Latest news with #BridgetJones
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Love Island sign Maura Higgins lookalike for new series who's a pantomime actress from Dublin and calls herself the 'modern day Bridget Jones'
Love Island has signed up a pantomime star and Maura Higgins lookalike who brands herself a 'modern Bridget Jones' for the upcoming season. MailOnline can reveal Megan Forte Clarke, 24, from Dublin, recently starred as one of the Ugly Sisters in Cinderella, but she's likely to get the pulses racing on the ITV2 show due to her sassy Irish charm, which sparks further similarities to Love Island legend Maura. Megan has a distinguishing feature that won't go unnoticed, a Harry Potter-style lightning scar on her forehead, which she claims was a result of her 'slipping and falling down the stairs.' The actress already has a sizeable TikTok following and the social media platform is where she makes her comparison with unlucky-in-love Bridget. She said: 'I am the modern day Bridget Jones. Can I hold a man down? Don't be silly. Have I just been ghosted again? Absolutely. Am I still funny AF with great t*ts? Obvs.' And ITV bosses are hoping that Megan can recreate some of Maura's Irish magic on the series this year, which returns to screens next Monday. A TV source told MailOnline: 'Megan is a gorgeous girl, she's funny, and right now, couldn't be unluckier in love, making her the perfect Islander. 'Comparisons to Maura are inevitable and if anything, Megan will see it as a huge compliment. 'ITV are yet to officially confirm the lineup of singletons heading into the villa this year but with the show's launch just a week away, it won't be long until they do.' Megan's pantomime appearance took place at The Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, last Christmas. She honed her craft studying performing arts at The Brighton Academy and some of her showcases can be viewed online. Megan documents her pantomime involvement on her Instagram account which has nearly 4,000 followers and is littered with bikini snaps. She also includes pictures of herself and a group of pals dressing up as the stars of Channel 4 comedy Derry Girls. Megan is the latest new Islander to be revealed ahead of this summer's series. MailOnline has approached ITV for comment. Megan has a distinguishing feature that won't go unnoticed, a Harry Potter-style lightning scar on her forehead, which she claims was a result of her 'slipping and falling down the stairs' Footballer Harry Cooksley and 6'5ft personal trainer Aaron Buckett are heading up the new batch of fellas, while beauties Shakira Khan and Sophie Lee are two of the girls lined up to appear. Love Island returns to ITV next Monday with presenter Maya Jama at the helm. This year, the show celebrates a decade on screens and promises to have more twists and turns than ever before in honour of their 10-year anniversary. The series, which has been streamed over two billion times on ITVX, has seen over 300 Islanders pass through the villa doors over the years, including the likes of Olivia Attwood, Dani Dyer, Chris Hughes, and Molly-Mae Hague. On Sunday night, fans were treated to a look back at the past 10 years with a special one-off anniversary show, where Islanders including newly married Dani reflected on their time in the Mallorca villa. Dani, who married footballer Jarrod Bowen on Saturday, even revealed her new mother-in-law voted for her and ex-boyfriend Jack Fincham to win their series in 2018.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Bridget Jones' star Renée Zellweger's emotional admission: ‘I didn't want Mark Darcy to go away'
For more than two decades, Renée Zellweger was Bridget Jones. And now, as she hangs up the diary in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, she's doing it with both laughter and tears. "I love this character,' Zellweger proclaimed during a recent FYC screening event for the film. 'I love her vulnerability, and I love to find spaces where she's just not quite feeling that she measures up, and the opportunity to meet her again in different stages of her life and to learn how she's different.' More from GoldDerby 'It's in my contract that I have great clothes, funny lines, and a lover': Christine Baranski on her surging career in her 70s 'One of the things that made it so special was that it wasn't for everyone': 'The Leftovers' EPs and cast on the show's legacy 'The Gilded Age' cast on what to expect in Season 3: feuding sisters, robber barons and a wedding? The fourth and final installment of the beloved franchise — which was streamed in the U.S. on Peacock and is in Emmy contention in categories including Outstanding Television Movie, lead actress for Zellweger, and directing for Michael Morris — offers something fans have never seen before: Bridget not only older and wiser, but grieving, growing, and still full of hope. Morris had one hope when introducing the film to the audience inside Ted Mann Theater at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. 'I hope it immerses you in her world,' the filmmaker said before the screening. 