Ranganathan and Croft win Celebrity Traitors after Kenny's shocking betrayal of Maya

Romesh Ranganathan and Sebastian Croft were crowned the winners of the 2026 series of The Celebrity Traitors, splitting the £83,000 prize pot between their chosen charities. The Faithful duo triumphed over Traitors Maya Jama and King Kenny after a nail-biting finale that saw the opposing side crumble under internal pressure, according to the Daily Mail ^[1].

For much of the series, Jama and Kenny appeared to be sailing towards victory. However, the dynamic shifted dramatically when fellow Traitor James Acaster revealed his identity during a tense roundtable, triggering a chain reaction that ultimately dismantled the Traitors' strategy. The Mirror reported that Kenny ultimately voted against his own partner, Maya, after realising the game was turning against them ^[3].

The final episode began with the murder of Michael Sheen, who had previously confronted Acaster. Sheen departed with grace, stating he was "gutted" but happy to have reached the end. The remaining players then faced a chaotic final mission involving helicopters and dynamite, successfully adding to the prize fund before gathering at the firepit for the decisive vote.

At the firepit, the situation became increasingly volatile. Leigh-Anne Pinnock was banished first, leaving Ranganathan, Croft, Kenny, and James Blunt. Tensions boiled over as Kenny chose to end the game by voting out Maya, believing it would secure his position. However, Blunt insisted on another banishment, hoping to eliminate Ranganathan.

In a twist that proved fatal for the remaining Traitors, Croft convinced Ranganathan that Kenny was the greater threat. Consequently, Kenny was banished, leaving Blunt as the sole remaining Traitor. When Blunt voted to banish again, Ranganathan and Croft combined their votes to eliminate him, securing the win for the Faithfuls.

Ranganathan, who had jokingly branded himself a "national treasure" days prior, expressed relief after the victory. "I trusted Bash and I was right to. I cannot believe it!" he said, adding that he hoped his mother was proud ^[1]. Croft, visibly emotional, described the win as potentially the best day of his life.

The pair donated their shares to the Refugee Council and Choose Love respectively. Meanwhile, BBC chiefs are reportedly thrilled with the outcome, despite earlier accusations of unconscious bias within the game. The show’s host, Claudia Winkleman, congratulated the winners as they raised a glass outside Ardross Castle, marking the end of a series defined by high-stakes betrayals and dramatic reversals.