COMEDY favourite Miranda Hart revealed that signing for The Celebrity Traitors helped get her life back on track following ill health.
The Call the Midwife actress and star of sitcom Miranda was a surprise addition to the 21- strong line-up as she had been out of the public eye for years.
Miranda Hart revealed that signing for The Celebrity Traitors helped get her life back on track following ill health Credit: BBC
My Mad Fat Diary actress Sharon Rooney Credit: BBC
But talking ahead of the BBC One show’s launch on October 1, Miranda, 53, admitted the chance to take part gave her renewed focus after being struck by myalgic encephalomyelitis — often known as chronic fatigue syndrome.
She said: “I haven’t done much TV work for a long time, having only recently come out of long-term ill-health issues.
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“And when I was offered this, my whole body sort of relaxed. I smiled and I just wanted to jump about like a schoolgirl with joy.”
She added: “I’m still living with elements of ME, and that brings fatigue and pain to manage, but I have come to a point where I feel well enough to step out. That’s also partly why I’m doing this.
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“The joy of mucking about on television again will hopefully outweigh some of the challenges.”
It has now been 11 years since the last full series of Miranda aired on BBC One, though there was a one-off episode made at the London Palladium in 2019.
Former EastEnders actor Ross Kemp Credit: BBC
Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock Credit: BBC
Singer-songwriter James Blunt Credit: BBC
Love Island host Maya Jama Credit: BBC
It ran for six successful years and made her a star, leading to other work opportunities — such as playing Camilla ‘Chummy’ Fortescue-Cholmondeley-Browne in Call the Midwife from 2012 to 2015.
When she wrapped on the sitcom and drama she was suffering from undiagnosed Lyme disease, something she had contracted as a teenager while in the US.
That became ME and left her bedbound for years, forcing her almost entirely out of the limelight.
However, she did slowly recover and in 2024 married building company manager Richard Fairs, 62.
Funnyman Joe Lycett will appear in the show Credit: BBC
Actress Myha’la — best known for playing bolshy stock market trader Harper in banking-and-bonking drama Industry Credit: BBC
Coronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh is in the running Credit: BBC
Richard E Grant will also star on the show Credit: BBC
In the same year she slowly started entering the limelight again — but The Celebrity Traitors is her biggest gig of recent times.
Miranda said: “I think it will be challenging on my body, so it’ll be interesting, and it’ll take some courage as this is a big next step.
“When you live with a chronic illness, it’s invisible, so people don’t know that you’re sitting there in pain.
“But then it reminds you everybody’s got their thing.
Comic Joanne McNally is in this year’s line-up Credit: BBC
Actor Sebastian Croft will be on the show Credit: BBC
Hannah Fry is also in the running Credit: BBC
Comedian Rob Beckett will compete for the title Credit: BBC
“So, I’m also really looking forward to making friends and looking after each other. Hopefully, they can carry me up a hill or whatever we’re going to have to do.”
Asked whether she would like to be a Traitor or a Faithful, or if she would be a better liar or a better spotter of a liar, she said: “I think I’m excellent at both.
“When I watch Would I Lie to You?, about 90 per cent of the time I get it right.
“I very much see myself as a psychological sleuth with no training whatsoever and nothing to back up that claim.
YouTuber King Kenny will show viewers what he’s made of Credit: BBC
Actress and model Jerry Hall will look to entertain us Credit: BBC
James Acaster said: ‘There will be suspicions that it’s going to be at least one of these guys, that we might form an alliance if we’re not broken apart’ Credit: BBC
Bella Ramsey said: ‘I’m very excited to play with Miranda. Her show was so brilliant, and I just love her so that’s really exciting’ Credit: BBC
“I like to think that I could guess when people are lying.
“I don’t like lying in real life but when it comes to playing games in the family or whatever, I’m scarily good at lying.”
Miranda will have a fan alongside her in Ardross Castle in the form of Bella Ramsey, 22.
The Last Of Us actor said: “I’m very excited to play with Miranda. Her show was so brilliant, and I just love her so that’s really exciting.”
Bella added: “There are some real fans of The Traitors in my family.
“Seeing the cast list come out, there are people that my sister is so excited about, people that we watched growing up together.”
There are slightly less fuzzy feelings coming from Miranda’s fellow comedian Romesh Ranganathan, 48.
The Weakest Link host is sharing the castle with pal Rob Beckett — but insists he will “stab him in the back in a heartbeat” in the contest.
Claudia Winkleman said she was going for a Cruella de Vil look for the debut series of The Celebrity Traitors last year Credit: BBC
Consider yourself a bit trendy, Claudia?
By Rod McPhee
CLAUDIA Winkleman said she was going for a Cruella de Vil look for the debut series of The Celebrity Traitors last year.
But some of her wacky outfits also drew comparisons ranging from Ronnie Corbett to Princess Anne.
Now the BBC One show’s host has turned to another figure for wardrobe inspiration — this time the weathered look of a Charles Dickens character.
Claudia said: “It went a little Artful Dodger for this series. I borrow a lot of the clothes and the shops/designers were horrified when I asked if we could dip the clothes in tea.”
But it turned out selecting outfits as she strutted around the Scottish Highlands and patrolled the corridors of Ardross Castle was the least of her worries.
A bigger concern was keeping a straight face around the comedians in the celebrity line-up.
“They all made me laugh,” she said. “They are all utterly brilliant and the funniest people on earth.
“Rob Beckett said something that made me hide in a bush until I composed myself.”
Thankfully, she has a famous characteristic that means she can also cover up any unwanted facial expressions. “An overly long fringe helps,” she said.
Claudia also said she tries to keep as low a profile as possible on the show.
But she’s seriously excited to be sharing the screen with a long list of major stars.
She added: “I couldn’t get over it. My bosses had to repeat the names at least three times. We’re so lucky they said yes. Everyone taking part is fantastic.”
He said: “Normally when we’re doing Rob & Romesh Vs, we’ve got each other’s backs and are helping each other out. Whereas this time, he can’t be trusted.
“It can’t be the end of the relationship because it’s financially beneficial.
“But I think if it wasn’t financially beneficial, then it could be the end of the friendship.”
Having multiple comedians in the house is a problem for stand-up star James Acaster.
He said: “There will be suspicions that it’s going to be at least one of these guys, that we might form an alliance if we’re not broken apart.
“I think we’re going to be the first ones under the magnifying glass. Particularly at the beginning when you have absolutely nothing to go on. And then you consider that a comedian won last year, with Alan Carr disarming everyone with jokes the whole time. He has tainted us all.”
One of the few stars in there who is not a comedian is actress Myha’la — best known for playing bolshy stock market trader Harper in banking-and-bonking drama Industry.
She said: “I am nothing like Harper. I’m more of a kill-them-with-kindness kind of girl rather than a blatantly bullish bulldog.
Journalist Amol Rajan will appear Credit: BBC
The Weakest Link host Romesh Ranganathan Credit: BBC
“I’ll be interested to see how this one goes because I feel like I will be battling Harper’s persona and the perception of her. All that said, I want to be a Traitor. Obviously.”
Meanwhile, comedian Joe Lycett, 38, wants viewers to get the chance to see a different side to him, a contrast to his somewhat manic stage persona.
He said: “When I’m not out on stage I’m very calm, thoughtful and peaceful.
“I think the comics know what I’m like but the others who, for the first time, will spend time with me not in ‘show mode’ might see that as suspicious.
“I definitely come across assumptions of, ‘Oh, he’s the gay comedian off the telly’ — and I explain I’ve got a female partner. And a son with said female partner.”
