Comedian James Acaster has become the unlikely hero of the TV game show built around deception - precisely because he’s so uncomfortable with it. Holly Petersen asks whether his preference for truth-telling comes from growing up in a Christian home, and what is says about our current cultural moment
The finale of this year’s The Celebrity Traitors is fast approaching and for weeks, James Acaster has been stealing the nation’s heart. With his awkward charm and visible discomfort at deceiving others, he has become the unlikely star of a programme built on lies.
Acaster no longer calls himself a Christian, but the 41-year-old comedian grew up in a Christian home. Could the values he encountered in church growing up help explain his appeal? In a world increasingly short on trust, perhaps we are drawn to someone who still seems to believe that telling the truth matters.
For anyone unfamiliar with the format, The Celebrity Traitors is a game of deception. A handful of contestants are secretly appointed ‘Traitors’, tasked with misleading their fellow players while eliminating them one by one. The remaining ‘Faithful’ must identify the liars before they are banished or murdered.
Loathe to lie
In this current series, Acaster was initially assigned the role of a Faithful, but was later chosen by the Traitors to join them, against his will. He seemed an unlikely candidate; before entering the castle, he had expressed a preference for being a Faithful, and admitted that lying did not come naturally to him. However, many found his reluctance charming, with the media reporting a surge in public affection.
The Independent have described Acaster as “the internet’s boyfriend”, while The Guardian said his ”good-natured camaraderie…has turned him into a viral heartthrob.”
But the comedian’s popularity suggests that audiences have been captivated by more than just his humour. There is something reassuring about his resistance to dishonesty, and the sense that he would rather uncover the truth than conceal it.
Just 9% of Brits trust politicians to tell the truth
It is interesting, then, to consider Acaster’s upbringing. Growing up in Northamptonshire, he attended church with his family every Sunday. He has spoken openly about his childhood enthusiasm for Christianity, reaveling that his desire to be a comic came from watching preachers open their sermons with a joke.
He has even referred to his early love for Jesus in comedy sketches, saying that, as a passionate four-year-old, he loved Jesus like a “best friend”. When he went to an Easter service and finally realised that Jesus had died, he cried so intensely that his tears literally propelled him backward.
Despite Acaster later questioning his beliefs and moving away from the faith, it seems he has kept hold of the moral core that it rooted in him, including a desire for truthfulness.
Telling the truth
Reflecting on the appeal of truth-telling feels particularly relevant today. Trust in our leaders is strikingly low. Ipsos research published in 2026 found that almost half of Britons (45%) believe MPs rarely or never tell the truth. Its Veracity Index, published in December 2025, found that just 9% trust politicians to tell the truth.
Perhaps this helps explain why Acaster has struck such a chord. When we are accustomed to questioning the motives of public figures, someone who appears reluctant to deceive can feel like a relief. We recognise the appeal of someone who seems uncomfortable with dishonesty, even when lying might benefit him.
Christianity teaches us that truth matters. Proverbs 12:22 says: “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy”. Being truthful is important because dishonesty can have hurtful consequences and people deserve to be treated with respect.
Perhaps we are drawn to someone who still seems to believe that telling the truth matters
Truth allows relationships to flourish and communities to function well. Perhaps James Acaster offers us a small reminder that we still value integrity. His Christian upbringing may or may not have conciously shaped that instinct but, either way, the values associated with it remain relevant.
In the end, The Celebrity Traitors is a game about discovering who is lying. Yet this season’s most endearing figure is someone who never seems entirely comfortable with the deception.
In a world where trust is increasingly difficult to find, perhaps that is precisely why we warm to him. Regardless of whether Acaster wins Friday’s final, he has taught us a winning lesson - that truthfulness is a powerful and magnetic quality that still resonates today.
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