Former Traitors star calls it 'the hardest game'

Former contestant on The Traitors Joe Scott has described the show as "the hardest game I've ever played".

The Southampton teacher said even hearing the opening music made him "nervous", as Celebrity Traitors returns for a second series.

Reflecting on his experience, the series three Faithful said: "I'd like to think I wouldn't jump to so many conclusions now, but it's really difficult".

Ahead of the first episode on Thursday he said: "I will definitely be watching. I am really looking forward to seeing how it all pans out."

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, Scott said "one of the cutest" questions his students asked had been: "Sir, when you were on the show, who were the other celebrities in your series?

"I say I wasn't a celebrity but you definitely get a house point for that flattery."

Looking back on his time in the game, he said it had made everyone paranoid.

"Honestly you just over think every situation," he said.

"What you think is evidence is just people have slipped up and said something because they are nervous or they forgot something.

"You just latch onto it and think that means they are lying, that means they have tripped up."

He said it could be useful to have people that you trust "otherwise it's a very lonely game".

"You need to have those people where you think I am going to hedge my bets on them," he said.

"If they are a Traitor but you're friends with them and you're not going for them then they might not get rid of you anyway, so there is an advantage in believing in someone."

There are 21 celebrities taking part in total - two more than last year - and there will be an extra episode after the huge popularity of the previous series.

Scott said he expected James Blunt to do well, saying his dry sense of humour should make him strong at the Round Table.

"I always think that it's one of those where you might have your favourites and then you watch the game and you think actually I love this person just because of how they are playing the game," he added.

The extended 75-minute debut episode starts at 20:00 BST on Thursday, with the series continuing every Thursday and Friday throughout October.