Is this the most gaffe-filled Traitors ever? How Richard E Grant, Joe Lycett and Joanne McNally have all forgot the show's key rule in hilarious slip-ups

Typically, players on The Celebrity Traitors are a servant to one important rule - don't arouse suspicion.

But this series, it seems that the players have forgotten that they are supposed to be painting themselves as Faithfuls, with three stars making blatant slip-ups that have laid the groundwork for banishment.

Leading the pack was Richard E Grant, who just minutes after being chosen to be a Traitor, exposed himself as such during a conversation with Joe Lycett.

While some questioned whether the actor was trying to play a double bluff, when it came to the first round table, he was banished in a landslide vote, making him the earliest Traitor to be caught in the show's history.

This week then saw comedian Joanne McNally and Joe also arouse suspicion with comments about the Traitors, despite the fact that both of them were Faithfuls.

Richard's gaffe stunned viewers as it came so soon after he'd been chosen, having promised to keep his true identity a secret.

As Richard mingled with Faithful Joe Lycett in the lounge area, the comedian jumped straight in with the question: 'What are you?'

'A Traitor,' Richard responded with a huge grin on his face.

Unsure what to believe, Joe said: 'I think you've just done something that has never happened in the game... bold strategy.'

'That may be the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life', Richard said while contemplating his game tactics.

He added: 'I was so thrilled to be picked as a Traitor but I clearly need to defuse all the heat coming in my direction.' 

Following a landslide vote, in which 69-year-old Grant received 16 out of a possible 20 votes, he was banished.

Addressing his hilarious slip-up, which is likely to be one of the most memorable moments of the series, Grant added in his exit interview: 'It was a completely catastrophically idiotic thing to do!

'I can only imagine the faces of the producers looking at each other and mouthing, ''he said WHAT?!''

'I'd watched every iteration that I possibly could have of this game, and I was manifesting, willing myself to get invited to be a Traitor, so receiving that… well, I lost all sense of self-control.'

'I've managed to checkmate myself which as far as I am aware has never been done. It was a double-edged sword of the joy of being so glee-filled that they got one so early in the game. I gave it to them on a platter.' 

Richard's slip-up should have been a warning to the fellow players of the consequences of a loose tongue, but this week saw more errors, this time from the true Faithfuls. 

During Thursday's episode Rob Beckett was murdered face-to-face after a dramatic game of hide and seek involving himself, Ross Kemp, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Romesh Ranganathan.

Joanne McNally hadn't been chosen to take part in the game, but during the roundtable she noted that Rob's murder had been 'horrible,' as if she had been there.

The comedian hastily tried to backtrack on her comments, as it led the players to accuse her of being present at the murder as a Traitor.

Joanne tried to insist she was referring to the other players who had discussed being involved in the hide and seek game, but her words aroused enough suspicion to make her one of the targets at Friday's round table.

Joe Lycett sealed his fate as the latest star to be banished, as he repeatedly called for The Traitors to recruit him after Hannah Fry was voted out of the show.

The comedian spoke to multiple players about his hopes of becoming a Traitor, but he didn't get to realise his dream, as Maya Jama and James Acaster chose to recruit King Kenny instead.

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.