After multiple episodes of tension, schemes and backstabbing, Celebrity Traitors has reached a nail-biting finale

Warning: spoilers ahead - This piece discloses details from The Celebrity Traitors finale

Throughout the season, viewers witnessed murders, betrayals, serious side-eye, and an unforgettable incident that pierced the overwhelming suspense.

Yet on Thursday night, the ultimate victor of the first celebrity edition was revealed.

From nineteen participants, only five were left standing: Deceivers and faithfuls competing for the winnings.

Soon, the competition tightened to just three: the remaining contestants.

In the end, comedian Alan Carr emerged as the winner, in a shocking result that broke the internet and left him emotional.

"This has been destroying me, I'm so sorry," he exclaimed, admitting to the remaining faithfuls that he was actually a traitor. "I feel terrible about this."

"You played amazingly," they comforted him. "It's all right."

Online platforms immediately exploded with the news. "Most awful traitor ever being the most effective player," commented a viewer.

"There could not have been a more iconic ending," wrote a different person, while someone else described it as "the TV moment of the year."

His chosen charity, a cancer charity, will receive the entire winnings, 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 season.

However, his victory still left the nation in shock, as noted by entertainment reporters.

"The idea of Alan, of all people, pulling off an expert performance in deceit felt just as probable as him keeping a straight face through his comedy routines."

During follow-up conversations, fellow players summed up why no one had ever really suspected him.

"Alan could have appeared to breakfast in traitor attire and I still wouldn't have thought he was deceiving us. I was too busy laughing," one participant said.

"The majority didn't vote for him because how can you vote for someone who is so loveable?" asked a different contestant.

Carr said he had "absolutely loved" his experience with the show.

"I'd like to participate once more... I don't think it would be successful again!"

The final installment was extended to 70 minutes on television. It had an unusual opening than usual, as every celebrity knew who'd make it at the morning gathering.

There was particularly inspiring, and atypical for the show soundtrack, as we recapped key scenes from each of the finalists' experience in the game.

True to form, Alan Carr provided some of the most memorable lines.

"Let's face it, I started this game a bit of a nervous wreck. I've betrayed some really good friends to save myself, I've murdered beloved figures in plain sight. Apparently I'm a better liar and player than I thought."

At the same time, another contestant noted that reaching the conclusion was "way more stressful than playing for a national team", while another said he was "completely amazed" to have lasted this long.

In the beginning of the finale, various contestants appeared to be making a bid to become the new style icon of the competition, replacing an earlier departed style leader.

Carr emerged at the morning meal looking like a 1950s US chat show host in a checked maroon suit, later switching into a bejewelled white suit.

But he was outstyled by another contestant's burgundy formal wear. What a look.

Next up was the challenge, with the remaining contestants getting on board a train named - naturally - The Deceivers' Railway.

This task saw them ripping up portraits of eliminated players. Spare a thought for a player who was hit in the head THREE times by the cover of a heavy wooden box.

Soon after, the moment arrived for the elimination discussion.

The deceivers made a pact beforehand, vowing to stick together. "We've come a long way, I won't betray him," stated one, while the other simply laughed.

However, one adhered to their agreement. But, having slipped unnoticed for most of the game, their partner still received the majority elimination votes.

The last deceiver looked like he was in significant distress to be the last traitor standing. "Now I'm on my own, I feel terrified," he said. "I'm a loose cannon, a rudderless ship."

Social media and onlookers were equally disappointed.

"I hoped against this contestant to be banished. An endearing deceiver," said an observer.

"You will forever be remembered in the show's legacy," wrote another user.

However, there remained little opportunity to focus on this departure. Before long, they were at the endgame - this being what we were really all here for.

The last players gathered around the ceremonial fire. Meanwhile, the partnership broke down, just when it mattered the most, in a truly WTF moment.

One contestant was eliminated in dramatic fashion - following a surprising decision from their partner, who turned against them.

"This pains me to be betrayed at the final moment in that manner," said the ousted contestant. Later, we learned that when they message, the betrayed player calls the other by a betrayer's name.

Finally, only three contestants remained in the game: the last participants.

One player, appearing quite pleased, chose to conclude the game. The same decision was made by a different player, and it all came down to the final participant, who did the same - which meant that the traitor emerged victorious.

For observers, the scene where remaining contestants consoled the winner was "compelling television". "I anticipate it could be a contender for outstanding scene at next year's awards," they commented.

Fortunately, the winner soon recovered from his bout of tears, and was able to enjoy the moment.

"What a rollercoaster. I was awful at lying, I had no poker face and now I stand a winner," he said.

And he even joked about that infamous murder - his best friend in an early episode - by leaning toward the presenter in the final scene and making contact.

"There's something on your face," he said, with his trademark giggle.

The last few weeks of famous people scheming, plotting and sometimes surprising incidents may seem like one big crazy jumbled dream. Yet it actually all happen. And we will miss it.