Following multiple episodes of tension, schemes and sabotage, Celebrity Traitors concludes with a thrilling finale

Warning: spoilers ahead - This piece reveals key moments from Celebrity Traitors conclusion

Throughout the season, audiences saw murders, betrayals, intense glares, and a memorable moment that cut through all tension.

Yet on the final evening, the ultimate victor of the inaugural Celebrity Traitors emerged triumphant.

Out of nineteen participants, only five remained: Deceivers and faithfuls facing off for the winnings.

Before long, the competition tightened to only three contenders: the final players.

Ultimately, comedian Alan Carr emerged as the winner, in a surprising outcome that broke the internet and left him emotional.

"It's been tearing me apart, my apologies," he exclaimed, revealing to the other players that he was actually one of the deceivers. "I'm an awful human being."

"You did brilliantly," they consoled him. "Everything's fine."

Social media immediately exploded with this development. "Most awful traitor ever being the most effective player," wrote one user.

"It couldn't have been a better conclusion," wrote another, while someone else called it "the television highlight of the year."

His chosen charity, Neuroblastoma UK, will receive all the prize money, with the final pot amounting to eighty-seven thousand five hundred pounds.

Alan Carr's transformation from comic relief to strategic player was one of the standout highlights of the series.

However, his victory still left the nation surprised, according to entertainment reporters.

"The thought of him, of all people, executing a masterclass in deceit felt about as likely as him keeping composure through one of his own punchlines."

On subsequent discussions, the other contestants summed up why no one had truly doubted him.

"Alan could have come down to the morning meal in traitor attire and I wouldn't have believed he was a traitor. I was too busy laughing," a player said.

"The majority didn't target him because how can you vote for a person so loveable?" questioned a different contestant.

Carr said he had "thoroughly enjoyed" his experience with the program.

"I want to participate once more... I doubt it would work a second time!"

The final episode was lengthened to over an hour on television. There was a different start than usual, as every celebrity knew who'd make it at the breakfast table.

There was particularly inspiring, and very un-Traitors-esque music, as the episode revisited key scenes from each of the finalists' time in the castle.

As ever, Alan Carr gave us some of the most memorable lines.

"To be honest, I began the competition a bit of an anxious mess. I've betrayed some really good friends under the bus, I've murdered beloved figures openly. I'm clearly a better liar and traitor than I thought."

Meanwhile, another contestant commented that being in the final was "significantly more pressure than playing for England", while another said he was "completely amazed" to have made it so far.

Early on in the episode, various contestants seemed to be making a bid to become the new style icon of the castle, replacing an earlier departed fashionable contestant.

The winner appeared at breakfast looking like a vintage television personality in a checked maroon suit, before changing into an embellished light-colored outfit.

However, he got outstyled by a fellow player's burgundy formal wear. What a look.

Following this was the challenge, with the remaining contestants getting on board a locomotive called - of course - The Traitors Express.

The challenge saw them ripping up images of former contestants. Spare a thought for one participant who was hit in the head multiple times by the lid of a substantial container.

Soon after, the moment arrived for the roundtable.

The deceivers made a pact in advance, vowing to support each other. "We've progressed significantly, I won't betray him," stated one, while the other simply laughed.

And one did stick to his promise. Yet, having slipped unnoticed for the majority of the competition, the other still received the majority elimination votes.

The last deceiver appeared to be experiencing a world of pain to be the final deceiver remaining. "Being alone, I'm frightened," he said. "I'm unpredictable, a rudderless ship."

Online platforms and onlookers were similarly upset.

"I did NOT want that player to be eliminated. An endearing deceiver," commented an observer.

"Your legacy will remain in the show's legacy," wrote another user.

However, there remained no time to dwell on this departure. Soon, the game reached the final stage - which was the moment everyone anticipated.

The last players gathered around the fire pit. And the alliance collapsed, precisely when it mattered the most, in an absolutely shocking development.

A player was painfully banished - after a shock vote from their partner, who turned against them.

"This pains me to be stabbed in the back last minute in that manner," said the eliminated player. Subsequently, we learned that when they message, the betrayed player calls their former ally by a betrayer's name.

Ultimately, just three players were still competing: the final trio.

A contestant, looking incredibly smug, chose to conclude the competition. The same decision was made by another, and everything depended on the third, who made the identical choice - which meant that the traitor was the winner.

According to commentators, the moment where the other players comforted the winner was "compelling television". "I anticipate it could be a contender for outstanding scene at next year's awards," they said.

Happily, the champion soon recovered from his emotional outburst, and was able to enjoy his victory.

"Such an emotional journey. I was awful at lying, I had no poker face and here I am the champion," the winner said.

He also made light of that infamous murder - his close ally in an early episode - by leaning toward the presenter in the final scene and touching her cheek.

"You've got something on your face," he said, with his characteristic laugh.

The recent episodes of famous people scheming, scheming and sometimes surprising incidents may seem like one big crazy jumbled dream. But it really did all happen. It will be remembered fondly.