Following weeks of tension, plots and sabotage, The Celebrity Traitors concludes with a thrilling finale

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

Over the course of the show, viewers witnessed murders, betrayals, serious side-eye, and a memorable moment that pierced all tension.

However on the final evening, the ultimate victor of the inaugural Celebrity Traitors was revealed.

Out of 19 contestants, only five remained: Deceivers and loyal players facing off for the winnings.

Before long, the competition tightened to just three: the final players.

Ultimately, funny man Alan Carr emerged as the winner, in a surprising outcome that went viral and made him tearful.

"This has been destroying me, my apologies," he exclaimed, admitting to the remaining faithfuls that he'd always been a traitor. "I feel terrible about this."

"You did brilliantly," they comforted him. "Everything's fine."

Online platforms immediately exploded with this development. "Most awful traitor ever being the most effective player," commented one user.

"It couldn't have been a more iconic ending," wrote another, while someone else described it as "the television highlight of the year."

His chosen charity, Neuroblastoma UK, gets to keep all the prize money, with the final pot amounting to eighty-seven thousand five hundred pounds.

The comedian's evolution from comic relief to strategic player was one of the standout highlights of the season.

However, his victory still left the nation surprised, according to industry observers.

"The idea of Alan, of all people, executing an expert performance in deception felt just as probable as him keeping composure through one of his own punchlines."

During follow-up conversations, fellow players explained the reasons nobody had truly doubted him.

"Alan could have appeared to breakfast in traitor attire and I wouldn't have believed he was a traitor. I was too busy laughing," a player said.

"Most people didn't target him because how does one eliminate a person so loveable?" questioned a different contestant.

The winner stated he had "absolutely loved" his time on the program.

"I want to participate once more... I doubt it would work again!"

The final installment was extended to over an hour on the network. There was a different start than typical episodes, as every celebrity were aware who'd make it at the breakfast table.

There was particularly inspiring, and atypical for the show music, as we recapped some moments from each of the finalists' experience in the game.

As ever, Alan Carr provided unforgettable quotes.

"Let's face it, I started this game as something of a nervous wreck. I've thrown some really good friends under the bus, I've eliminated beloved figures openly. I'm clearly a better liar and player than I believed."

Meanwhile, another contestant commented that being in the final was "way more stressful than playing for England", while another said he was "totally surprised" to have lasted this long.

Early on of the finale, several players seemed to be making a bid to become the new style icon of the castle, taking over from the previously eliminated fashionable contestant.

Carr emerged at breakfast looking like a vintage television personality in a checked maroon suit, before changing into a bejewelled white suit.

But he was out-jacketted by a fellow player'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.

The challenge saw them destroying portraits of eliminated players. Have sympathy for a player who was hit on the head THREE times by the lid of a heavy wooden box.

Before long, the moment arrived for the roundtable.

Two traitors made a pact beforehand, vowing to stick together. "We've progressed significantly, I'm not going to betray him," stated a player, while their partner simply laughed.

And one did stick to his promise. But, managing to stay unnoticed for most of the game, the other still got the most votes.

The last deceiver appeared to be experiencing a world of pain to be the last traitor standing. "Now I'm on my own, I feel terrified," he said. "I'm unpredictable, without direction."

Online platforms and viewers were similarly upset.

"I hoped against that player to be eliminated. A truly loveable traitor," said a commentator.

"Your legacy will remain in the show's legacy," posted a different viewer.

However, there remained no time to dwell on their elimination. Soon, the game reached the endgame - which was what we were really all here for.

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

One contestant was eliminated in dramatic fashion - after a shock vote from their partner, who turned against them.

"This pains me to be stabbed in the back last minute in that manner," said the ousted contestant. Later, we learned that when they message, the betrayed player refers to the other by a betrayer's name.

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

A contestant, looking incredibly smug, voted to end the competition. So did another, and it all came down to the third, who did the same - resulting in the deceiver emerged victorious.

For observers, the moment where remaining contestants comforted the champion was "beautiful TV". "I predict it could be a contender for outstanding scene at next year's awards," they commented.

Fortunately, the champion soon recovered from his bout of tears, and could finally appreciate the moment.

"Such an emotional journey. I thought I was terrible at deception, I had no poker face and here I am the champion," the winner said.

He also made light of the memorable elimination - his best friend during the initial stages - by leaning toward the presenter in the concluding moments and touching her cheek.

"You've got something on your face," he said, with his characteristic laugh.

The recent episodes of famous people scheming, plotting and the occasional surprising incidents may feel like a bizarre fantasy. Yet it actually all happen. And we will miss it.