Celebrity Traitors new series is packed with 'tears and off the scale paranoia' as BBC bosses tease never seen before twists

Chart-toppers, Oscar-nominees and popular comedians – they are among some of the most successful stars in showbiz.

But this year's series of Celebrity Traitors will see 'tears' and a level of 'paranoia' which is 'off the scale', according to the BBC's director of entertainment.

Miranda Hart, Michael Sheen, Richard E Grant and Jerry Hall are among the starry cast of competitors who looked decidedly stony-faced in yesterday's trailer for the upcoming season.

Listening to host Claudia Winkleman – dressed flamboyantly as always in a white ruffled shirt and black suit – from the pews of the Chapel of St John the Baptist at Ardross Castle in Scotland, they failed to even raise a smile.

And now the BBC's Ed Havard has revealed just how seriously this year's line-up, which also includes Ross Kemp, Amol Rajan and Maya Jama took the game, in which designated faithfuls are tasked with finding the identity of the traitors before they are 'killed off'.

'The thing about this season is, things happen that you didn't think could happen on Traitors,' Mr Havard said at the Edinburgh Television Festival yesterday.

'The paranoia is off the scale.' He added: 'I really wanted to step in and go, 'no one is actually being murdered.'

'I don't want to give too much away, but there are tears in this series.'

The downcast group, including James Blunt, Bella Ramsey, Rob Beckett, and Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock looked worlds away from their day jobs as they shivered in the Scottish chapel.

'A moment of silence for the celebrities gathered today,' said Ms Winkleman, who is back on the BBC fresh from the news that her chatshow has been cancelled after one series.

Also in this year's line-up are comics Romesh Ranganathan, Joe Lycett, Joanne McNally and James Acaster, actress Julie Hesmondhalgh and My Mad Fat Diary's Sharon Rooney.

The list is completed by content creator King Kenny, actress Myha'la, mathematician Professor Hannah Fry and musician and actor Sebastian Croft.