EastEnders star Tameka Empson breaks silence on ‘intense' Celebrity Traitors and what part of show took her by surprise
The soap star, best known for playing Kim Fox on the BBC show, swapped Albert Square for the grand Scottish castle as part of the all-star line-up in the hit reality series.
5
Tameka, 47, admitted the pressure of the game left her feeling "intense."
Speaking out for the first time since filming wrapped, she said: "It was great, really great, but it was a lot."
Tameka will be joined by 18 other celebrities including comedians Alan Carr and Joe Wilkinson, actors Celia Imrie, Ruth Codd, and Mark Bonnar, singer-songwriters Cat Burns and Paloma Faith, and broadcasters Clare Balding and Kate Garraway.
The other contestants are Charlotte Church, David Olusoga, Joe Marler, Jonathan Ross, Lucy Beaumont, Nick Mohammed, Niko Omilana, Stephen Fry and Tom Daley.
The participants will be seen competing for up to £100,000 for a charity of their choice.
BBC has confirmed the new series will air on BBC One and iPlayer this autumn.
Meanwhile, The British Soap Awards returned after ITV mysteriously axed the contest in 2024.
But it was bad news for Coronation Street as the programme suffered a devastating loss after managing to bag just the specially curated Outstanding Achievement Award which went to Roy Cropper star David Neilson.
The show failed to secure wins in any of the main panel or viewer-voted categories amid ITV's ongoing cash crisis and the mass cast exodus at the soap over the past six months.
Coronation Street and Emmerdale humiliated at British Soap Awards as rival soap wins EIGHT gongs
Its ITV counterpart Emmerdale also faced a crushing blow ahead of the impending ITV schedule changes which will see 30 minutes worth of each programme cut a week from January 2026.
BBC rival EastEnders swept the board after collecting a total of eight gongs in its 40th anniversary year - more than double its nearest rival, Channel 4's Hollyoaks who got three awards.
EastEnders was awarded Best Soap after its huge live episode and anniversary week which saw Anita Dobson return as Angie Watts and Martin Fowler killed off in the arms of his love, Stacey.
It was certainly not the only award that they picked up with actress Lacey Turner receiving the trophy for Best Leading Performer ahead of her impending exit from the show.
British Soap Awards 2025: Winners List
Here's who took home trophys at the 2025 British Soap Awards
Best Single Episode - Eastenders: Phil's Psychosis: The Mitchells In 1985
Best Young Performer - Emmerdale
Scene Of The Year - Eastenders: Angie Watts' Shock Return
Best Newcomer - Hollyoaks: Isabelle Smith as Frankie Osborne
Villain Of The Year - Eastenders: Navin Chowdhry as Nish Panesar
Best Family - Hollyoaks: The Osbornes
Best Dramatic Performance - Eastenders: Steve McFadden as Phil
Mitchell
Best On-Screen Partnership - Eastenders: Rudolph Walker & Angela
Wynter as Patrick & Yolande Trueman
Outstanding Achievement Award - Coronation Street: David Neilson
Best Comedy Performance - Eastenders: Patsy Palmer as Bianca Jackson
The Tony Warren Award - Emmerdale: Mike Plant
Best Storyline - Hollyoaks: Sibling Sexual Abuse
Best Leading Performer - Eastenders: Lacey Turner as Stacey Slater
Best British Soap - Eastenders
The 40th anniversary also managed to clutch the Scene of the Year thanks to Angie's shock return.
Steve McFadden a won a trophy for Best Dramatic Performance as Phil Mitchell but did not attend the ceremony with Angela Wynter and Rudolph Walker also receiving prizes as Patrick and Yolande - beating Corrie fan favourites Lisa Swain and Carla Connor, affectionately known as Swarla, to the Best On-Screen Partnership award.
The Walford based soap also collected the Comedy Performance gongs and Villain of the Year.
In a major blow to Coronation Street, only David Neilson picked up the Outstanding Achievement Award as Roy Cropper which was presented to him by by his on-screen wife Julie Hesmondhalgh.
Hollyoaks managed to win three awards with Isabelle Smith winning as Best Newcomer with The Osbourne family taking home Best Family and the sibling sexual abuse storyline being named Best Storyline.
Emmerdale managed just two awards with Amelia Flanagan beating her Corrie star brother Will to the Best Young Performer prize.
Mike Plant, one of the show's camera operators, picked up the prestigious off-screen Tony Warren Award accolade for his contributions to the soap behind the scenes.
ITV's crushing defeats come amid a period of unrest backstage at the shows.
