Richard E Grant and Hugh Bonneville ‘are being lined up by BBC bosses to star on Celebrity Traitors’

Richard E. Grant and Hugh Bonneville are reportedly being lined up to star in the next series of The Celebrity Traitors. 

The British actors, who are both known for portraying characters in stately homes, are being eyed up by BBC producers for the murder-mystery game show, which will start filming in May. 

Saltburn star Richard, 68, and Downton Abbey actor Hugh, 62, would no doubt feel right at home at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands.

A source told The Sun: ‘Richard and Hugh are national treasures and would fit in perfectly in the plush surroundings of the castle.

‘Richard is clever, witty and endearing, Hugh is charming and funny.

‘Both would be hugely entertaining at the roundtable and in the turret, if made Traitors.’

Richard E. Grant (pictured) and Hugh Bonneville are reportedly being lined up to star in the next series of The Celebrity Traitors

The British actors, who are both known for portraying characters in stately homes, are being eyed up by BBC producers for the murder-mystery game show, which will start filming in May; pictured Hugh in 2025

The first series of Celebrity Traitors aired last year and saw comedian and TV personality Alan Carr win the impressive jackpot for charity. 

The final episode of the series, which is hosted by Claudia Winkleman, was the most watched show last year with 15million viewers tuning in. 

Richard previously said he was a huge fan of The Traitors but admitted his daughter Olivia believes he would be banished or murdered early on. 

He said: ‘I’m obsessed with The [Celebrity] Traitors. I was fascinated to see the mega-sized brain of Sir Stephen Fry so frustrated because he just could not work out who it was.

‘You see how easy it is for people to follow the herd. I’d love to go on it.

‘My daughter said I’d be thrown out after half an hour because you’re incapable of hiding what you feel about somebody in any way shape or form.’

A BBC spokesman previously told Daily Mail: ‘We’re not commenting on speculation but details about series two of The Celebrity Traitors will be announced in due course.’

Earlier this month, Alan revealed how he accidentally let slip that he’d won Celebrity Traitors within hours of filming the grand final.

A source said: ‘Richard and Hugh are national treasures and would fit in perfectly in the plush surroundings of the castle. Richard is clever, witty and endearing, Hugh is charming and funny’

The first series of Celebrity Traitors aired last year and saw comedian and TV personality Alan Carr win the impressive jackpot for charity

The final episode of the series, which is hosted by Claudia Winkleman, was the most watched show last year with 15million viewers tuning in

The funnyman, 49, beat faithfuls Joe Marler, 35, Nick Mohammed, 45, and David Olusoga, 55, to claim the £87,500 prize pot for charity.

But while everyone is sworn to secrecy after filming wraps ahead of transmission, Alan has confessed he only managed to keep the secret for 12 hours.

Speaking on Scott Mill’s BBC Radio 2 show, he explained how he accidentally let the cat out of the bag after heading to film new Channel 4 show Secret Genius, straight after his return from the Scottish highlands.

Alan laughed: ‘The cameraman goes: “Congratulations” and I go: “How did you know I won?” He said “I didn’t”‘.

‘So I told them within 12 hours that I had won The Traitors.’

Alan said after realising what he had done, tried his best to backtrack and told the camera operator he was ‘joking and teasing’

‘I went: “haha, got you!” I had to backtrack, because you can’t tell anything But I did well, and I didn’t want to spoil it’.