Celebrity Traitors producer Stephen Lambert on ratings, casting and Tom Cruise
In a Radio Times interview, Studio Lambert's Stephen Lambert credits "dramatic irony" for The Celebrity Traitors' large BBC One audiences and names Tom Cruise as a dream contestant. The Guardian then reported on the interview.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Stephen Lambert, head of Studio Lambert, which makes The Celebrity Traitors, told the Radio Times the show has "universal appeal" and has established itself as "appointment to view TV". Radio TimesN ““The show has universal appeal,” he says. “It has established itself as ‘Appointment to View TV’.”” Read at Radio Times ↗ The GuardianLC ““The show has universal appeal … It has established itself as ‘appointment-to-view TV’,” he added.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Centre · 1Radio Times reports that nine million people watched the series opener on 1 October. It says 83.5 per cent of 16-34-year-olds watching TV at the time tuned in, which it puts at 1.6 million young people. Radio TimesN “When The Celebrity Traitors kicked off on 1 October, nine million of us watched it.”“(83.5 per cent), tuned in. That’s 1.6 million young people engaging with BBC One.” Read at Radio Times ↗ Left · 1The Guardian says more than 10 million people have tuned in for some episodes, well over half of those watching TV in the slot. It also says 1.6 million viewers aged 16-34 watched the series premiere. It presents this as bucking a long-running decline in mass TV audiences. The GuardianLC “More than 10 million people have tuned in to watch some episodes, well in excess of half the viewers watching TV during the show’s time slot.”“with 1.6 million people aged between 16 and 34 tuning in for this series’ premiere.” Read at The Guardian ↗
Mixed · 2Lambert says the key to the show's success is "dramatic irony": viewers know who is lying and enjoy watching players try to work out who the liars are. Radio TimesN ““Dramatic irony,” he says. “It’s the engine of The Traitors.” Read at Radio Times ↗ The GuardianLC ““It’s about the pleasure that we know more than the protagonists – we know who is lying.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Centre · 1On casting, Lambert says it was simple because so many famous people took part last year that they wanted to join this year. Asked for dream contestants for a likely third series, he named "Tom Cruise, maybe" and a big sports star, adding that active sportspeople have commitments. Radio TimesN ““The fact that so many famous people did it last year meant they all wanted to do it this year.””““Tom Cruise, maybe. And we would like to have a big sports star. But if they are an active one, they have commitments.”” Read at Radio Times ↗ Centre · 1He says celebrities find the game uncomfortable because they have "so little control", and that it reveals character. Asked about Richard E Grant's early reveal that he was a Traitor, he called it "jaw dropping", and said he would himself be a Traitor. Radio TimesN ““Yes, celebrities find it uncomfortable because they have so little control,” he agrees.”““Jaw dropping,” says Lambert, laughing.” Read at Radio Times ↗
Centre · 1Radio Times reports that an episode is estimated to cost around £1 million, almost double a normal reality show. It also reports that the US celebrity version, presented by Alan Cumming and shot in the same Scottish castle, is reportedly budgeted at about $2 million an episode. Radio TimesN “Just one episode is estimated to cost around £1 million, which is almost double the cost of a normal reality show.”“about $2 million per episode. Shot in the same Scottish castle, with Alan Cumming presenting” Read at Radio Times ↗ Centre · 1Radio Times also reports a stage show, The Traitors – Acts of Betrayal, due at London's Gillian Lynne Theatre next May and hosted by Nick Mohammed. Lambert says documentaries are now "almost impossible" to get people to watch. Radio TimesN “The Traitors – Acts of Betrayal, a stage show coming into London (at the Gillian Lynne Theatre), next May.”““It’s almost impossible to get people to watch documentaries now.” Read at Radio Times ↗ Left · 1The Guardian adds context that Radio Times does not carry. It says imitators such as Channel 4's The Inheritance and ITV's The Neighbourhood have been attempted, and that sports stars are hard to book because agents and clubs guard their media activity. It also quotes Jonathan Glazier, a former head of BBC light entertainment, who says nobody knows the secret: "Don’t you think if we knew, every show would be a Traitors?" The GuardianLC “such as Channel 4’s The Inheritance or ITV’s The Neighbourhood”““If anyone tells you what the secret is, they are not in full command of reality,” said Jonathan Glazier, a former head of BBC light entertainment.” Read at The Guardian ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- The Guardian recasts the Radio Times interview as a story about a rare mass-audience hit reviving television's ability to unite the nation, and about the industry's failed attempts to copy it.
- Emphasis
- Audience size against the decline of mass TV, imitators, the difficulty of booking Tom Cruise or sports stars, and an industry insider's caution that no one knows the formula.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Leaves out the budget figures, the stage show, Lambert's remarks on documentaries and the Richard E Grant moment.
- Charged language
- “juggernaut”“bucked a long-running trend”
- For example
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“its popularity is staving off the death of television’s ability to unite the nation.” — The Guardian
“In doing so, it has bucked a long-running trend that has seen mass TV audiences become increasingly rare.” — The Guardian
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Radio Times runs a warm, fan-oriented interview with the producer, covering ratings, casting, the Richard E Grant moment and the stage spin-off.
- Emphasis
- Lambert's own explanations, with behind-the-scenes detail on budgets, the US version, the stage show and the shift away from serious documentaries.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives no outside industry comment or discussion of rival copycat formats. It reports the opener's nine million audience, not the 10 million-plus peak the Guardian cites.
- Charged language
- “juggernaut”“mastermind”“holy watercooler show”
- For example
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“The person responsible for this juggernaut – as part of the wider team at Studio Lambert, he’s very keen to stress – is producer Stephen Lambert.” — Radio Times
“you would be a fool to bet against Stephen Lambert.” — Radio Times
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Stephen Lambert told the Radio Times the show has universal appeal and is 'appointment to view TV'.
- Lambert named Tom Cruise as a possible dream contestant and said active sports stars have commitments.
- Lambert credits 'dramatic irony' for the show's success.
- 1.6 million viewers aged 16-34 watched the series opener.
Where accounts differ
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Audience size quoted
- Left
- The Guardian says more than 10 million have tuned in for some episodes. The two figures may refer to different episodes.
- Centre
- Radio Times says nine million watched the 1 October opener.
Stephen Lambert person
Presents the show's success as the product of a strong format and 'dramatic irony', with casting made easy by last year's success. He names Tom Cruise as a dream contestant and says he would be a Traitor himself.
““Oh, a Traitor, absolutely!”” — Radio Times
““Tom Cruise, maybe? And we would like to have a big sports star.” — The Guardian
Left1 article
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‘Universal appeal’: Celebrity Traitors producer reveals secrets to its success
Neutral News-style rework of the interview that places the show's ratings in the context of declining mass TV audiences and adds an industry voice.
Centre1 article
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Celebratory Admiring magazine interview presenting Lambert as the mastermind behind a national event.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 12 Oct 17:45 First Radio TimesN The mastermind behind Celebrity Traitors reveals secret to its success – and he's eyeing Tom Cruise for next season
- 13 Oct 05:00 +11h 15m The GuardianLC ‘Universal appeal’: Celebrity Traitors producer reveals secrets to its success
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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