Both Corrie and Emmerdale have lost a number of stars over the past 12 months amid cuts at the channel.
In particular, Coronation Street has faced increasing criticism of its far-fetched storylines and dwindling viewer interest in many of its plots.
Fans will be able to see all the reaction from the ceremony held at the Hackney Empire during the broadcast of the ceremony this Thursday evening on ITV.
5
5
5
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
14 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Coronation Street star sensationally quits after a year on the cobbles as fans left devastated over exit
A whole host of famous faces have all either been axed or walked away from the soap over the past 12 months another one! Coronation Street star sensationally quits after a year on the cobbles as fans left devastated over exit Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A CORONATION Street star has confirmed he has quit the show and his final scenes have already aired. Taking to Instagram yesterday, bad boy Logan actor Harry Lowbridge revealed he was officially waving goodbye to the character after less than a year on the ITV soap opera. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Corrie actor Harry Lowbridge has bid farewell to the soap as Logan Credit: Instagram 5 The star confirmed his exit on social media Credit: Instagram 5 Logan is currently banged up in jail Credit: Instagram Logan arrived on the Street as one of the menacing brothers of Mason Radcliffe - who eventually died following a period of sibling bullying hell. Logan and his brother Matty were later jailed for their part in their other brother's death but it soon emerged they could have also played a role in the death of DS Lisa Swain's partner, Becky. The character was back on screens this week from his prison cell as the storyline continued to develop but it now seems that his time in Weatherfield is done for good. Alongside a selection of snaps from his time on the Street, Logan actor Harry simply said: 'Farewell Logan. It's been a blast x.' He originally joined the show 11 months ago in September. Harry's followers - including his co-stars - took to the comments section underneath the post to praise the actor following his exit. Fellow Corrie star Sydney Martin wrote: 'Smashed it.' While another follower penned: 'Fantastic.' And Liam McCheyne, who plays Dylan Wilson on the ITV soap, posted a string of applauding hand emojis. Logan went on play a central role in the soap's horrific knife crime storyline as he fatally stabbed his younger brother Mason during a fight at the precinct. Coronation Street villain reveals he's QUIT soap and his dramatic final scenes have already aired The character has continued to appear on screen from behind bars as part of the ongoing police corruption storyline involving DS Lisa Swain, who is trying to find out why her wife Becky Swain was murdered. Both Carla Connor (Alison King) and Betsy Swain (Sydney Martin) have visited Logan on separate occasions in an attempt to find out what he knows about the death of Lisa's wife. Logan is the latest character to reveal to have left after it was confirmed that the show would be axing 1 in 10 cast members amid a bloodbath and budget cuts. Sally Ann Matthews was axed from her role of Jenny Bradley after 39 years. Her exit came amid backstage troubles with the actress notably discussing the show in a less than favourable manner during a late-night live-streaming session. Prior to the confirmation of her booting, it was revealed that soap chiefs had also axed Daniel Brocklebank from his role of Billy Mayhew. The soap has been rocked by exits over the last 12 months with Sue Devaney (Debbie Webster), Shelley King (Yasmeen Metcalfe), Paddy Bever (Max Turner), Colson Smith (PC Craig Tinker) and Luca Toolan (Mason Radcliffe) also axed from their roles. Helen Worth (Gail Platt), Sue Cleaver (Eileen Grimshaw), Charlotte Jordan (Daisy Midgeley) and Adam Hussain (Aadi Alahan) also all chose to quit their roles on the show. Soap's most harrowing teen storylines We take a look at other harrowing teen soap storylines from soaps Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks. Belle Dingle's schizophrenia in Emmerdale - Belle's (Eden Taylor-Draper) traumatic journey in Emmerdale took a dark turn when, after accidentally killing her best friend Gemma at just 16, her mental health began to spiral. The storyline, which saw Belle struggling with her grief and guilt, showcased her battle with hearing Gemma's voice inside her head, leading to a dramatic decline in her well-being. Hannah Ashworth's anorexia in Hollyoaks - Viewers were horrified as they watched Hannah (Emma Rigby), a seemingly innocent teen, spiral into dangerous behavior, starving herself in an attempt to achieve what she thought was the ideal body. As Hannah's condition worsened, the storyline became more intense, culminating in her being hospitalised for two months as she fought for her life. Bethany Platt's grooming ordeal in Coronation Street - Vulnerable schoolgirl, played by Lucy Fallon, was at the centre of one of Corrie's darkest storylines to date when she fell under the spell of her older boyfriend and sexual predator. The controversial scenes saw Nathan groom and manipulate the 16-year-old before coercing her into sleeping with his friends, with one of them raping her. Whitney Dean's abuse from Tony in EastEnders - Since the age of 12, she had been in a twisted relationship with her stepmum Bianca's boyfriend, Tony King. The predator had groomed young Whit (Shona McGarty), making her believe she was in love and planning to run away with him. On her 16th birthday, the traumatised teen finally revealed the years of abuse to Bianca. Tony was swiftly sent to prison sentenced for 13 years. 5 He shared a series of posts from his time on the show Credit: Instagram
