Mark Bonnar, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in “Line of Duty” and a self-professed “Traitors” enthusiast, has revealed that he initially hesitated before accepting the invitation to participate in the celebrity edition of the show.
The Scottish star, also recognized for his performances in “Guilt,” “Shetland,” and “Dept Q,” told BBC Radio Scotland’s Lunchtime Live that he carefully weighed the offer. “I took quite a while to make up my mind about it,” he stated. “I really wasn’t sure because I’ve never done anything like that before…I’m not a celebrity, I’m an actor.”
“I balked a wee bit at first but I’m so glad I said yes because it’s been the most incredible experience.”
Spoiler warning: This article reveals details from the sixth episode of The Celebrity Traitors
Bonnar, who played as a Faithful, was eliminated early in episode six following a tense roundtable discussion that resulted in a deadlock.
He and historian David Olusoga received an equal number of votes from their fellow celebrity contestants, who incorrectly suspected them of being Traitors.
Their fate was ultimately determined by chance, and when Olusoga opened a wooden box containing a protective shield, Bonnar knew his time in the “Traitors” castle was over.
“I was very disappointed at the time,” he admitted. “But with hindsight – first of all I can start to enjoy watching it again.”
“If I was to go at any point, that was probably the way I would want to go.”
Bonnar, known for portraying a number of formidable antagonists throughout his career, attributed his banishment to fellow Faithful Joe Marler and Traitor Alan Carr.
“Joe Marler – bless him, he’s a pal – but he’d been watching Line of Duty while we were in there,” Bonnar explained.
“And I don’t think anybody, with the best will in the world, would look at my face across that table and not have suspicions after watching Line of Duty.”
“Of course he was egged on by Alan and as we all know, Alan isn’t a Faithful. Alan saw an opportunity and jumped on it.”
He stated that, despite his acting background, he had no desire to be a Traitor upon entering Ardross Castle in the Highlands, where the show is filmed.
“The Traitors are under intense pressure because they’ve got to maintain a facade all the time,” he said. “Although I think you grow into it, as Alan he shown.
“I didn’t want that pressure. I always maintained that being a Faithful, trying to root the Traitors out, would be the best course of action.”
He confessed to having had “fleeting suspicions” about Carr and Tameka Empson early in the game.
The EastEnders actress – also a Faithful – was banished in episode three.
The program was filmed earlier this year, and the contestants have remained remarkably discreet about the experience in the lead-up to its broadcast.
When asked about what it was like to finally watch it back, Bonnar said: “It’s great actually.”
“What’s great is watching it with Lucy [his wife] and the kids because we’re a fan of the show and we always watch it. It’s such a great series.”
“It’s fascinating from a personal point of view to see all the conversations that were going on while I wasn’t there. Who was talking about me? Who had suspicions about who? It’s brilliant, a really great thing to be part of.”
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