Michael Sheen: Acting Career a 'Disadvantage' in Celebrity Traitors
Michael Sheen, the acclaimed Welsh actor, has admitted that his profession may prove to be a liability when he enters the Scottish castle for the second series of Celebrity Traitors. The 57-year-old from Port Talbot joins 20 other celebrities in the BBC reality game, which premieres on 1 October.
Why does Sheen believe acting is a disadvantage?
Speaking ahead of the show, Sheen explained that his craft invites immediate suspicion.
“I do think it's a disadvantage to be an actor because people immediately go, 'oh well, he pretends for a living',” he said.He countered this perception by clarifying the nature of his art:
“The whole point of acting is that you have to trick yourself into believing that what you're doing is true. If you are consciously aware that you're pretending or you're saying things that aren't true, then it's bad acting.”
Beyond the profession itself, Sheen remains uncertain about his public persona's impact.
“Just my persona, I don't really know what people think about me. So, I don't know if it'll help or not,” he added.
What brings Sheen to the Traitors castle?
Sheen, a self-proclaimed “big fan” of the show, cited his prior familiarity with the Scottish Highlands filming location.
“I knew the area a bit, and it is stunningly beautiful. It's a lovely place to be and the game is just fascinating,” he said.He also reflected on the show's cultural resonance:
“For a show to be so popular and to grab the cultural imagination so much, it has to have the ability to go beyond what its genre is. It somehow speaks to something a bit deeper.”
Who else is competing in Celebrity Traitors?
The star-studded lineup includes comedians Joe Lycett and Romesh Ranganathan, actors Miranda Hart and Richard E. Grant, and singer James Blunt. The contestants, mostly known as “faithfuls,” must identify and eliminate the “traitors” among them, with the winner securing £100,000 for a chosen charity.
What is the show's track record?
The first celebrity series, fronted by Claudia Winkleman, drew a peak audience of 15.4 million viewers for its finale, with Alan Carr emerging victorious. It averaged 14.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched TV programme of 2025. The second series comprises ten hour-long episodes, airing on BBC One and iPlayer from 1 October.
Sheen, known for his roles in Frost/Nixon, The Damned United, and the 2024 Prime Video series A Very Royal Scandal, will now trade the stage for the strategic game of deception and loyalty.