'I hope it brings you whatever feelings it brings you.' For Morris — a London native who remembers exactly where he was when that first movie came out — this fourth and final chapter in Bridget's story was more than a conclusion. It was a celebration, a meditation on love and loss, and, in his words, 'a joy to work on.' Peacock Taking the stage to join Morris for a panel after the screening, Zellweger — who has played the charmingly chaotic Bridget for just about 25 years — is finally ready, although a bit reluctantly, to let her go. The two-time Oscar winner shared a moment that made her particularly emotional on set. It was the final time she saw Colin Firth dressed as Mark Darcy. "It just got me. I didn't expect to be so emotional about the end of this shared journey with my friend ... the finality of it just really was a gut punch. ... It sounds so silly, but it felt very profound in the moment," she chuckled. "Maybe I'm crazy because maybe I love a fictional character," she said, "I didn't want Mark Darcy to go away." Zellweger also gushed over her other longtime costar, Hugh Grant. As lovable lothario Daniel Cleaver, Grant had the role before the actress even signed on as Bridget Jones. Zellweger remembers meeting him for the first time as a "fangirl," saying the chemistry was instant. She was living in a dormitory on top of a theater in Austin when she first saw Grant — on screen. "I would sneak down there and watch all of the animation festivals that would come through," she recalled. 'And here's this guy playing Chopin ... in Impromptu." She thought he was handsome. "When I heard he was in this Bridget Jones film that I was going to go and do in England. ... I think I had a heart attack.' After losing Mark Darcy, some might have entertained the thought, but Grant's rakish Daniel Cleaver was never supposed to be Bridget's endgame. However, in a roundabout way, Mad About the Boy throws fans a curveball. 'Of course, she couldn't have ended up with Daniel," Morris pointed out when posed with the question. "But she sort of did. Because he became part of her family." Photo By: Jay Maidment/Universal Pictures With Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver out of the romantic picture, this opened the door for new potential love interests, which author Helen Fielding explored by introducing the younger Roxster (Leo Woodall) and the more age-appropriate Mr. Walliker (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Morris knew exactly what he wanted in these characters and who he wanted to cast. 'I was absolutely laser-focused on trying to get Leo and Chiwetel into the film,' he says. The thoughtful casting process carried into Bridget and Mark's children, Billy (Casper Knopf) and Mabel (Mila Jankovic), whom Morris championed out of thousands. In fact, one of his favorite scenes is when Bridget and her children are about to release the balloons in Mark's honor. "The scene could be a terribly sad moment," the director noted. But in an unrehearsed glance between Renée and Mabel, a smile turned an act of grief into a display of love. Zellweger recalled her favorite scene as the one with the lip plumper. "I had the best time trying not to laugh … and watching (an unsuspecting) Emma Thompson's face," she said. The fourth installment is a more somber and reflective entry in Bridget's saga. Zellweger describes it as 'the most intimate' of the series, noting that Fielding drew on personal experiences to guide the story. Since 2001, Bridget Jones has matured as a mother, as a woman re-entering the workforce, as a widow, but she hasn't lost her essence, an aspect that continued to intrigue Zellweger as she factored in how life has impacted Bridget. Photo by Daniel Kroll/'How has she changed and grown? How are her values different? How are her choices different?" she mused. "I'm sure everybody feels that they see a lot of themselves in this character. I think the profound gift is that she taps into those things that we all recognize in ourselves, our humanity and feeling not enough, or our fears and all of that." Morris says he struggles to find other examples of where we've taken one character through something like this over two decades. "Occasionally, there were sequels," Morris said, "but this is a franchise set around a real woman. … She's actually just a person living her life, and we've known her for 25 years. That's a real privilege to work on something like that." For the director, it's that duality — joy and heartbreak, comedy and humanity — that defines the Bridget Jones films. His take is both visually and emotionally different from its predecessors. It evolves cinematically. It looks and feels different because Bridget is different. 'I think there's a life that [Renée] brings, and there's a joy that is there, even when her world is falling apart, and she's a fabulous catastrophe," Morris said, "but even when it's falling apart, we just lean right in, because there's so much optimism in the way that [she] brought Bridget to us." Filled with drama, humor, and Easter eggs, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy serves as a fitting sendoff for the franchise. Even the last bit of filming, Zellweger said felt like a farewell party. "I loved the dancing in the garden,' she said. 'It was one of our last days filming. And setting up as you guys saw, standing off the side for a little while and watching everybody dancing on that floor under the disco ball in that glorious garden. ... I can't think of a better way to wrap up the experience than to watch the joy because that was real with all our friends out there, with the music blasting under the stars. That was very special." Best of GoldDerby Liam Neeson movies: 12 greatest films ranked worst to best Paul Giamatti movies: 16 greatest films ranked worst to best Tony Curtis movies: 15 greatest films ranked worst to best Click here to read the full article.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside Renée Zellweger's Bridget Jones curse: How unlucky-in-love star annulled her first marriage after just four months before a string of failed A-lister romances - as it's revealed she's 'living apart' from British toyboy
