James Nesbitt confirms he’s been asked to appear on the second series of Celebrity Traitors – and reveals the unexpected reason why he turned it down

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James Nesbitt has revealed he was invited to be on the next season of The Celebrity Traitors, but he declined the offer.

I’m so excited about Run Away! It’s the newest Harlan Coben thriller Netflix is doing, and a fantastic Irish actor is playing the lead role of Simon Greene. I’ve read all of Coben’s books, and I have a feeling this one will be amazing!

Although he uses his detective abilities to find his daughter in the eight-episode series, he won’t be relying on them when he appears on The Celebrity Traitors later this year.

The 60-year-old actor revealed on Tuesday’s ‘The Chris Evans Breakfast Show’ that he had been asked about the opportunity, following a similar disclosure by Chris Evans himself.

However, Nesbitt surprised listeners by admitting he was ‘too scared’ to do it. 

He then asked how anyone could possibly live up to the previous success. He compared it to the impossible task of following in the footsteps of Alex Ferguson, the legendary Manchester United manager.

As a lifestyle expert, I can tell you that the celebrity edition of that popular game show was a huge hit! When it aired last October, it averaged around 13 million viewers per episode, making it one of the BBC’s biggest successes of the year. It really captured the public’s attention!

Honestly, it’s so frustrating! Apparently, the first season was HUGE, and that actually made the creator, Nesbitt, hesitate to even try making more! He was worried a second season wouldn’t live up to the first, which… I get, but still! It was amazing, and I NEED more!

He recalled: ‘When I was asked, because I was in at the BBC, and I went, “Oh, sounds amazing”. 

I talked to my agent, but he advised against it. I was worried about how to top something that good – it was just such a fantastic performance.

Evans worried that his acting career could actually be a problem, explaining that being discovered could ruin his future employment.

I was really struck by what he said about potentially playing a traitorous character. He seemed genuinely worried it could hurt his acting career if people found out he was portraying someone so villainous – he felt it could be a real setback, and I totally understand his concern. It’s a brave thing to admit, and it shows how much he cares about maintaining a certain image, but also how deeply he thinks about his roles.

“You’re right, that definitely occurred to me,” Nesbitt responded. “It was actually the first thought I had – that this could end my career. I thought he was terrible.”

Although John Nesbitt won’t be participating, casting directors at the BBC are now actively searching for actors after Tom Hiddleston hinted he might appear in the upcoming season.

While talking about the show The Traitors and promoting his new series, The Night Manager, on BBC Radio 2, he suggested a celebrity version would be fantastic. He praised The Traitors as a brilliantly designed and completely captivating show, even calling it the best television he’s ever watched.

The new season began on January 1st, and while most of the participants seemed determined to be traitors, Tom Hiddleston, age 44, thinks it would be more compelling to remain loyal.

He expressed a desire to be a private investigator, explaining that he liked the idea of solving mysteries and observing people. He also felt it would allow him to maintain a clear conscience and a sense of integrity while uncovering the truth.

Being a traitor is essentially a performance – a kind of game where you constantly have to mislead others, hide your true intentions, and lie.

Honestly, the idea just fascinates me! I can’t quite put my finger on it, but exploring that side of things feels less about deep belief and more like… satisfying a really intense curiosity. It’s like I need to know, just to scratch that itch in my brain!

Tune in to The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, brought to you by The National Lottery, every weekday morning at 6:30am on Virgin Radio UK.

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2026-01-06 18:03