The Traitor with a comedy link

Paul Gorton is a would-be stand-up who's a regular on Joe Wilkinson and David Earl’s podcast

comedy The new series of BBC One reality show The Traitors features a familiar name… at least for followers of one popular comedy podcast.

Paul Gorton is a regular on Joe Wilkinson and David Earl’s Chatabix – and it was even the comic’s idea that he appear on the Claudia Winkleman-fronted programme.

He first appeared on their podcast in August 2022, talking about the time he was a contestant on Deal Or No Deal with Noel Edmonds in 2010, when he was aged 22.

Following that first appearance he became a regular guest, and during one episode Earl - known for his role on Ricky Gervais’s After Life – suggested he apply for The Traitors. Seven months later, he’s in the Highlands castle, hoping to win £120,000 by hook or by crook.

‘We knew Paul was destined for greatness the first time we spoke to him and we are over the moon that the rest of the country is now getting to enjoy Paul in his full glory,’ says Wilkinson.

Earl added: ‘From the moment I met Paul I could see he had that X Factor. This man is going all the way to the top. Step aside guys. Welcome to the future of television.’

Gorton on Chatbix podcast Manchester-based Gorton describes himself as a business manager on the show – but he is also an aspiring comedian.

He said: ‘I love comedy, if I could be a comedian that would be my dream job. I've done stand-up and did it down south at the Comedy Store in London and it’s just mind-blowing.'

Gorton, 36, said he hoped his sense of humour would help on The Traitors, explaining: ‘If I can get comedy in there then I think it’s a really powerful tool to bond people and maybe diffuse situations when they get so tense.

‘Maybe I can be a little bit of a comfort blanket and a distraction in that way. I guess last year there was no one in there that was exactly like me, which is a good thing. Hopefully, I can have my own little niche.’

The first series of The Traitors featured comedian Hannah Byczkowski, below, as one of the contestants – and she went on to win a share of the top prize.

Hannah in The Traitors

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Published: 5 Jan 2024