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Celebrity Traitors star Joe Marler has broken his silence after his ‘heartbreaking’ loss during Thursday’s nail-biting final.
In a twist that nobody could have seen coming, the Alan Carr somehow managed to hoodwink Nick Mohammed and David Olusoga into believing he was a Faithful, ensuring that as a Traitor he won the entire £87,500 prize pot.
Despite Joe, 35, correctly guessing that Alan and Cat Burns, 25, were the remaining Traitors, he failed to convince the others and was brutally banished at the last minute after being double crossed by Nick.
During an appearance on Saturday Kitchen the rugby legend admitted he had been devastated by his pal’s betrayal, but said they have since made up.
‘He [Nick] didn’t stick to my plan, he went with his gut, which was a shame, But I still was so in love with him, because that little dicky bow, his little face, the three little love hearts he put by my name [on the blackboard during the vote]’.
Before adding: ‘Although in that moment, I was heartbroken’.
It comes after fans called for Alan to receive a knighthood after his surprise victory.
An average audience of 11.1 million tuned in for the grand finale, with a peak of 12 million viewers, it was the BBC’s biggest overnight audience since Gavin & Stacey’s Christmas special last year.
Viewers watched in awe and bewilderment as Alan snatched the prize, despite his previous claims he was as bad a Traitor as series three star Linda Rands.
Taking to X/Twitter during the show, viewers expressed their love for Alan as they declared: ‘The fact that ALAN has won the entire show after this moment is exactly why I pay my tv license x #CelebrityTraitors’.
Others added: ‘GIVE THIS MAN AN OSCAR, BAFTA AND KNIGHTHOOD IMMEDIATELY TV MOMENT OF THE YEAR/DECADE #CelebrityTraitors.’
‘TV MOMENT OF THE YEAR RIGHT THERE. Glorious.’
‘He was the best of traitors, he was the worst of traitors. He made this series incredible and I am absolutely bloody thrilled. YESSSS. #CelebrityTraitors.’
‘TV moment of the year. That was a sensational ending. Alan Carr is DEFINITELY NOT the most hated person in the country right now #CelebrityTraitors.’
In the episode, the final five – Cat, Joe, Nick, David, and Alan – faced an epic final mission aboard the show’s famous steam train.
Their mission sounded simple enough: board the train, find the keys, unlock the crates, and collect the gold — all within 20 minutes.
But, in true Traitors fashion, host Claudia Winkleman added a dramatic twist, revealing that the crates were rigged with explosives.
Thankfully, the team were able to get the gold and disembark the train before they were detonated, rounding up the prize fund to an impressive £87,500.
The group then faced one last roundtable where suspicions ran high.
Joe, believing Alan and Cat were the Traitors, made a pact to vote against David while secretly plotting to expose them later.
Viewers watched with baited breath as David desperately defended himself, before Cat was voted out after Joe made a last minute U-turn.
Remaining Traitor Alan told viewers Cat’s departure had ‘thrown a spanner in the works’ as he had to battle it out for the win solo.
Suspicions a Traitor was still lurking in their midst was still high as the songstress did not reveal her true identity in her departing speech.
Reflecting on her time, Cat said: ‘I wouldn’t change a thing. I got to the final. I’m proud of myself.’
Nick then turned on ‘true Faithful’ Joe in the final moments as the last four headed to the firepit to cast stones and reveal if they thought there was still a Traitor among them.
In a shock change of heart, Nick said he doubted Joe after spotting him say ‘I’m sorry’ when he banished Cat.
Nick said: ‘I adore you, honestly I didn’t believe it but you voting for Cat is what sealed it, but I love you.’
Joe said after being banished by his fellow Faithful: ‘I read it so wrong. It hurts to be stabbed in the back last minute like that.’
With just David, Alan and Nick, it was up to them to decide if there was a Traitor in their midst.
David said: ‘I’ve never believed Alan is a Traitor.’
Nick also voted to end the game. The actor said: ‘I genuinely believe both of you are Faithful. I think we did it’ – only for Alan to pull the rug from under their feet when he made his bombshell revelation.
