Following weeks of suspense, schemes and sabotage, The Celebrity Traitors concludes with a thrilling end

Spoiler alert - This piece reveals details from Celebrity Traitors conclusion

Throughout the season, audiences saw murders, double-crosses, intense glares, and an unforgettable incident that pierced the overwhelming suspense.

Yet on Thursday night, the ultimate victor of the first Celebrity Traitors emerged triumphant.

From 19 contestants, just a handful remained: Traitors and loyal players facing off for the prize.

Before long, the field narrowed to only three contenders: the remaining contestants.

Ultimately, comedian Alan Carr emerged as the winner, in a surprising result that went viral and left him emotional.

"This has been destroying me, my apologies," he exclaimed, revealing to the other players that he was actually a traitor. "I'm an awful human being."

"You played amazingly," they comforted him. "It's all right."

Social media immediately exploded with this development. "The worst deceiver being the most effective player," commented one user.

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

His chosen charity, a cancer charity, gets to keep the entire winnings, with the final pot amounting to eighty-seven thousand five hundred pounds.

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

But his win still left the nation in shock, as noted by industry observers.

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

On subsequent discussions, fellow players summed up the reasons nobody had truly doubted him.

"He might have come down to breakfast in a green cloak and I still wouldn't have thought he was a traitor. I was too busy laughing," a player said.

"The majority didn't vote for him because how does one vote for a person so charming?" asked another celebrity.

Carr said he had "thoroughly enjoyed" his experience with the show.

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

Thursday evening's installment was lengthened to 70 minutes on the network. There was an unusual opening than usual, as every celebrity knew who would appear at the morning gathering.

There was particularly inspiring, and atypical for the show soundtrack, as we recapped key scenes from every remaining player's experience in the game.

True to form, Alan Carr gave us unforgettable quotes.

"Let's face it, I started this game a bit of an anxious mess. I've betrayed close allies under the bus, I've eliminated beloved figures openly. Apparently I'm a better liar and player than I thought."

At the same time, another contestant noted that being in the final was "way more stressful than playing for England", while another said he was "completely amazed" to have made it so far.

In the beginning of the finale, various contestants seemed to be attempting to become the new style icon of the castle, replacing the previously eliminated fashionable contestant.

Carr emerged at the morning meal resembling a 1950s US chat show host in a checked maroon suit, later switching into a bejewelled white suit.

But he was outstyled by another contestant's maroon velvet tuxedo. What a look.

Following this was the competition, with the final players boarding a locomotive called - naturally - The Deceivers' Railway.

This task saw them ripping up images of eliminated players. Spare a thought for one participant who was hit on the head THREE times by the cover of a substantial container.

Before long, the moment arrived for the roundtable.

The deceivers made a pact beforehand, vowing to stick together. "We've come a long way, I'm not going to betray him," said one, while their partner simply laughed.

However, one did stick to their agreement. Yet, managing to stay unnoticed for the majority of the competition, their partner still got the most votes.

The remaining traitor 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, a rudderless ship."

Social media and viewers were equally disappointed.

"I did NOT want that player to be eliminated. A truly loveable traitor," said an observer.

"Your legacy will remain in Traitors history," wrote a different viewer.

But there was little opportunity to dwell on their elimination. Soon, the game reached the endgame - this being the moment everyone anticipated.

The final four gathered around the ceremonial fire. Meanwhile, the partnership broke down, just when it mattered the most, in an absolutely shocking development.

A player was eliminated in dramatic fashion - after a shock vote from their ally, who turned against them.

"This pains me to be stabbed in the back at the final moment like that," said the eliminated player. Subsequently, we learned that if they ever communicate, the betrayed player refers to their former ally as a traitor.

Finally, just three players were still competing: the last participants.

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

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

Happily, the champion quickly regained composure from his emotional outburst, and could finally appreciate his victory.

"What a rollercoaster. I thought I was terrible at deception, I had no poker face and now I stand the champion," the winner said.

He also made light of that infamous murder - his close ally in an early episode - by reaching over the host in the final scene 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 surprising incidents may feel like one big crazy jumbled dream. But it really did occur. And we will miss it.