After multiple episodes of tension, schemes and backstabbing, The Celebrity Traitors has reached a nail-biting finale

Spoiler alert - This article discloses key moments from The Celebrity Traitors conclusion

Throughout the season, audiences saw eliminations, double-crosses, serious side-eye, and a memorable moment that cut through the overwhelming suspense.

Yet on Thursday night, the final winner of the inaugural celebrity edition emerged triumphant.

From 19 contestants, just a handful remained: Traitors and faithfuls facing off for the winnings.

Before long, the field narrowed to just three: the final players.

Ultimately, comedian Alan Carr emerged as the winner, in a shocking outcome that broke the internet and made him tearful.

"This has been destroying me, my apologies," he exclaimed, admitting to the other players that he'd always been one of the deceivers. "I feel terrible about this."

"You did brilliantly," they comforted him. "It's all right."

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

"It couldn't have been a better conclusion," wrote a different person, while someone else described it as "the TV moment of the year."

His chosen charity, a cancer charity, gets to keep the entire winnings, with the total amount amounting to £87,500.

The comedian's evolution from giggle liability to strategic player was one of the standout highlights of the series.

However, his victory still shocked viewers in shock, as noted by industry observers.

"The thought of him, among everyone, executing an expert performance in deception felt just as probable as him maintaining composure through one of his own punchlines."

On subsequent discussions, the other contestants explained why no one had truly doubted him.

"Alan could have come down to breakfast in traitor attire and I still wouldn't have thought he was deceiving us. His humor distracted me," a player said.

"The majority didn't vote for him because how does one eliminate someone who is so loveable?" questioned another celebrity.

The winner stated he had "absolutely loved" his experience with the program.

"I want to do it again... I don't think it would work again!"

Thursday evening's installment was lengthened to over an hour on television. It had an unusual opening than usual, as all the celebs were aware who would appear at the morning gathering.

Viewers heard particularly inspiring, and very un-Traitors-esque soundtrack, as the episode revisited key scenes from every remaining player's experience in the game.

True to form, the comedian provided some of the most memorable lines.

"Let's face it, I started this game a bit of an anxious mess. I've betrayed some really good friends to save myself, I've murdered national treasures in plain sight. I'm clearly more deceptive and player than I believed."

At the same time, another contestant commented that being in the final was "significantly more pressure than playing for a national team", while someone else said he was "completely amazed" to have made it so far.

Early on in the episode, several players appeared to be making a bid to become the new style icon of the competition, replacing an earlier departed fashionable contestant.

Carr emerged at breakfast looking like a vintage television personality in patterned burgundy attire, later switching into a bejewelled white suit.

But he was outstyled by a fellow player's burgundy formal wear. What a look.

Following this was the challenge, with the final players getting on board a train named - of course - The Deceivers' Railway.

This task saw them destroying images of former contestants. Have sympathy for a player who managed to get hit in the head multiple times by the cover of a substantial container.

Soon after, it was time for the roundtable.

The deceivers made a pact beforehand, vowing to support each other. "We've come a long way, I'm not going to betray him," said a player, while the other simply laughed.

However, one adhered to their agreement. But, having slipped unnoticed for the majority of the competition, their partner still got the most votes.

The remaining traitor looked like he was in significant distress to be the last traitor standing. "Now I'm on my own, I feel terrified," he said. "I'm unpredictable, without direction."

Social media and viewers were similarly upset.

"I hoped against that player to be banished. An endearing deceiver," said an observer.

"You will forever be remembered in Traitors history," wrote another user.

But there was little opportunity to focus on this departure. Soon, they were at the endgame - which was what we were really all here for.

The final four stood over the fire pit. And the alliance broke down, just when it mattered the most, in a truly WTF moment.

One contestant was eliminated in dramatic fashion - following a surprising decision from their partner, who turned against them.

"This pains me to be stabbed in the back last minute like that," remarked the ousted contestant. Later, it was revealed that if they ever communicate, the eliminated contestant refers to the other by a betrayer's name.

Finally, only three contestants remained in the game: the final trio.

One player, looking incredibly smug, voted to end the competition. The same decision was made by another, and it all came down to the third, who made the identical choice - which meant that the traitor emerged victorious.

For observers, the moment where the other players comforted the champion was "beautiful TV". "I predict it could be a contender for memorable moment at next year's awards," they said.

Happily, the champion quickly regained composure from his bout of tears, and could finally appreciate his victory.

"What a rollercoaster. I thought I was terrible at deception, my expressions gave me away and here I am a winner," the winner said.

He also made light of that infamous murder - his close ally in an early episode - by leaning toward the presenter in the concluding moments and touching her cheek.

"You've got something on your face," he said, with his trademark giggle.

The last few weeks of famous people scheming, plotting and the occasional unexpected moments may seem like a bizarre fantasy. Yet it actually all happen. And we will miss it.