Celebrity Traitors - paranoia deepens as traitor behaviour splits opinion

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1. 1

   Celebrity Traitors - paranoia deepens as traitor behaviour splits opinion

   BBC NewsPublished Oct 22, 2026Checked Oct 23, 2026

   “Spoiler warning: This article reveals details from episode seven of The Celebrity Traitors, series two. Six days is a long time in The Celebrity Traitors. So it was a relief to be put out of our misery as last Friday's literal yawn-fest came to its slow-burning conclusion; the traitorous trio eventually succeeding in their mission to kill in plain sight. The snoozefest - which involved reluctant traitor James Acaster making faithful Ross Kemp yawn by boring him to tears - meant the paranoid EastEnders star was finally put out of his misery. On learning his fate, the actor turned to Shakespeare - who else? "To thine own self be true," he declared, quoting Polonius from Hamlet. As usual at breakfast, the faithfuls seated early mused over who may have been murdered overnight: "If Jerry's not here, I don't think I can handle it," Romesh Ranganathan confessed. Jerry Hall was charmingly late to the party. After everyone had discussed Ross's demise, she piped up in her famous Texan drawl: "Is Ross gone?" As the typical off-the-wall theories began to swirl, Jerry later told Miranda Hart she suspected fellow faithful James Blunt - for the very plausible reason that "his face is redder than a fox's ass at gooseberry time". It's as good a reason as any proffered so far this series.”

2. 2

   Unethical or entertaining? : A Qualitative Interview Study on How Parasocial Relationships Can Shape Young Women’s Perceptions of Ethical Aspects in Reality TV

   Digitala vetenskapliga arkivet (Diva) (Karlstad University) (Bergelind)Published Jan 1, 2026Checked Oct 23, 2026

   “These theories were used to analyze how relationships with cast members are formed, how viewers interpret reality-tv content, and which moral dimensions become relevant. The results show that audiences moral judgments of reality-tv are complex and shaped through the interaction of several different factors. Parasocial relationships can affect how viewers understand and judge cast members actions, especially when the cast members are seen as real people. In these cases, viewers often feel more empathy and understanding. At the same time, the study shows that these relationships are fragile and can quickly change if a cast member behaves in a way that goes against audience expectations. Cast members who are instead perceived as characters rather than real people are more often evaluated based on their entertainment value. Unethical actions may therefore be excused to a greater extent if they contribute to the entertainment of the program. Overall, the study shows that audiences’ moral judgments of reality-tv are shaped through a complex interaction between parasocial relationships, the context of the program, audience expectations, and the entertainment value.”

3. 3

   Characterising the Influence of Parasocial Experience on the Media Figures' Audiences: A Scoping Review.

   Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) (Li et al.)Published May 18, 2026Checked Oct 23, 2026

   “Parasocial experience describes the psychological, emotional, and behavioural bonds that audiences form with media figures-celebrities, fictional characters, and other on-screen personalities. It encompasses three related constructs: parasocial interaction, parasocial relationship, and parasocial attachment. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, this scoping review synthesises 59 empirical studies published between 2019 and 2024. Results show that PSRs were the most studied dimension (n = 42), followed by PSI (n = 20). PSA, in contrast, appeared in just one study. Key characteristics across these studies include perceived familiarity, imagined intimacy, behavioural engagement, intuitive personality traits, and compensatory motivations. The review highlights PSA as a particularly underexplored yet affectively intense form of engagement. Its limited empirical attention reveals a critical theoretical gap and calls for further investigation into attachment-related audience behaviours.”

4. 4

   Celebrity versus non-celebrity: parasocial relationships with characters in reality-based television programs

   Research paper (Henry)Published Nov 2, 2011Checked Oct 23, 2026

   “Research of parasocial relationships suggests that audiences engage in one-sided relationships with their favorite personae in the media. This study attempts to explore two types of reality stars: those who had fame before being on reality television and those who have fame because of the show. Using the PSR-Processing Scale, I compared levels of parasocial interactions for each, as well how moral disengagement might play a role for each type of reality star. I also explored whether these parasocial relationships are influenced by the frequency with which respondents watch various types of sub-genres of reality-based programs (i.e. game docs, dating shows, documentary soap operas). To measure levels of parasocial relationships, moral disengagement, media consumption, and reality television viewing habits, I administered an online survey to 244 students at a large southern university. Results show that respondents’ parasocial relationships and degree of moral disengagement with their favorite celebrity and non-celebrity on reality shows are influenced by the type of sub-genres of the reality-based programs (i.e. game docs, dating shows, documentary soap operas).”

5. 5

   The emergence of trust under conditions of distrust.

   Scientific reports (Fehlhaber)Published Apr 3, 2026Checked Oct 23, 2026

   “The genesis of trust between strangers on the Internet - without the protective and structuring framework of digital platforms - is a topic that has been little researched so far. This need for research is exploratively approached via an experimental social deduction game, which is intended to make online trust decisions visible under distrustful conditions. A total of 101 participants took part in the nine rounds of the game, whose numerous game and trust decisions were evaluated under distrust-promoting conditions of the game setting. By using this complex experimental setting, various factors influencing trust could be included and it could be shown that trust in the digital space can arise even under persistent distrust and can be observed in the context of a social deduction game.”