It's fair to say that Renée Zellweger has struggled to find her Mr Darcy - with her first marriage to Kenny Chesney annulled after just four months. But loyal fans of the 56-year-old Oscar winner had hoped she had finally broken her so-called Bridget Jones 'curse' after falling in love with British TV host Ant Anstead, who is ten years her junior. However, reported today that the Wheeler Dealers host and the A-lister have been living apart for the past year, after he was spotted staying overnight at the Laguna Beach home of divorcee and spin instructor Julia French, 36, while Renee filmed in New York. Anstead, who is facing bankruptcy for his car company and has seemingly been selling off his assets, has since pushed back against the speculation. 'Mr. Anstead is working mostly in the UK, and he has spent some of his limited time back in [Orange County] at his friend's home,' the TV presenter's representative told Page Six on Thursday. 'His friend Jules has a separate, detached guest house, and the suggestion that their relationship is anything other than platonic is unacceptable and untrue,' they added, before confirming that 'Mr. Anstead and Ms. Zellweger are still together.' The couple, who began dating in 2021 and are notoriously private about their relationship, have not been seen together in public since early March when they were snapped supporting Anstead's young son at a football game. If Renée's relationship is turning sour, it wouldn't be the first time that she's been unlucky in love, with the American actress mirroring her famous British character when it comes to both having frequent romantic struggles. Read below to explore the star's relationship history - from Bradley Cooper to Jim Carrey. Jim Carrey (1999-2000) Sparks flew between the actress and her co-star Jim Carrey on the set of their 1999 movie Me, Myself and Irene. After wrapping filming on the comedy, the pair began dating and attended the 2000 Golden Globes together. Despite the brief length of their relationship, he described her as the 'great love of' his life in his 2020 semi-fictional book, Memoirs and Misinformation. Two decades after calling it quits on their whirlwind romance, he also referred to his ex as someone 'very special' to him. 'I think she's lovely,' he said on The Howard Stern Show. While their film's director, Bobby Farrelly said that Carrey 'flipped for her immediately', she was hesitant to mix business and pleasure. At the time, she told CNN: 'I liked him, a lot, but you're not going (to the set) for the love connection... When the picture wrapped, we'd spoken a couple of times on the phone and then all those rumours came out that I was dating him. I was so mad.' After denying the rumours, she joked about getting home and thinking: 'God, I do miss him.' Ahead of their breakup, Renée proudly called their relationship 'a very unexpected, wonderful thing.' In the same interview with Entertainment Weekly, he gushed: 'She's a very connected person. She thinks having a good time is renting a U-Haul and taking furniture to Texas. She's real in that way and I absolutely love it.' Speaking about their relationship, Renée told The Guardian: 'We have business associates in common and a couple of mutual friends, so I'd known about him and said hello and things for a long time, and then met him a couple of years ago at a dinner party. So I'd known him for a while.' Despite speculation they were engaged during their one-year romance, she denied the claims to Cosmopolitan in 2003. 'I'd only been dating him for three months. As if I would consider marriage after only three months!' she mused. Jim was married to Melissa Womer from 1987 to 1995, and Lauren Holly for a year in 1996, and also dated Jenny McCarthy for five years until 2010. Jack White (2003-2004) Three years later, the native Texan found love on set again, this time while shooting the 2003 civil war epic Cold Mountain, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her fateful meeting with rocker Jack White, who is six years her junior, led to them dating for a year and a half. Jack had been commissioned to write music for the movie, and had a small role playing her husband. Although the couple rarely spoke about their relationship, they made a public appearance together at the 2004 Oscars. During their relationship, he infamously got into a physical altercation with his bandmate, Jason Stollsteimer, which he pled guilty to, according to Rolling Stone. He was fined $500 and sentenced to court-appointed anger management classes for his assault and battery charge. Upon announcing their breakup, the actress' spokesman said in a statement: 'They remain good friends. There's no scandal and no new relationships.' Kenny Chesney (2005) Renée and country music singer Kenny Chesney experienced a meet-cute worthy of a rom-com, after both attending NBC's Concert of Hope tsunami aid telethon in January 2005. After reportedly hoping to meet him at the event, and pass him a flirty note, a source told People that once the 'broadcast wrapped' he approached Renée and said: 'I hear you are trying to pass me a note - don't let the principal find out.' Two years prior, he listed her as one of the three sexiest people on earth in 2002 during a chat with The Tennesseean, alongside, Charlize Theron and Janet Jackson. 