Romesh Ranganathan wins Celebrity Traitors as BBC's golden boy

Romesh Ranganathan has secured his position as the BBC’s most sought-after star after winning the latest series of Celebrity Traitors. According to the Daily Mail ^[1], the former maths teacher and comedian triumphed alongside actor Sebastian Croft, outwitting Traitors Maya Jama and King Kenny in what sources describe as the programme’s most nail-biting finale in four years.

The victory comes just months after Ranganathan led the charge in a two-minute BBC advert boosting TV licence payments. The Daily Mail reported ^[2] that despite featuring nearly 100 celebrity cameos, including David Jason and Claudia Winkleman, bosses chose Ranganathan as the leading man at the EastEnders’ Queen Vic pub. His question in the clip, “What has the BBC ever done for me?”, now has a clear answer: it has made him a household name and a key figure for the corporation.

Ranganathan’s inclusion in the line-up, which also featured Richard E Grant, Miranda Hart, and Jerry Hall, sparked chatter among TV insiders that his casting was part of a strategy to cement “Brand Romesh” at the BBC. One source told the publication that the corporation “adore him” and would have him on screen all day if they could. While some viewers might view the result as convenient for the Beeb’s favourite star, producers have furiously dismissed any suggestions of a “fix”, insisting competitors play their own games.

The win marks the latest milestone in a career that began with a Live at the Apollo appearance in 2013. This led to his travel documentary Asian Provocateur, followed by roles in The Weakest Link, Avoidance, and hosting the Baftas. He has since expanded beyond the BBC, with Sky’s Rob & Romesh Vs, Dave’s Judge Romesh, and Amazon Prime’s Would You Rather: Decide to Survive.

Despite his ubiquity, colleagues describe Ranganathan as kind-hearted and quick to laugh at himself. He admitted to mortification during a puzzle challenge in the castle, joking that his former pupils would “hammer me for that”. Ranganathan, who studied maths at Birkbeck College, previously taught at Hazelwick in Crawley, where he was head of sixth form before fame. He also worked part-time at Gatwick’s Sunglasses Hut during his youth, after his family lost their home following his father’s conviction for fraud.

His trajectory from a struggling school in West Sussex to the BBC’s leading man highlights a career built on humour and resilience. With three weekly podcasts and numerous TV commitments, Ranganathan remains a dominant force in British entertainment, with this latest win likely to boost his profile further.