Julie Hesmondhalgh banished from Celebrity Traitors, says she left 'head held high'

Mixed · 2Actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, formerly of Coronation Street, was banished from the BBC's Celebrity Traitors on Friday 9 October after receiving the most votes at the round table. 1 2 Right · 1She was the third contestant banished from the series, after Richard E Grant, a Traitor removed at the first round table, and Myha'la, a Faithful removed in error. 1 3 Right · 1Hesmondhalgh told her fellow players before leaving that she was a Faithful, which she was throughout. 1

Right · 1The Daily Express reported that, after her exit, suspicion shifted towards James Blunt, who had stayed convinced she was a Traitor. It also reported that King Kenny called the vote a loss because she had been 'so proactive'. 1 Right · 1Viewers on X were reported to be upset at the decision. 1 Centre · 1Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, Hesmondhalgh said she 'had no idea' she would be banished but that it became clear it would be her. She said she left with her 'head held high' and received 'very gratifying apologetic texts' on Friday night. 2

Right · 1On BBC Breakfast on Monday 12 October she said she was not surprised and 'would have banished myself to be honest'. She was glad to leave via the round table rather than a murder, because that let her speak to the others first. 3 Right · 1She said she had 'no game plan whatsoever' and was starstruck by co-stars such as Michael Sheen and Jerry Hall. She also said she and a couple of others had left the show's WhatsApp group because they did not want to know who had won. 3 Right · 1She described exposing a Traitor at the first round table as 'the best feeling', 'right up there with marriage and childbirth'. She said it also created a 'cockiness' and 'blood thirstiness' that was 'a bit of a poisoned chalice'. 1

Centre · 1She said she was personally approached during last year's celebrity series while performing in a play in London, and that keeping it secret was very hard. She called the experience 'amazing' and said she knew she would become a 'crazy lady Traitor hunter'. 2 Mixed · 2Hesmondhalgh said she is now backing Sharon Rooney, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Bash (Sebastian Croft). She told BBC Breakfast that Pinnock 'might go quite a long way', adding that this was 'pure vibes' and not inside information. 2 3