Nick Mohammed, the actor and comedian who captured the nation's attention on The Celebrity Traitors, has opened up about the dramatic final that saw him turn on fellow contestant Joe Marler, costing them both the win.
The Traitors betrayal: What really happened?
Speaking from the set of the new HBO series War, Mohammed reflected on the intense finale of the BBC reality show, filmed in a Scottish castle during April and May. He was reunited on the new legal drama with fellow Traitors alum Celia Imrie, with whom he shared the secret of the show's outcome months before it aired.
Mohammed defended his last-minute decision to vote against rugby star Joe Marler, which ultimately sank their partnership and allowed Alan Carr to claim victory. "I think I was relatively astute during it," Mohammed stated. "But when it came to Joe, during those last two or three days, I became convinced I was being played."
He explained that Marler's insistence that he wanted it to be just the two of them in the final began to feel like a tactic from a traitor. "Maybe that was him trying to string me along because he was a traitor and he wanted to win. And then everything becomes confirmation bias," he added.
From magic to the screen: A multifaceted career
Before his Traitors fame, Mohammed had rarely appeared on television as himself, preferring to hide behind characters like his famed alter ego, Mr Swallow. His career began nearly three decades ago at age 16 as a close-up magician, a trade he practised until he was 30 to fund his university studies.
"I adore magic – I still do it every day, I read about it every day," he revealed, though he now considers himself a hobbyist. His Mr Swallow character, a camp, northern, and clownish magician, is based on an English teacher from his school days in Leeds and remains a central part of his comedy profile.
His role as Nate Shelley in the hit series Ted Lasso was a turning point, giving him the acting bug. "That was the first time I was trusted with a role that took a darker turn. I suddenly got really bitten by that," he said. This led to his part as the Mayor of London in the fifth season of Slow Horses, a role he was careful to distinguish from the real-life Sadiq Khan.
Life after the castle: Reunions and new audiences
Mohammed and Marler have since reconciled, appearing together on a Gogglebox Stand Up to Cancer special. "He said, 'It's just a game, innit?'" Mohammed recalled, confirming there was no lasting animosity. His participation in The Celebrity Traitors came after a direct call, and the involvement of national treasure Stephen Fry sealed the deal. "If he was doing it, who was I to say no?" he quipped.
Looking ahead, Mohammed will bring his Mr Swallow character back for a tenth show, Show Pony, in April 2026. He welcomes the new audiences brought by his TV success, relishing the challenge of winning over crowds who may only know him from Ted Lasso or Traitors.
While fans may still hold him "bitterly responsible" for the loss he and Marler suffered, Mohammed's genuine nature and candid reflection suggest that in losing the game, he truly did win over the public's affection.
