'Real television is back baby, and this record-breaking finale is proof.'

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In an era of low ratings and straight-to-streaming shows, real television is so back baby.

Last night, a whopping 11.1 million people tuned into the BBC to watch the final episode of The Celebrity Traitors UK, making it one of the most-watched television events of the year.

For those who don't know, Celebrity Traitors is a spin-off of the original BBC show, The Traitors. It's a social deduction game in which two teams, Faithfuls and Traitors, try to outsmart each other. (And yes, you should scroll away now if you want to avoid spoilers).

And if the finale numbers are anything to go by, it's a TV formula that's been missing for years.

Watch: The most iconic moments from 'The Celebrity Traitors UK'. Post continues after video.

I was one of the many people glued to my screen during last night's finale. Throughout the episode, X (formerly Twitter) was abuzz with live commentary. And, honestly, I haven't felt that alive since I watched the Matildas beat France in a penalty shoot-out with a bunch of strangers at the pub.

I remember the night vividly: a sea of eyes glued to the same screen, our gasps in sync and our cheers deafening. When the Tillies claimed victory, we moved as one: cheering, jumping, and hugging in pure elation.

In the bustle, a beer was knocked over me. It was amazing.

While I watched the Celebrity Traitors finale on my living room screen rather than a pub television, the sense of online camaraderie felt similar. Sure, witnessing comedian Alan Carr sweat his way into the final three (and inexplicably win the whole damn thing!!) wasn't quite as high-stakes as the FIFA World Cup.

But, boy, we viewers at home were collectively captivated.

My fingers burned as I frantically messaged group chats (today's version of watercooler conversation) throughout the night. Every ad break was spent scrolling X to find out what others were feeling. It was a space for us to share our shock when a Faithful betrayed one of their own, or, our admiration when the runner-ups graciously comforted a guilt-ridden Traitor.

And it wasn't just last night. Since the season aired, I would spend each week eagerly awaiting new episodes to drop, ready to join my family on the lounge or jump online with fellow viewers. I felt transported to a time when reality shows would elicit a live online community.

Or when sitcoms weren't siloed on streaming platforms, for everyone to access at different times.

Don't get me wrong, I love being able to binge shows. But, there is something nostalgic about the collective anticipation of a weekly episode, and being able to react in real time with other people. In this era of entertainment, it's rare.

It was a sentiment echoed by other viewers, with one X user writing: "Celebrity Traitors has given us something we've not had in years — millions of Brits watching the same show, live, together. Proper 'everyone on the sofa' TV. I've missed that."

#CelebrityTraitors has given us something we’ve not had in years - millions of Brits watching the same show, live, together. Proper “everyone on the sofa” TV. I’ve missed that pic.twitter.com/7IarUfP0kx

— KEEGZZ (@Keegzz35) November 6, 2025

We got a taste of it during the latest season of The Summer I Turned Pretty. With episodes dropping weekly, there was no choice but to keep the same pace as everyone else. Similarly, the upcoming season of Stranger Things is staggering its release, premiering with four episodes, then dropping three at Christmas, before airing the finale on New Year's Eve. 

And, sure, the realist in me suspects this is a way to get people to extend their streaming subscriptions, more so than Netflix trying to recapture the golden days of television.

But regardless of the motive, at least the result is the same: people coming together through entertainment.

With an Australian version of The Celebrity Traitors due to drop next year, we can only hope it evokes the same level of attention, community, and hilarity as the UK series. There's no denying it'll be hard to beat the star power of the Brits, but fingers crossed the Aussie Faithfuls are a hell of a lot better at playing the game.

Feature Image: BBC