Miranda Hart says Celebrity Traitors will be challenging due to her chronic illness
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – OCTOBER 19: Miranda Hart seen leaving the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London on October 19, 2024 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by MEGA/GC Images) (Getty Images)
Miranda Hart has said filming The Celebrity Traitors will be “challenging” as she continues to manage fatigue and pain linked to ME.
The 53-year-old comedian and actor, who spoke in a BBC interview ahead of the new series, said she is “still living with elements of ME”. She added: “that brings fatigue and pain to manage, but I have come to a point where I feel well enough to step out, and that’s also partly why I’m doing this.”
“Fatigue and pain to manage”
Hart said the prospect of returning to television helped her decide to take part, despite the physical demands. “The joy of mucking about on television again will hopefully outweigh some of the challenges,” she said.
She also acknowledged the toll the show could take. “And I think it will be challenging on my body, so it’ll be interesting, and it’ll take some courage as this is a big next step,” Hart said.
In the same interview, she spoke about how chronic illness is not always obvious to others. “When you live with a chronic illness, it’s invisible, so people don’t know that you’re sitting there in pain,” she said.
“Follow the joy”: why she said yes
Hart described her approach to work decisions in simple terms. “My decision-making in life generally, and certainly work, is follow the joy,” she said.
She added that she has not done much television for some time while dealing with long-term health issues. “I haven’t done much TV work for a long time, having only recently come out of long-term ill health issues and when I was offered this, my whole body sort of relaxed, I smiled, and I just wanted to jump about like a schoolgirl with joy,” she said.
Hart has previously said she was diagnosed with Lyme disease and later diagnosed with ME/CFS after not knowing what was causing her to feel unwell for some time.
When The Celebrity Traitors starts and who else is in it
The Celebrity Traitors returns on BBC One on 1 October.
Hart is set to compete against 20 other celebrities in the game. The line-up includes Bella Ramsey, Michael Sheen and Richard E Grant, as well as comedians including James Acaster, Joe Lycett and Joanne McNally, plus TV presenter Maya Jama and musician James Blunt.
The BBC previously confirmed the celebrity spin-off would return for series two in 2026, with Claudia Winkleman hosting again.
Comedian Romesh Ranganathan, who is also taking part, teased the trust issues that can come with playing alongside friends. “Because Rob is one of my best friends, and we’ve worked together for a decade now, but I still won’t be able to trust it”.
