Miranda Hart Says Celebrity Traitors Will Challenge Her Physically

Miranda Hart is making her long-awaited television return on one of reality TV’s toughest and most demanding programmes.

However, the comedian has acknowledged that appearing on Celebrity Traitors could place a significant strain on her body as she continues to manage the “invisible” symptoms of ME.

The 53-year-old revealed in her 2024 autobiography that Lyme disease, which later developed into myalgic encephalomyelitis, left her “bedbound and without joy”.

Now, Hart says she has reached a stage in her recovery where she feels ready to work again, viewing Celebrity Traitors as an ideal chance to return to the screen.

“I haven’t done much TV work for a long time, having only recently come out of long-term ill health issues, and when I was offered this, my whole body sort of relaxed, I smiled, and I just wanted to jump about like a schoolgirl with joy,” she said.

Speaking to the BBC before entering the show’s famous Scottish castle, Hart said she still deals with the fatigue and pain associated with her chronic condition.

“I’m still living with elements of ME, and that brings fatigue and pain to manage, but I have come to a point where I feel well enough to step out, and that’s also partly why I’m doing this,” she explained.

“The joy of mucking about on television again will hopefully outweigh some of the challenges. And I think it will be challenging on my body, so it’ll be interesting, and it’ll take some courage as this is a big next step.”

“When you live with a chronic illness, it’s invisible, so people don’t know that you’re sitting there in pain. But then it reminds you that everybody’s got their thing.”

“So, I’m also really looking forward to making friends and looking after each other and hopefully they can carry me up a hill or whatever we’re going to have to do!”

Doctors took 33 years to identify the Lyme disease infection Hart had been battling. She was initially misdiagnosed with agoraphobia, an anxiety disorder that can cause distress in unfamiliar situations.

She was later diagnosed with ME, also called chronic fatigue syndrome, a long-term condition associated with debilitating tiredness that is not relieved by rest.

After becoming a household name through her 2009 BBC series Miranda, Hart has largely stayed away from the spotlight in recent years. Her television appearances have mainly been limited to chat-show guest spots and Comic Relief.

Hart also revealed that fans have dared her to “gallop” through the castle, referencing the instantly recognisable trademark of her much-loved sitcom character.

“When someone said on Instagram, ‘Oh, I hope you gallop in the castle,’ I foolishly replied, ‘Right, I now take that as a dare.’ So that was idiotic of me,” she said.

“I will have to at some point gallop down a corridor. I’ll gallop when no one’s watching… or who would be the best person to encourage to gallop? I don’t know. I mean, Kenny probably doesn’t even know who I am. So, if I could get him to gallop… I could get a new generation galloping.”

Hart was accompanied in Scotland during filming of the hit BBC series by her rarely seen husband, Richard Fairs, 60.

The couple, who tied the knot in October 2024, landed at Inverness airport in a private jet.

Joining Miranda and host Claudia Winkleman in the Scottish Highlands are Amol Rajan, Bella Ramsey, James Acaster, James Blunt, Jerry Hall, Joanne McNally, Joe Lycett, Julie Hesmondhalgh, King Kenny and Leigh-Anne Pinnock.

Maya Jama, Michael Sheen, Myha’la, Professor Hannah Fry, Richard E Grant, Rob Beckett, Romesh Ranganathan, Ross Kemp, Sebastian Croft and Sharon Rooney complete the line-up.

They will play the ultimate game of detection, trust and betrayal in the hope of winning a cash prize up to £100,000 for a charity of their choice.

The Celebrity Traitors starts on Thursday, October 1 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.