Amol Rajan joins Metro as Celebrity Traitors columnist

Amol Rajan is one of this year’s Celebrity Traitors stars – and now Metro’s columnist with the inside scoop (Picture: BBC) ***Warning: Spoilers for Celebrity Traitors season two, episode one*** Amol Rajan has spent years grilling politicians, asking wickedly tricky questions on University Challenge, and now he’s attempting to survive the most devious reality show out there: Celebrity Traitors. And from next week, he is taking on another new role as he joins Metro as our very own Celebrity Traitors columnist. The broadcaster and former Today presenter will be writing exclusively for Metro throughout the new series, giving readers his take on the betrayals, banishments, alliances and questionable behaviour unfolding on our screens. Rajan is among the 21 celebrities in the castle for series two of the monster hit series, which returned on Thursday on BBC One. And with his first-hand experience of the game, who better to tell us what’s really going on behind those suspicious looks around the round table? Amol is certainly going to be fighting hard to keep his place in the castle (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/BBC Creative) Rajan was among several of the cast members who pitched themselves to Claudia Winkleman as a perfect Traitors pick in the dramatic first episode, which aired on Thursday night. But, alas, it wasn’t meant to be for Rajan, at least not at the first round table gathering. Instead, it was Maya Jama and Richard E Grant who got the fateful tap on the shoulder. At the end of the first episode, Rajan’s fate hangs in the balance: he could be the third Traitor or the first to be murdered. He and James Acaster were selected as the two Faithful who had to pitch themselves, Dragons’ Den style, for recruitment to the Traitors’ turret. Rajan, ever the wordsmith, laid out his argument in three salient points, using his day job as an asker of tough questions as a reason to keep him around. But who will the Traitors pick to join them? Will our columnist survive the first week in Ardross Castle? All will be revealed during Friday night’s episode. Who is Amol Rajan? Amol Rajan, 43, is one of the UK’s most prominent journalists, moving from newspapers to some of the most prestigious broadcasting jobs in the country. After studying English at the University of Cambridge, Rajan started out as a journalist at The Independent in 2007, eventually becoming the newspaper’s editor in 2013 at just 29. Rajan is one of the UK’s most prominent journalists and broadcasters, from The Independent to the BBC (Picture: BBC/Lifted Entertainment, Part of ITV Studios/Ric Lowe) He was a presenter on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, alongside the likes of Emma Barnett, from 2021 until last month (Picture: Emma Barnett Instagram) He left The Independent in 2016 to join the BBC as its first media editor, a role that saw him become a familiar face and voice across the broadcaster. He went on to present The Media Show on Radio 4, as well as taking on a number of television projects and becoming a regular interviewer. Rajan joined the presenting team on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme in 2021, interviewing some of the biggest names in politics, culture and entertainment during his five years on the flagship show. Who is in the Celebrity Traitors season 2 cast? Amol Rajan – Journalist Bella Ramsey – Actor Hannah Fry – Mathematician James Acaster – Comedian James Blunt – Musician Jerry Hall – Model Joanne McNally – Comedian Joe Lycett – Comedian Julie Hesmondhalgh – Actor King Kenny – Social media personality Leigh-Anne Pinnock – Singer Maya Jama – Presenter Michael Sheen – Actor Miranda Hart – Actor Myha’la – Actor Richard E. Grant – Actor Rob Beckett – Comedian Romesh Ranganathan – Comedian Ross Kemp – Actor/Presenter Sebastian Croft – Actor/Singer-songwriter Sharon Rooney – Actor Keep up with all the latest castle drama on our dedicated Celebrity Traitors page Shortly before his Celebrity Traitors stint, he stepped down from Today in September 2026, while continuing to work with the BBC. As well as being a news and current affairs heavyweight, Rajan has also carved out a name for himself in entertainment, taking over as host of University Challenge in 2023, succeeding long-time presenter Jeremy Paxman, and has since become a familiar presence on BBC One, occasionally hosting episodes of The One Show. Rajan recently launched The Amol Rajan Connection, a new media platform and community featuring interviews and content across platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and LinkedIn. The venture officially launched in September 2026, following his Today programme departure. He is married to Dr Charlotte Faircloth, Associate Professor of Social Science in the UCL Social Research Institute, UK. The couple met at Downing College at Cambridge Uni, and married in 2013, and they have a busy family life with four children under the age of eight. Castle Confidential with Amol Rajan Read Amol Rajan’s first Celebrity Traitors column next Thursday, October 8, at Metro.co.uk and in the Metro newspaper. Celebrity Traitors continues on Friday at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Deals of the Day Kurt Geiger's new Notting Hill collection is a love letter to London's chaotic weather I’ve found the Hoover gadget that could make cleaning your floors so much easier I tried L'Oréal Paris's new PDRN serum and my skin looked glossier after one use This new Cricut gadget turns your favourite photos into stickers in minutes From kitchen hatches to burgundy walls – the biggest home trends for 2027 Arrow MORE: Celebrity Traitors season 2 review: Richard E Grant is a disaster beyond belief Arrow MORE: Celebrity Traitors fans spot secret clue where star spoiled their identity: ‘Guilty as hell’ Arrow MORE: Who was Richard E. Grant’s wife who he ‘still writes to every night’? 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