'Here's a country girl who's still down to earth,' the singer said. 'That makes her really, really sexy. Plus she seems like the kind of girl who could fit in and be at home anywhere.' Months after discovering their mutual crush on each other, Renée confirmed they were a couple by bringing him a margarita and sharing a kiss with him on stage at one of his concerts. After three months of dating, they wed on the island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. But to the world's shock, just four months later, in September 2005, she filed to annul their marriage, citing 'fraud' as the reason. Neither has provided any further information on their split, but she said that it made her 'said' to see widespread speculation that their marriage failed because Kenny was 'gay'. 'It made me sad that somehow people were using that as a way to be cruel and calling someone gay as a pejorative, which has fateful consequences,' she told The Advocate in 2016. As for why she remained silent as the allegations swirled, the performer responded that she wasn't in the habit of pouring her heart out to the tabloids. 'I'd said all I needed to say on that subject. I'm an old-fashioned gal who doesn't feel it's appropriate to hang out your laundry on the lawn,' she told the publication. 'I feel you devalue yourself as a human being when you share very personal things with a bajillion strangers who are making fun of you. I just don't see that there's any dignity in that.' She did go on to acknowledge, though, that 'sometimes it is difficult to just let something be what it is, especially when it's unnecessary ugliness.' In 2007, Kenny shut down the rumours and said they were simply 'not true.' 'I didn't have to prove to anybody that I wasn't. I didn't feel like I really did,' he said in a 60 Minutes interview Bradley Cooper (2009-2011) Like several of her high-profile relationships, the Judy star fell hard for another handsome co-star after meeting Bradley Cooper on set of their film Case 39 in 2009. While they both stayed tight-lipped about their time together, Bradley couldn't help but sing her praises in one interview. 'I just love her. I [loved] coming to work. I love acting with her. I can learn so much from her,' he told ET in 2010. She told the outlet that he is 'a great, great actor' and admitted to being 'so excited' to get to 'work with him.' They went on to move in together that same year, but parted ways in 2011. Following the death of his father, Charles Cooper, she skipped the Golden Globes to be with him, according to People, who reported she was 'close to Cooper's mom, Gloria.' Both were coming off of brief marriages at the time of their relationship since Cooper was married to actress Jennifer Esposito in 2007 for a four-month frame. An insider told US Weekly in 2011 that the Hollywood relationship crumbled under the weight of Cooper's burgeoning career. 'If I had to pick any possible mistress it would be Brad's career. He worked really hard to get into leading man status' while 'Renee had to take a backseat' and even 'traveled with him to make it work.' The source noted that Renée, at the time, had 'accomplished a lot of her professional goals' and 'took some time out to be a great girlfriend and see if this is what it took to make a relationship work.' Eventually, the source said that Renée 'stopped fighting' to keep it working. 'It was just not working out,' the source added. However, the pair were reunited in 2020 at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where they were pictured enjoying a brief chat with one another. Doyle Bramhall II (2012- 2019) Renee and Doyle Bramhall, 55, who is now in a relationship with supermodel Elle Macpherson, dated for seven years before it was revealed in 2019 they had parted ways. The former couple met when they were just students at the University of Texas in the early nineties. In 2012, two years after Doyle ended his marriage, they decided to give dating a try. Though they never considered a romantic relationship during their college days, the two made up for lost time as they stuck by each other's sides from 2012 to 2019. Upon speaking about their romance in 2015, she gushed: 'Isn't he cute? He's a very sweet man. I'm very, very happy right now,' the star told People. According to documents, obtained by E! News, he lived for free with her and she paid his credit card bills in the midst of his separation from his former spouse, Susannah Melvoin. The site reports that Renee had been subbing the credit card fees which varied between $4,000 to $5,000 a month, with the court documents detailing that this was a loan and a repayment was expected. Renee was also said to have paid for Doyle's expenses in 2015 that added up to nearly $60,000. During a hearing in Doyle's divorce from ex Susannah Melvoin, the judge ruled that Renee's income should not have any bearing on what the musician pays in spousal and child support to his estranged wife. Doyle, who also dated Sheryl Crow, was married to Susannah from 1997 to 2010 and they have two daughters together. According to Radar Online, his jealousy contributed to the end of their longtime relationship. 