Chaos. The only word to describe last night’s episode of The Celebrity Traitors. An ominous Death Parade closed in on the stars during an eerie challenge, but that was the least of the drama. Rob Beckett was murdered, Hannah Fry was banished after her fellow Traitors turned on her, and Kenny was recruited. Meanwhile, Joanne McNally has become a prime suspect. But she wasn’t the only comedian to make a stir; Joe Lycett gave her a run for her money.
So far, Joe hasn’t ruffled any feathers, except for the fabulous lilac ones he wore in the opening week. He’s made us laugh with his characteristic deadpan quips: ‘I’ve not been that unsettled since I saw Jedward in concert,’ he remarked after last night’s mission. But he’s started to turn heads in the castle for his desperate recruitment tactic: begging to be given a ticket into the secret murder club. While it might be risky, it could actually be very smart. Could it all be a double bluff? Let’s unpack it.
‘I’m still very much available’
The comic started his "pick me" plea in episode 4 last week. During the Round Table, which saw one-woman Traitor terminator Julie Hesmondhalgh banished, he said he’d ‘like to be recruited at some stage’, stressing: ‘I’m still very much available.’ However, the comment was passed off by the others present as a harmless joke. But this week saw him act more desperate than a corporate jobseeker on LinkedIn.
He made his wishes crystal clear in a private video message: ‘At this point, I’m so on my knees for recruitment. Over the years I have done things where I’ve lied. Stunts where I pretended to be different people. I’ve changed my name by deed poll in the past. I’m quite good at morphing into different things. But I want to be in that turret!’
Now, his ability to ‘morph’ into different things and lie could indicate how smart this risky tactic could be. He’s overtly stating his desire to murder, while not actually being chosen as a Traitor. His fellow contestants will believe he’s too much of an obvious choice to ever make the turret, and the Traitors could be put off from recruiting him because of his over-the-top theatrics. Could this be the ultimate double bluff?
James Acaster was keen to ask Joe to join their squad, while Maya strongly opposed the idea, with them opting to seduce King Kenny. ‘But he’s so suspicious and he’s been so over the top with the “recruit me” stuff. I just think it’s danger,’ she said.
Maya’s reaction could be exactly why the tactic is so smart. By making his desire to become a Traitor so obvious, Joe could actually be making himself less suspicious. Surely nobody would be this blatant if they were genuinely plotting to become a Traitor?
The Richard E Grant of it all
He seems to have gained inspiration from Richard E Grant, whose almighty Traitor confession saw him axed. Joe was fundamental in the actor’s takedown when he plainly asked him which camp he was on. Richard, grinning, said: ‘Traitor’ – one of the most-talked-about moments of the game so far.
It might seem strange to follow in the footsteps of the fallen, but the rest of his castmates have probably realised that it would be beyond the realms of possibility to risk playing as boldly as Richard, meaning his wild game plan could see him survive.
There’s another reason Joe’s tactic could work. We’ve already seen just how dangerous it can be to be an obvious Traitor. Richard E Grant’s decision to openly admit he was a Traitor backfired spectacularly.
Joe, however, is doing something slightly different. He’s making his desire to be a Traitor so obvious that it could actually make people less likely to believe he is one. While Richard’s confession ultimately put a target on his back, Joe’s repeated ‘recruit me’ routine could become a useful cover if he ever does make it into the turret.
Humour as a shield
Humour is the ultimate disarming tactic, and Joe is playing the ultimate wind-up merchant. By making the others laugh, and dropping red herrings under the guise of jokes, he’s going to become impossible for the others to suss out. He carried on his job-seeking joke when he dramatically abstained from alcohol. And, if there’s one thing we know about Joe Lycett, he adores the pub.
‘I was going to have an alcoholic drink, but actually I’m not going to because I want to have a clear head in case I’m recruited,’ he said. The most Faithful Traitor, James Acaster, chimed in: ‘If someone gets recruited, you’re going to get banished immediately now.’
But it’s actually quite smart. By begging to be put in the turret, Joe is making the probability of being chosen less likely, and if he is, he can carry on with his plea and pass under the radar.
Amol Rajan, the game’s first victim, weighed in on the tactic on last night’s episode of The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked. ‘I think “please recruit me” is a great motif to develop all through the game because you’re almost, psychologically, you’re almost getting into being a Faithful, and if you’re then recruited, you’ve got a line which you can just carry on with. So that could be your consistent thing,’ he shared.
And we wholly agree.
He’s coming for Joanne
Joe also came for Joanne, who accidentally agreed with hardman Ross Kemp, who was reliving the trauma of episode 4’s hide-and-seek game where Rob Beckett was murdered.
‘It was horrible, it was,’ she said, despite not being present for the game. The admission was met with a chorus of gasps. The fellow Faithful think she could have been present, as a Traitor.
‘Great joke, Joanne,’ he said. But he later tore apart her vehement defence of Richard E Grant.
‘I found that surprising, cos you’re one of the smartest, most brilliant minds I know. And to have that sort of moment when you’re really blindly defending a clear Traitor…’ he added.
Now, he’s adding fuel to the theory that Joanne is a Traitor, which takes eyes away from him.
Could ‘recruit me’ really work?
If Joe stays a Faithful, he can keep the joke going. If he is eventually recruited, he already has the perfect excuse for why he was talking about becoming a Traitor all along. We'll have to wait and see if the risk pays off in tonight's episode.