Joe Lycett is banished after begging to be a Celebrity Traitor while new recruit King Kenny is put to the test as treacherous trio have to murder in plain sight

He had been shouting through the castle corridors about wanting to be recruited as a Traitor.

But Joe Lycett cemented his own downfall, and he was banished from the castle last night – revealing he had been a Faithful all along.

When the contestants gathered for breakfast, they knew a recruitment had taken place, with Lycett declaring: 'It wasn't me!'

However, the previous night, the comedian had made no secret of his desire to switch sides.

And at the roundtable, Joe received the majority of votes after an epic slip-up.

He said: 'Let's say they were down to two last night and they recruited, there's so much heat on me for what I was doing last night that there's a good chance that I'll go tonight, which means that they will then have to recruit again tonight, denying them of murder.' 

James Blunt said: 'I thought you said, if they banish me tonight, they will have to recruit another person tomorrow, which would imply...'

Joe's slip-up sent confusion around the table and ultimately sealed his fate however, his loyal new pal Miranda Hart refused to vote for him.

'Forgive me for doing the cardinal rule of letting emotion get to me; I've put Ross,' Hart said, as everyone burst out laughing, while Ross Kemp looked concerned.

She then said directly to Joe: 'I physically couldn't write your name down.'

Standing before the group at the roundtable, Joe, 38, said: 'Absolutely loved it. Like a total dream.'

'I do sort of feel like we are all a family now and, as such, expect to be in all of your wills. Very sad to be going, but what a wonderful group of people.

'I always wanted to start as a Faithful and end as a Traitor. I started as a Faithful, and I did not get my wish. I am a Faithful.'

Reacting to the scenes, viewers wrote on X: 'I feel for Miranda losing the love of her life Joe Lycett'

'Gosh @Joe Lycett making me cry, lol maybe hormones but felt so sad watching that, he just wanted to be recruited, so unfair x'

'Oh dear #traitors Joe you signed your own fate last night.'

In his exit interview, the comedian admitted he was 'disappointed' he wasn't picked as a Traitor.

But while Joe may have taken his banishment in good humour, his departure proved far more emotional for one of his fellow contestants.

Miranda, 53, who had formed a close bond with Joe, broke down in tears.

'I can't believe how emotional I'm getting,' she said, adding: 'Connection and laughter and joy are bigger than this game. And to meet someone and just play and laugh, it is all us humans need. I've had times in my life when I haven't had that through illness, and it has brought up that silly, sensitive soul.'

In a bid to cheer Miranda up, Leigh-Anne Pinnock offered to teach her part of Little Mix's Touch dance.

'I want to make your dreams come true,' the singer, 35, told the actress, before teaching her some of the moves to the group's hit Touch.

As the pair got to grips with the choreography, Hart had one important question: 'Where am I thrusting from?'

She later announced: 'Introducing Little Mix and Big Mix!'

While the hilarious scene took place in one room, a far more sinister plot was unfolding elsewhere.

Traitors Maya Jama, 32, James Acaster, 41, and newly recruited King Kenny, 29, were tasked with murdering in plain sight.

The trio received a letter outlining their task, which instructed them to select a victim and 'bore them to death'. Their weapon of choice was a peacock bottle containing deadly sleeping powder, hidden in the library.

'Is this a joke? This is what I called out on day one,' James quipped, pointing out the irony of the assignment.

Kenny added: 'I just got the job as a Traitor, and I'm already being asked to murder in plain sight. Are you having a laugh?'

Kenny retrieved the bottle and sprayed it in the lounge. They then had to lure their victim into the room and make them yawn, forcing them to inhale the air.

And it is between Jerry Hall, 70, and Ross, 62, who, ironically, has been paranoid about being murdered in plain sight.

But once again the BBC has left viewers a long wait until next week to discover their fate.