“Celebrity Traitors” didn’t wait long to throw its stars into the fire. In the very first challenge, Clare Balding made a mistake that sent shockwaves through the group. What was supposed to be a team-building mission turned into a trust-crushing disaster.
The task was simple on paper. Contestants had to pull a giant Trojan horse uphill, stopping at gates along the way. Each gate had a puzzle. Solve it, punch in the right code, and the team could move forward. Miss it, and the team paid the price.
At the first gate, the group gathered around the puzzle, tossing out possible answers. While they were still working it out, Clare jumped ahead. She entered a code into the lock. Wrong move. The code was incorrect, but the system took it as final. No second chances.
The Traitors / IG / The moment it happened, you could see it on her face. Pure shock. She gasped, “No! I didn’t realise I locked it in, sorry!” Her teammates froze.
The challenge had only just begun, and already the group was down one solution. The Trojan horse wasn’t going anywhere without that gate opening.
Clare later explained she thought they could try more than one combination. She wasn’t trying to take control. Instead, she was just eager to help. But the rules were strict. One code, one shot. They had blown it.
Charlotte Church stepped in to clean up the mess. Earlier in the episode, she would have won an immunity shield. After the code blunder, she gave it up to balance the loss. It was a big move. And one that didn’t go unnoticed.
Doubt Spreads Fast
But this wasn’t just a fumble. It had a ripple effect. Trust is currency in “Celebrity Traitors.” Lose it, and you are in danger. Clare’s mistake sparked whispers. Was it really just a misunderstanding? Or was it a clever play by a hidden Traitor?
Host Claudia Winkleman called Clare “mortified,” and it showed. She clearly didn’t mean to tank the mission. But Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley wasn’t so sure. He voiced what others were likely thinking: what if it wasn’t an accident?
Daley suggested maybe Clare was testing the waters. Seeing how the team would react. Or maybe, stripping them of a shield was the goal all along. Was she trying to weaken the Faithfuls from the inside?
The Real Traitors Take Cover
If Clare were a Traitor, the move would be bold. But it wasn’t just the mistake that caused trouble. It was how the others responded to it. Comedian Alan Carr saw a golden opportunity. As one of the actual Traitors, the pressure was already building. He needed cover.
So, Alan ran with Daley’s theory. He nudged the group to keep looking at Clare. The more eyes on her, the fewer on him. And it worked. The team started circling, questioning motives, reading into every small action. That one slip-up shifted the game’s energy.
The Traitors / IG / What is wild is that Clare might have just made an honest mistake. But the rules of “Celebrity Traitors” don’t care about honesty.
They care about suspicion. And once it is on you, it is hard to shake.
This is why the game is so brutal. The line between error and betrayal is razor-thin. A well-meaning move can look like a calculated play. And when shields and survival are on the line, every mistake counts.
Clare’s moment turned into a storyline. A mistake became a motive. And the actual Traitors, like Alan, knew exactly how to use it. Even if she is completely innocent, the damage is done. The doubt has been planted.
As for Charlotte, giving up her shield also raised her profile. It was noble, sure, but in this game, noble moves can also seem strategic.