Celebrity Traitors star James Acaster's secret girlfriend revealed - after the comedian became this series' unexpected heartthrob

James Acaster is the unexpected heartthrob of Celebrity Traitors with viewers taken by his goofy charm and wit.

The comic has been branded 'the internet's new boyfriend' and 'the sort of lovely lad whom you could take home with your mum' – despite becoming the third becloaked traitor on the BBC hit series.

His geeky, lanky and awkward persona and penchant for corduroy trousers and grandad jumpers, has won him an army of admirers.

But the Daily Mail can reveal Acaster is in fact very much taken – and has been for some time now. 

For the comic has been in a relationship with senior television executive Hannah Rose since 2022.

A family member today told the Mail: 'They've been together for a few years now. They are very happy together. They lead a fairly quiet life together.'

Acaster, 41, had previously been in a relationship with actor Louise Ford – but she left him for Mr Bean star Rowan Atkinson in 2014 after appearing in a play together. 

James revealed he only found out Ms Ford had dumped him for the 71-year-old when he read it in a newspaper.

But he got together with Hannah after meeting her when she worked on his BBC podcast James Acaster's Perfect Sounds, which ran for two years from 2020.

The podcast, where he discussed his favourite albums from 2016, was an attempt to rekindle his love for music following his breakup.

The Daily Mail have contacted James' representatives for comment.  

James has mentioned his girlfriend on podcasts but has never named her. We can reveal they live together and share four cats: Terry, Alex, Roo and Spider-Man.

Describing their life together, he told the New Cue newsletter this week: 'The cats wake us up around 6.30am. 

'Feed them, do all the cat stuff. Go to this place nearby to get breakfast, get myself some bircher muesli, filter coffee, bring it back, eat breakfast with my girlfriend.

'Think about doing exercise, spend the whole day putting off the exercise, do it at 5pm, do yoga, go to the gym, get back, feed the cats again and then try and find something to watch, usually a film. 

'In the day, it's a lot of listening to music, having a nap at some point, going for a walk.'

And in June, he admitted he courted Hannah by getting on well with her old cat named Chicken.

Asked if it played a role in their relationship, he said: 'Yeah, I think so. I think we were already… we weren't officially boyfriend and girlfriend yet so I definitely think that would have [helped] because it was early on and it did.

'Also I'm not good when something like that happens just keeping that in my head. So I was like straight away "you must be pretty impressed by that right? Chicken liked me straight away.

'"I mean that's good points. You said no one else likes Chicken, I'm the best. Chicken likes me. Take a photo and send it to your housemates".'

The couple have been pictured together over the years and last year were seen on holiday together in Cumbria alongside friends Nish Kumar and Ed Gamble and Charlie Jamison.

Hannah, 39, grew up in a detached house in Worsley, Salford, alongside an older sister.

The high-flying senior BBC executive went to Urmston Grammar School before studying English Language and Literature at the University of York.

She graduated in 2011 before completing a Master's in English Literary Studies the following year.

Hannah, who has also worked at Channel 4 and ITV, is on the judging panel for the Royal Television Society and British Podcast awards.

She began her career at ITV – working as a runner while at university before becoming a production coordinator at the channel after graduating.

She then spent three years with the BBC before moving to Channel 4 and Penguin Random House before returning to the BBC in 2018.

While Assistant Commissioner for BBC Comedy, she worked alongside Acaster as well as comedians Sofie Hagen, Jacob Hawley and Alison Spittle.

Hannah was named BBC's comedy Assistant Commissioner in 2021, with the corporation's Director of Comedy Commissioning praising her for how she 'lives and breathes comedy' and her 'formidable experience on the live comedy scene'.

She then worked for Tiger Aspect Productions and for New Writing North, helping to develop young writers from the north, before again returning to the BBC in 2024.