Maya Jama says she did not know Acaster and Fry were reluctant Traitors when she recruited them
Celebrity Traitors host-turned-player Maya Jama said she had no idea James Acaster and Hannah Fry did not want to be Traitors when she agreed to recruit them. She said viewers see more on TV than she did in the castle.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Maya Jama, the Love Island host who is playing as a Traitor on the second series of BBC One's Celebrity Traitors, has responded to viewers who questioned why she recruited James Acaster and Hannah Fry. The IndependentLC “Celebrity Traitors star Maya Jama has weighed in on her decision to recruit James Acaster and Hannah Fry to join her as Traitors” Read at The Independent ↗ Daily MailR “Celebrity Traitors star Maya Jama has admitted it was a 'stupid decision' to recruit James Acaster and Hannah Fry” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Claudia Winkleman chose Jama, 32, and actor Richard E Grant as the Traitors in the first episode. Grant was later banished after revealing his Traitor status to the group. The IndependentLC “was selected by Claudia Winkleman as one of two Traitors in the first episode of season two, along with actor Richard E. Grant” Read at The Independent ↗ Daily MailR “the veteran actor made a huge slip-up that led to him becoming the first player to be banished” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Comedian Acaster was recruited as a Traitor early on, and mathematician Fry joined after Grant's departure. The Independent says Grant and Jama chose Acaster together and that Fry was recruited after Grant was banished in episode three. The Daily Mail says Acaster was recruited in the second episode. The IndependentLC “The pair then chose to pick comedian Acaster to join them, and after Grant was banished in episode three” Read at The Independent ↗ Daily MailR “James Acaster, who was recruited as a Traitor in the second episode” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Left · 1Towards the end of episode four, which aired on Friday 9 October, Acaster and Fry admitted they were struggling to carry out their Traitor duties and might rather be Faithfuls. Jama told them: "I can't be the only one out here killing people." The IndependentLC “Acaster and Fry admitted that they were finding it difficult to pull off their traitorous machinations”““I can’t be the only one out here killing people.”” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1Jama posted on X: "I had NO IDEA they didn't want to be Traitors when I agreed to recruit them. Remember you see more on the TV than I did in that castle." Some fans backed her and joked that she was carrying the Traitors. One said she needed two more committed Traitors. The IndependentLC ““All I will say after last night’s episode is I had NO IDEA they didn't want to be Traitors when I agreed to recruit them,” Jama wrote on Twitter/X.”““You need two new Traitors,” a third chimed in.” Read at The Independent ↗ Right · 1In a TikTok video reported by the Daily Mail, Jama said the reluctance was only visible in the interviews with Winkleman that viewers see on TV. She said that had she known, she would never have agreed to recruit them "because that's just stupid." Daily MailR “what you're seeing on TV is the interview with Claudia, and obviously if I knew that I would never have agreed to recruit them because that's just stupid.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Right · 1Jama also said Traitors go to bed late because of the turret, so she had minimal sleep from the start. She said she did not wash her hair from episode four and recalled unknowingly walking in on Sebastian Croft discussing whether she was a Traitor. Daily MailR “I'm the only OG left.”“Me walking in on Bash talking about me. No idea.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1The Daily Mail adds reports from show insiders, quoted via The Mail on Sunday, that tension continued off camera. It says filming was paused because Acaster became "very anxious" at Ardross Castle, and that BBC bosses stressed contestant welfare was a priority. These claims come from unnamed sources, and the Independent does not mention them. Daily MailR “The 41-year-old became 'very anxious' on set in Ardross Castle and some of the other contestants were forced to speak up and insist the cameras stop rolling.”“BBC bosses later stressed that the welfare of contestants was a priority.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Left · 1At the end of episode four the three Traitors picked Rob Beckett, Ross Kemp, Romesh Ranganathan and Leigh-Anne Pinnock for a hide-and-seek game in which one will be "murdered". Pinnock was then chosen to receive a key that protects her from being killed. The series continues on BBC One on Thursday at 8pm. The IndependentLC “They selected Rob Beckett, Ross Kemp, Romesh Ranganathan and Leigh-Anne Pinnock”“The Celebrity Traitors continues on BBC One on Thursday at 8pm.” Read at The Independent ↗
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
- A short entertainment report on Jama's X post defending her recruits. It is sympathetic to her and includes supportive fan reactions.
- Emphasis
- Jama's tweet, fan reaction, and the episode four plot, including Pinnock's protective key.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention off-camera tension, the pause in filming or the welfare statement from the BBC.
- Charged language
- “reluctant Traitors”“murderous role”
- For example
-
“Jama, meanwhile, seemed to be the only one embracing her murderous role in the game” — The Independent
“Fans were quick to support the star” — The Independent
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads with Jama calling her recruitment choice "stupid", then adds behind-the-scenes gossip and reports of stress and paranoia on set.
- Emphasis
- Jama's TikTok anecdotes, insider claims of tension, Acaster's anxiety and the pausing of filming.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the fan reactions or Jama's X post, and does not state that Fry was recruited after Grant's banishment.
- Charged language
- “'stupid' decision”“'wild' moment”“embracing her inner villain”“'at one another's throats'”“'utter paranoia'”
- For example
-
“contestants on the BBC One show are still 'at one another's throats' as the tension and 'utter paranoia' between them spills over into real life” — Daily Mail
“has been embracing her inner villain as one of the Traitors on the BBC show” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Maya Jama is a Traitor on the second series of Celebrity Traitors and recruited James Acaster, with Hannah Fry joining later.
- Jama says she did not know Acaster and Fry did not want to be Traitors when she agreed to recruit them.
- Richard E Grant was the other original Traitor and was banished early.
Where accounts differ
-
When Acaster was recruited and who chose him
- Left
- The Independent says Grant and Jama chose Acaster together, and Fry joined after Grant's banishment in episode three.
- Right
- The Daily Mail says Acaster was recruited in the second episode and that Jama suggested the recruits to Grant.
Maya Jama person
Says she did not know Acaster and Fry were reluctant when she agreed to recruit them, because viewers see more on TV than she did in the castle. She says she would never have recruited them had she known.
“Remember you see more on the TV than I did in that castle #CelebrityTraitors.” — The Independent
“if I knew that I would never have agreed to recruit them because that's just stupid.” — Daily Mail
James Acaster person
Has said on screen that he is not good at lying and wants to stay a Faithful. The Daily Mail, citing unnamed sources, says he became very anxious and filming was paused.
“Viewers of the game show have watched as Acaster has become increasingly distressed on screen, repeating: 'I'm not good at lying.'” — Daily Mail
Left1 article
-
Maya Jama defends controversial Celebrity Traitors decision
Sympathetic Reports Jama's defence of her recruitment choices on X, with supportive fan comments and a recap of the episode.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Mixed Presents Jama's admission that recruiting them was 'stupid', then adds anecdotes and unnamed-source claims of off-camera stress.
- 11 Oct 10:04 First The IndependentLC Maya Jama defends controversial Celebrity Traitors decision
- 12 Oct 16:19 +30h 15m Daily MailR Celebrity Traitors star Maya Jama reflects on 'stupid' decision to recruit James Acaster and Hannah Fry as she recalls 'wild' moment she walked in on her co-star talking about her
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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