One star of the recently announced Celebrity Traitors season two has reportedly taken a huge pay cut to secure her involvement in the show. The line-up for the next all-star spin-off was announced this weekend, with Richard E. Grant, James Acaster, Romesh Ranganathan, and James Blunt among the big names set to join Claudia Winkleman at Ardross Castle.
The cast also includes Maya Jama, who is believed to have been the first celebrity approached by producers this year. The 31-year-old currently earns £800,000 for hosting Love Island on rival broadcaster ITV. However, for Celebrity Traitors, she will be paid £40,000, meaning she is taking a £760,000 pay cut. As a massive fan of the first Celebrity Traitors, this was an opportunity she simply could not refuse.
Of Maya's appointment to the castle, 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.'
'It has worked out perfectly that she can go straight from the Scottish castle to the villa in Majorca to film the summer Love Island series in June.' Describing her as 'obsessed' with Celebrity Traitors, the tabloid's source added that 'the money was secondary to taking part.'
Maya is said to have been top of producers' wish list for her ability to pull in a younger audience. Taking over Love Island in 2023, she has also hosted Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star, The Circle, and ITV2 gameshow Don’t Hate The Playaz.
Who's in Celebrity Traitors Season Two?
The full lineup includes: Amol Rajan, Bella Ramsey, James Acaster, James Blunt, Jerry Hall, Joanne McNally, Joe Lycett, Julie Hesmondhalgh, King Kenny, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Maya Jama, Michael Sheen, Miranda Hart, Myha’la, Professor Hannah Fry, Richard E. Grant, Rob Beckett, Romesh Ranganathan, Ross Kemp, Sebastian Croft, and Sharon Rooney.
Celebrity Traitors Season 2 Filming Begins
With the series set to return this autumn, all 21 contestants have been revealed by the BBC. The names were announced in a fun teaser showing actors posing as taxi drivers holding signs for the celebrities. In a nod to previous spelling errors, some names are deliberately misspelled, including Rob Beckett as 'Rob Bucket' and Richard E. Grant as 'Richardy Grant.'
Filming is imminent, with several stars already arriving in Inverness, Scotland. Bella Ramsey was spotted in a thick puffer jacket, while University Challenge host Amol Rajan and model Jerry Hall were also seen at the airport. Inverness airport is about 31 miles from Ardross Castle, a 45-minute drive. Once settled, the famous faces will compete for a charity prize.
Will they replicate the success of last year's debut series, which captivated audiences thanks to a villainous turn from comedian Alan Carr?
