Traitors insiders have told me the intriguing demands celebrities made to show's bosses before filming. Their revelations mean that - regardless of who wins the show - Maya Jama will come out on top: KATIE HIND

It is, by some way, the most coveted tap on the shoulder in British showbusiness.

Blindfolded and tense with anticipation as they gather at the round table, the stars on Celebrity Traitors can only hope that host Claudia Winkleman will covertly select them to be one of the hit show’s secret villains.

If she does, they’re quids in.

The role offers far more than a chance at mischief and deception – that shoulder tap is now described by industry insiders as ‘the Midas touch’.

Being a Traitor on TV’s most-watched programme not only guarantees significantly more airtime than a star would earn as a Faithful, it could also boost their career options.

But as the second series hurtles towards what promises to be its final two explosive episodes this week, there have been intriguing whispers between well-connected agents and industry sources around the demands of some cast members. Namely that they only agreed to appear on the show if they were picked as a Traitor.

In recent days, sources tell me manoeuvres were taking place behind the scenes when casting directors were still negotiating with sharp-elbowed celebrity agents over who would star in the 2026 line-up.

Naturally, the show’s bosses insist the decision is entirely theirs. Some celebs are also ‘recruited’ as the show progresses – which appears to be a decision made by the Traitors themselves.

But there can be little doubt that many of the biggest names in the show have made it abundantly clear they were desperate to don a coveted cloak – actor Richard E Grant and comedian Joe Lycett among them.

‘Being on The Traitors is one thing, it’s a huge show and a very appealing booking for many celebrities. But actually being a Traitor is the golden ticket,’ says an industry insider.

‘Now that stars and their management teams have realised how much extra attention being one of the chosen three can bring, they’re saying as soon as they’re approached, “I’ll do it, but only if I can be a Traitor.”

‘Claudia’s fingertip really is a bit of a Midas touch these days – there’s not a quicker way to make yourself one of the best known and most discussed faces on telly.

‘Obviously there are no guarantees production will say yes. But they are using all their influence to try to force the issue, and if it’s a celebrity that producers really want then it can have a huge impact on their decision.

‘For the time the show is on, the Traitors become among the most famous people in Britain, even if they’re not necessarily the most famous names on the show.’

For Traitor Maya Jama, being selected alongside A-lister Richard E Grant has catapulted her into the celebrity stratosphere.

I was at the Press launch, where we were given an exclusive viewing of the first episode, and nobody around me was surprised.

There is no suggestion that Maya, 32, or her agent attempted to influence her selection as a Traitor. But the decision to cast her in a villainous role has only been good for her.

Before her arrival at Ardross Castle, she was best known for hosting ITV2’s Love Island and as a panellist on The Masked Singer. Now, I hear rumours she might be signing with a more ‘luvvie’ agent in a bid to win more high-profile acting roles like the one she landed for Netflix’s The Gentlemen.

‘Maya has had so much airtime and it has served her extremely well,’ says a showbiz PR expert. ‘She has cracked into a whole new place in the industry and people know her who didn’t in the past. It might not have happened that way if she had been a Faithful.’

That has been true of comedian James Acaster, who has gone from being a low-profile comic, performing stand-up and appearing on panel shows, to a household name almost overnight. Some critics accuse him of being ‘dull’, but he has had more column inches than at any time in his career.

Last year’s winner, comedian Alan Carr, also benefited from the exposure to millions more viewers. He gave the show humour, mischief and a sobbing finale, which propelled him from primetime star to national treasure.

But sources say last year there was less of a scramble to land a Traitor role because it was less clear how beneficial it could be.

After all, the cunning and manipulation required of the role could be a risk for a celebrity’s reputation. And being a heroic Faithful can boost a star’s standing as well, as actress Celia Imrie and former rugby player Joe Marler from the last series showed.

‘It’s like the first Big Brother – nobody really knew what to expect,’ says a source.

‘But by the second series everyone knew what it could do for a career or profile, so games started to be played. It’s the same here.’

Understandably, production officials have been quick to claim they retain total control and are not influenced by external forces.

‘Whether a player is a Faithful or a Traitor at the start of the game is never guaranteed in advance and no one’s participation is contingent on that,’ a spokesman told me last week.

But they went on to admit that the celebs’ preferred roles are considered during their pre-filming chats with Claudia and production staff, ‘and selection is made following those conversations’.

While the response wasn’t as emphatic a denial as I’m used to, my TV sources scoffed at it.

As one put it: ‘The industry runs on favours, gentle persuasion and nudges and winks among friends.’

The season has become a runaway success, pulling in more than nine million viewers.

However, it has also prompted more rumours, leaks and speculation than ever before.

As for the next series of Celebrity Traitors, some predict competition will be fierce for that tap on the shoulder.

While the outcome of this week’s final remains uncertain, the truth is that Maya has already won.