Anna Maxwell Martin put off by the Celebrity Traitors as it ‘films too late’

Anna Maxwell Martin has said she was put off by the Celebrity Traitors as it films too late, adding: “I want to be in bed by 8pm.”

The Bafta-winning actress, 48, has said that she would have been on the celebrity spin-off series of the hit BBC gameshow if it did not film so late into the night.

Set in the Highlands and hosted by Claudia Winkleman, The Traitors follows a group of contestants, or faithfuls, who try to root out the traitors hidden in their midst to win a cash prize.

On ITV’s The Jonathan Ross Show, host Ross asked his star-studded sofa whether any of them had been approached to star on the popular reality TV show.

Referring to its first series, which premiered last autumn and featured Ross among the star-studded cast, Maxwell Martin said: “Yeah, I would have been with you, darling.

“But, I can see from the civilian one how late it gets on that show.

“That’s a Scottish summer and they’re not leaving that castle until it gets dark, that’s 11pm, 12am… if you’re a traitor it’s 1am… 2am… I want to be in bed by 8pm.”

Comic actress Catherine Tate, who was among the guests on Ross’ talk show, added: “I 100 percent would do it – if it wasn’t on the telly.

“If I could just go to the castle… I’d love to play the game.”

The Celebrity Traitors was a ratings winner for the BBC, and brought in an average audience of 14.9 million people during its run – the biggest TV audience of 2025.

The latest series of the show saw Ross picked to be a traitor alongside comedian Alan Carr and singer Cat Burns, and the three set out to deceive and “murder” the faithfuls.

Motherland star Maxwell Martin also reflected on the “amazing time” she had working on the hit BBC comedy, which explores middle-class motherhood.

She said: “Loved that show, all the cast, very close. Really proud of the girls.

“It’s just daft. I think people thought it was a comedy about parenting, which it isn’t really.

“It’s about adults behaving like children really. We had a real laugh.”

The award-winning series ended in 2022, and has since been adapted into spin-off Amandaland, starring Lucy Punch.

Maxwell Martin has won two Baftas, one for her role as Esther Summerson in the BBC adaptation of Bleak House; and as N in the Channel 4 adaptation of Poppy Shakespeare. She is also known for playing Detective Chief Superintendent Patricia Carmichael in BBC One crime drama Line Of Duty.

The Jonathan Ross Show airs on Saturday at 10pm on ITV1 and ITVX.