Maya Jama comments on James Acaster's exit from Celebrity Traitors

Maya Jama spoke to Variety about co-star James Acaster’s unexpected confession and departure from the BBC game show Celebrity Traitors. She said she was unaware that Acaster did not want to play the role of a Traitor and noted that the situation was difficult for him.

"I know, bless him. Never in a game would you expect that you’re going to be put in a situation where you absolutely hate being a Traitor. And I obviously had no idea beforehand that he didn’t want to be a Traitor, I just thought everyone’s kind of up for it," Jama said.

Jama added that the emotional intensity of the show can feel “real” and described the experience as a “mind trip”.

"I came in there like, ‘Oh, this is just fun and we’ll have a laugh, silly silly.’ But there are definitely days where you’re like, ‘Jesus, this feels really real.’ And you can’t escape the bubble of being in the castle and everyone’s emotions and feelings. It definitely gets heavy at times," she said.

Co-star Romesh Ranganathan praised Acaster’s decision to continue playing as a Faithful while trying to help others. Former BBC presenter Amol Rajan, who was eliminated early, called Acaster a “remarkable soul” in a social-media comment, and Strictly host Josh Widdicombe reacted with heart emojis.

On the Rest Is Entertainment podcast, Richard Osman defended Acaster against criticism that his confession disrupted the series, saying the timing of his exit prevented a larger impact on the show’s finale.

BBC production staff confirmed that filming of the penultimate episode was paused to address Acaster’s distress, and a spokesperson reiterated that the network’s highest priority is the safety and welfare of participants, with a dedicated welfare team monitoring contestants throughout.

Acaster’s absence from the post-show discussion program The Traitors Uncloaked was noted by viewers and host Dan Walker, who expressed concern for his wellbeing. Several other contestants, including Bella Ramsay and Maya Jama, were also missing from that episode.

The Independent has sought comments from Acaster’s representatives and the BBC. The series has attracted up to 15 million viewers at its peak, according to ratings data.