on demand through Irish TV providers can also vary because of broadcasting rights.

So if you’re planning to follow the show, the safest bet is to watch live tonight or make sure you’ve got it set to record.

And, in a sign of just how seriously Britain takes The Traitors, BBC News is even running a liveblog for tonight’s opening episode.

What about Joanne?

McNally appears to be the sole Irish contestant this time around, and she has already warned that friendship will count for little once the game begins.

There are six comedians in the castle, with McNally joined by James Acaster, Joe Lycett, Miranda Hart, Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan.

“We haven’t been in cahoots at all,” McNally said ahead of the series.

“There’s been no chatting because we know that we’re more than willing to throw each other under the bus.”

She described herself as “quietly competitive”, adding that she certainly does not want to be the first contestant eliminated.

And at least one Traitors veteran reckons McNally’s particular brand of chaos could serve her well.

Comedian Ed Gamble, who hosts the show’s Uncloaked spin-off, told the Radio Times that McNally is “absolute chaos”, noting that a similar approach worked rather well for last year’s winner Alan Carr.

McNally, meanwhile, appears relieved that she can finally talk about her involvement in the show.

Announcing her appearance in the series on Instagram, she joked that she had “kept the Traitors show secrets inside me for so long” that she had developed an “unsalvagable UTI”, before declaring that it was “a great relief” that the series was finally beginning.

Who else is in it?

There are plenty of other big names likely to be familiar to Irish viewers.

Hollywood actors Michael Sheen and Richard E Grant are taking part, alongside The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey, model Jerry Hall and former Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh.

EastEnders star turned documentary maker Ross Kemp is also heading into the castle, as are Love Island presenter Maya Jama, singer James Blunt and former Little Mix member Leigh-Anne Pinnock.

Broadcaster Amol Rajan, mathematician Hannah Fry, actors Myha’la, Sharon Rooney and Sebastian Croft, and YouTuber King Kenny complete the line-up.

The official cast pics for The Celebrity Traitors UK season 2, premiering Oct. 1 and airing Thursdays and Fridays on the BBC. #TheTraitors #CelebrityTraitors pic.twitter.com/thqrrYXSvm

— Reality TV News/Updates (@Realitytv__fan) September 21, 2026

Gamble has singled out Kemp as one contestant he is particularly excited to watch, saying he “can’t wait” to see the actor and presenter taking part in missions and facing the round table.

Remind me how The Traitors works

For anyone who managed to avoid the phenomenon until now, the premise is fairly simple.

Most of the contestants are Faithfuls, while a smaller number are secretly chosen as Traitors.

Each night, the Traitors secretly “murder” another contestant, removing them from the game. The following day, the entire group gathers at the round table and votes to banish someone they suspect of being a Traitor.

The problem, of course, is that the Faithfuls have no idea who is lying to them.

The celebrities will also complete missions to build a prize pot of up to £100,000, with the money ultimately going to charity.