Time for one last flourish to tee up next week’s grand finale. A masked drummer outside the castle summoned the finalists to the firepit, where Winkleman informed them that nobody was getting murdered tonight. Phew. However, from now on, they must rely solely on trust and instinct, because banished players will no longer reveal their true identity.
She then asked them to look their fellow players in the eye one by one and say: “I am a Faithful.” Predictably, Alan promptly got the giggles, which Joe took as a further red flag. Up in the conclave for one last plotting session, Carr and Cat made a pinkie promise of “Traitors for life”. Do we believe them? Sweet dreams, final five. If it’s possible after all that cheese.
Key castle stats
Best moment: Alan Carr’s nervous giggle at the firepit. Could it prove his undoing? But kudos to him for noting of the statues’ heads that “Clare Balding looks like Boris Johnson”.
Best quote: “That was better than my wedding day,” deadpanned Claudia Winkleman when they completed the headless statues mission in the nick of time.
Best Traitor: Cat Burns remains ice-cool, but the Faithful could be onto her at last.
Best Faithful: Joe Marler is leader of the pack, with Nick Mohammed loyally by his side.
Winkleman wardrobe watch: A pair of scene-stealing monochrome knits: a shaggy white jumper at breakfast and a black tank top with sparkly icicles at Round Table.
Prize pot: All £14,000 banked on the Crystal Maze-style mission takes the prize fund to £67,500 out of a possible £80,000 for the winner’s chosen charity. One mission remains to top it up further.
Body count: A murder in plain sight and a bungled banishment means we’ve got two Traitors versus three Faithful for the endgame.
Next up: It’s now an agonising week-long wait for the grand finale – an extended 70-minute episode that airs next Thursday at 9pm. After an explosive mission, can the Faithful banish all their foes to secure victory? Or will the Traitors pull off their deception until the bitter end? Meet you back here for one last dastardly debrief.
