Ricky Gervais is at the top of producers’ wish list to star in the forthcoming celebrity version of the BBC’s big hit The Traitors, reports The Sun newspaper.
Quoting TV insiders, it lists Gervais among other high-profile UK names desired for the show which was confirmed by makers Studio Lambert at the Edinburgh TV Festival last week.
It quotes one industry source, saying: “The BBC want the crème de la crème of stars for the celeb spin-off, and they ideally have to be incredibly smart, funny, and mischievous — and that’s Ricky in three words.
“Behind the scenes, big names have already expressed their interest in taking part from the moment it was revealed the new version of The Traitors was being made.”
Other names in the frame include British TV presenter Jonathan Ross, a friend of Gervais, and Friends alumna Courtenay Cox, known to be chummy with The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman.
The Traitors became a massive hit for the BBC on its debut in 2022, with Studio Lambert swiftly recommissioned for further series. Three have already aired, with a fourth on the way.
The show sees a group of people put together in a Scottish castle, where a minority are secretly created murderers. The suspense is built on whether that group succeed in polishing everyone off before or after they are uncovered. Filming on the celebrity version is expected to begin in early 2025.
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