The BBC is busy setting up for the new series of The Celebrity Traitors as the iconic Ardross Castle in Scotland undergoes a transformation ahead of the star-studded show. As the cast landed at Inverness Airport, preparations officially got underway, with the BBC crew turning the remote castle into a game-ready location. A shipwreck has been placed in the lake nearby, and a broken wooden boat was spotted in the water. Seven Land Rovers were parked at the front of the castle, ready to transport the celebrities during missions.
Cast Arrivals and Increased Budget
The A-list line-up was officially announced when the BBC dropped the first teaser trailer over the weekend. Among the stars heading to the Scottish castle are Maya Jama, Richard E Grant, Jerry Hall, Romesh Ranganathan, Ross Kemp, Miranda Hart, James Blunt, and many more. The BBC has reportedly doubled its £1 million budget for the second series, now spending £2 million to accommodate the high-profile cast. The increased budget was evident as stars arrived by planes and private jets, a contrast to last year when many contestants travelled by train. Alan Carr and Sir Stephen Fry, who were ferried around in a minibus last year, now have chauffeur-driven cars. Security has also been beefed up to protect the celebrities and keep the castle's activities under wraps until transmission later this year.
Source Comments
A source told The Sun: 'Although most of the stars are British, so many of them are used to working in America that their teams are used to the treatment. The production team have little choice, however, than to cater for their demands because they accept the number of A-listers taking part in this year's show makes it exceptional.' The Daily Mail has contacted the BBC for comment.
Maya Jama's Arrival
Maya Jama was pictured arriving at Inverness Airport on Sunday afternoon, reportedly taking a huge pay cut to appear on the show. Dressed in a white T-shirt and cream trousers, she wore sunglasses and flashed a nervous-looking smile at airport staff. Comedian Joanne McNally was also seen on the same flight, wearing cycling shorts and hiding behind dark shades as she wheeled her luggage to the car. Maya was reportedly the first star approached by Celebrity Traitors bosses, who wanted to attract a younger audience thanks to her Love Island hosting duties. The 31-year-old is said to have taken the £40,000 rate after falling in love with the series while watching it with her boyfriend Rúben Dias. A source told The Sun: 'She loved watching the first Celebrity Traitors series at home with boyfriend Rúben and is so excited to get filming. She can't wait to do some fibbing and be as deceitful as possible to try to win it.'
Full Cast Line-Up
The Celebrity Traitors series two cast was officially revealed on Saturday morning. In addition to those already mentioned, the line-up includes Michael Sheen, Rob Beckett, Joe Lycett, James Acaster, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Sharon Rooney, Amol Rajan, King Kenny, Sebastian Croft, Hannah Fry, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Bella Ramsey, and Myha'la. The celebrities will be transported around for different missions in the Land Rovers, and the castle is nearly ready to welcome them as they arrived over the weekend in Scotland.