BBC News
14 minutes ago
- BBC News
I no dey identify as Nigerian again
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch say she no dey identify herself as Nigerian and she say, she never renew her passport since early 2000s. Na UK Badenoch parent born her, but she grow up for both Nigeria and US. She return to England at di age of 16 because of Nigeria political and economic climate wahala, so she go back to continue her education. For former MP and television presenter Gyls Brandreth Rosebud podcast, she say she be "Nigerian through my ancestors" but "by identity, I no really be Nigerian". Last year, Nigeria vice-president bin criticise Badenoch, im say she dey "attack" di West African country. Badenoch, wey bin live for Lagos, tok well-well about her upbringing for di podcast. "I know di country very well, I get a lot of family dia, and I dey very interested for wetin dey hapun dia," she tok. "But home na wia my family dey now." On dis issue of renewing her passport, she say: "I no dey identify wit am (she mean di Nigerian passport). Most of my life na for UK and I no tink say I need am." She add say: "I be Nigerian through my ancestors, by birth, even though dem no born me dia, because of my parents... but by identity, not really." Badenoch say wen she visit di country wen her father die, she bin need to get visa, according to her, di process "bin get as e bi". She say her early experiences for Nigeria shape her political outlook, including "why I no like socialism". As a child, "I remember say I no feel like say I belong dia", she tok as she add say "wen I come back to di UK for 1996, I feel say: dis na home". Di Tory leader add put say di reason she bin return back to UK na "a very sad one". "My parents bin reason am say: 'No future for you for dis country'." She say she neva experience racial issue for UK "in any meaningful form", she add say: "I know say I dey go place wia I go look different to everybody, and I no tink say e dey odd. "Wetin I find interesting na say di pipo no treat me differently, and na why I dey quick to defend di UK whenever di issue of racism come up." At di end of last year, some pipo bin criticise Badenoch sake of wetin she tok say she bin grow up in fear and insecurity for Nigeria during di time wen di kontri bin dey face serious corruption issues. Di country vice-president Kashim Shettima respond say im govment dey "proud" of Badenoch "in spite of her efforts to attack her nation of origin". Tok-tok pesin for Badenoch bin reject di criticism.
The Sun
14 minutes ago
- The Sun
Love Island's Tommy reveals bosses staged fake scenes to cover up luxury treat for Islanders
LOVE Island's Tommy Bradley has opened up about his time in the villa – including the things the show tweaked for the cameras. The dumped islander, who split from Lucy Quinn just days after leaving the villa this year, joined GK Barry on her podcast, Saving Grace, to spill the deets. 5 5 5 During the chat, Grace grilled him on the things that were hidden from the cameras, and noted that she noticed Toni had changed up her nails, making her realise there were scenes outside the villa. Tommy then explained: "They [the girls] get their nails done on the same day we had our hair cut, but in my five and a half weeks there, I only had two haircuts. So the girls got their nails done twice." "Here's another secret as well. When we got our hair cut, obviously it would have thrown off the viewers a little bit, like 'how've they got haircuts?'" However, the team seemingly had a plan to keep this going. "So they made us pretend to cut each other's hair," he revealed. "It might be in a little montage of getting ready, so I'll get Connor to sit down, and I'll just get my razor and pretend to be cutting his hair. "I used to do it [with the razor] on, but then I cut a bit of his hair once and he went mad. I thought, sorry, I'll turn it off". Tommy lasted just over a month in the villa before being given his marching orders – arriving on the show as one of the original islanders. While he initially started up a romance with Megan Forte Clarke, things turned south when she decided to ditch him in favour of getting to know Conor Phillips. Although he tried to get to know bombshell Emily Moran, he eventually ditched her for Lucy Quinn during the Casa Amor twist – with Emily being dumped as a result. Love Island fans slam dumped villa boy as they spot moment his 'mask slipped' in 'nasty' rant Unfortunately, this new pairing didn't prove popular among their cast mates, and when rival couple Shakira and Ty were given the power to dump a couple, Tommy and Lucy were told to go. The pair split shortly after their return, 5 5