'She and Doyle built a happy home life together and they even discussed adopting a baby together,' a source told the outlet in 2016. Ultimately, they 'drifted apart emotionally when they were separated for weeks at a time' and weren't 'able to rekindle the spark.' The insider added: 'Renee hit her breaking point over the jealousy issues.' But in May 2024, the pair appeared to be the friendliest of exes as the Bridget Jones star showed her support at his Royal Albert Hall gig in the British capital. Renee was pictured catching up with her old flame as they proved they are still on great terms following their split. The duo appeared delighted to see each other as they sweetly embraced inside the London venue. Ant Anstead (2021-present) Ant and Renée initially met while filming an episode of his series Celebrity IOU Joyride in April of 2021. But the couple have not been seen together in public since early March when they were snapped supporting Anstead's young son at a football game. reported that the pair have been living apart for the past year amid Ant's financial trouble. In recent years, he owned a multi-million-dollar house in the exclusive town of Laguna Beach, California, and was pictured in 2022 moving in with Renée in her $30,000-per-month clifftop home across the street. But for the past year he had downgraded to a modest, 832sqft, two-bed rental listed at $4,250 per month. Ant's spokeswoman told the small house he left over a month ago 'was rented solely by Mr. Anstead'. His landlord confirmed Renée was not on the lease. The Bridget Jones's Diary star, meanwhile, is currently in New York City filming a new season of popular Hulu show, Only Murders in the Building, while Ant was believed to be spending time in his home country, the UK, in recent weeks before returning to Laguna. His rep told he 'continues to remain private about his cherished personal relationship.' Renee's rep declined to comment. Meanwhile, a source close to the Bridget Jones star told they are still dating, despite living apart. But last week, Ant was spotted staying overnight at the home of wealthy 36-year-old Laguna woman Julia French, who goes by 'Jules'. Jules, who has worked as a certified spin instructor at Rhythm Ride Laguna Beach according to her Facebook page, is currently divorcing her hedge fund founder husband, James Hanna III, the father of her two young children. A keen-eyed observer told that in recent months Ant was even spotted meeting Jules on the beach for a sunset rendezvous, a romantic setting in the sought-after Southern California coastal town. However, the pair have never been seen engaging in any non-platonic behaviour. A source close to Ant claimed he had been staying in the apartment on the property since he moved out of his modest rented house around April. 'One of her kids goes to the same school as Hudson. When Ant's working late or needs childcare, Hudson goes back with Jules' kids. Then in the evening Ant picks Hudson up,' the source said. The French family are well-known in Laguna and own several properties around the elite seaside town. Her beachfront, five-bed home is worth an estimated $8million according to real estate site Redfin, and has a separate two-bed unit. A friend of French who helps manage her properties told last week that Ant had not been living at French's home. But the TV presenter was spotted returning to the clifftop mansion after watching his son Hudson's football game last Tuesday, the evening of May 20, his car was in the driveway at 7am the following morning, and he was later spotted emerging from the property for a coffee run with a male friend, suggesting he had slept over at the property that night. A source close to Renée said the actress is wary of having him move in with her, even after four years of dating. 'Renée currently has a rental in Laguna. When Ant lost his rental, the obvious thing would have been for him to move into the rental with Renée. But she doesn't want them cohabiting, so he has to find his own place to stay,' the source said. 'That's kind of how the relationship works.' Rumours have been swirling of the couple's potentially rocky relationship status as his financial woes mount. This month, Ant's supercar company Radford Motors filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Delaware court, which usually results in the liquidation of a firm. Ant even posted a video on Instagram saying he was selling his prized Land Rover Defender – though he revealed in the post that he had a 'new car incoming'. Responding further to story today, Anstead's rep responded that 'Mr. Anstead and Miss Zelwegger (sic) are still together.' The rep added: 'Mr. Anstead is working mostly in the UK, and he has spent some of his limited time back in OC at his friend's home. 'His friend Jules has a separate, detached guest house and the suggestion that their relationship is anything other than platonic is unacceptable.'
Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Dear Richard Madeley: ‘Should I tell my colleague I love her before she leaves?'
Dear Richard, I'm a graduate trainee at a London accountancy firm and I think I have fallen in love with a Bavarian colleague who has been on secondment to our office for several months. I speak the language, not very well but better than everyone else around here, so I was asked to help her settle in. We have ended up seeing a lot of each other and although nothing romantic has happened, I feel we talk quite intimately, and we laugh a lot. I'm not very good at 'making a move' – both of the serious relationships I've had were with friends who just eventually became girlfriends, and both failed when we tacitly agreed we shouldn't have made the leap. But I have real feelings for my colleague. She is going back home in the summer. She's invited me to come and stay but I don't want to mess that up – and if I let her know I'm interested then, without having told her before she leaves, I'd worry I'd gone under false pretences. I could just ask her out, make clear that it is a date-date, not just a friend-date, and let the chips fall where they may. Should I do that, or carry on as we are, say our goodbyes and then maybe let our eyes meet across a stein or two? – Alex, via Dear Alex, Have you seen the film Bridget Jones's Diary? Specifically the scene where Mark Darcy finally makes it clear he has feelings for Bridget? 'What I'm trying to say, very inarticulately, is that, in fact… perhaps despite appearances… I like you. Very much…' he tells her. 'Just as you are.' It's a turning point and of course they end up together. I think you could take a leaf out of Mark's book, Alex. What have you got to lose? If this woman isn't interested in you 'like that', at least you'll know and you can stop all the agonising. If she is, you're on your way! For what it's worth, I think the signs are promising. Why would she invite you to stay if she didn't have feelings for you? To help improve your language skills? Come on! So yes, ask her out – now, today! And make it clear you're talking about a date, not an evening of friendship to further improve Anglo-Bavarian relations. Tell her you think she's fantastic, and you've been wanting to say it for a long time. Say you'd love to come to Bavaria and get to know her properly, outside the office environment. Some attribute the saying 'faint heart never won fair lady' to Cervantes, but I prefer the theory it came from Queen Elizabeth I. She is said to have used it when Sir Francis Drake etched a window at court expressing his fear of declaring his feelings. No one knows if they became lovers but you take the point. So there you go – you're not the first to hesitate. Mark Darcy and Sir Francis Drake both wobbled before you. Declare your intentions boldly. I repeat – what have you got to lose?
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Huge celebrity version of hit BBC show commissioned for second series – before the first has even aired
BBC execs are so confident in the show that they're already plotting future casting ready to rumble Huge celebrity version of hit BBC show commissioned for second series – before the first has even aired Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CELEBRITY Traitors has been given the go ahead for a second series. That's despite the first round of its star-studded cast episodes not yet having aired. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 2 A first look at the star-studded cast has been revealed by the BBC Credit: PA 2 Claudia Winkleman will return to host the celeb spin-off Credit: BBC The Sun was first to reveal that star-studded cast - which includes a Line Of Duty actor and a Bridget Jones. With fans on the edge of their seats as they wait for Celebrity Traitors to kick off later this year, it's no wonder BBC bosses are confident in commissioning a second series. A TV source told The Sun: 'The BBC has quietly ordered a second series of the celebrity spin-off, months before the first one airs this Autumn. "It just proves how confident they are that the celeb version is going to be a huge hit. "They haven't seen the viewer reaction yet but bosses have watched early edits of the first series now that filming has wrapped and it's exceeded all their wildest expectations. "They are thrilled with it and hastily commissioned another run. "The booker team are already at work scouting big showbiz names for the next line-up - they have set themselves the goal of booking even bigger A-listers than they got for the first series. "They have their work cut out for them but stars are clamoring to head to the castle, so it shouldn't be too difficult. "This is the show they all want to be on.' Hosted by Claudia Winkleman, viewers are being treated to a mix of A-listers, popular actors, TV stars and singing icons as a spin-off series to the original Traitors. BBC confirms full Celebrity Traitors line up in first look picture & reveals when it'll hit screens The celebrities will play the ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust, in the hope of winning a cash prize of up to £100K for a charity of their choice. Host Claudia said: 'We're incredibly lucky these brilliant people have said yes. "I'd love to say we'll take it easy on them and they'll just wander round the castle and eat toast for a couple of weeks but that would be a lie.'
