After weeks of suspense, plots and sabotage, The Celebrity Traitors concludes with a thrilling end

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

Throughout the season, audiences saw eliminations, double-crosses, serious side-eye, and an unforgettable incident that pierced the overwhelming suspense.

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

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

Soon, the field narrowed to only three contenders: the final players.

In the end, funny man Alan Carr emerged as the winner, in a shocking outcome that broke the internet and made him tearful.

"It's been tearing me apart, I'm so sorry," he exclaimed, revealing to the other players that he was actually a traitor. "I feel terrible about this."

"You played amazingly," they comforted him. "Everything's fine."

Social media immediately exploded with the news. "Most awful traitor ever being the best traitor ever," commented one user.

"There could not have been a more iconic ending," stated a different person, while someone else called it "the TV moment of the year."

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

Alan Carr's transformation from comic relief to cold-hearted killer was one of the standout highlights of the season.

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

"The thought of him, among everyone, executing an expert performance in deceit felt about as likely as him maintaining a straight face through his comedy routines."

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

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

"The majority didn't vote for him because how can you eliminate a person so charming?" questioned another celebrity.

Carr said he had "thoroughly enjoyed" his time on the program.

"I want to participate once more... I don't think it would be successful again!"

The final installment was extended to 70 minutes on television. There was a different start than typical episodes, as all the celebs were aware who'd make it at the morning gathering.

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 some of the most memorable lines.

"To be honest, I began the competition a bit of a nervous wreck. I've betrayed close allies under the bus, I've murdered national treasures openly. Apparently I'm a better liar and player than I believed."

At the same time, a different player noted that reaching the conclusion was "significantly more pressure than competing with England", while another said he was "totally surprised" to have made it so far.

In the beginning in the episode, several players seemed to be attempting to become the fashion standout of the castle, taking over from an earlier departed fashionable contestant.

The winner appeared at breakfast looking like a 1950s US chat show host in patterned burgundy attire, before changing into an embellished light-colored outfit.

But he was out-jacketted by a fellow player's maroon velvet tuxedo. Impressive style.

Next up was the challenge, with the final players boarding a train named - of course - The Deceivers' Railway.

This task involved destroying portraits of former contestants. Have sympathy for a player who managed to get hit in the head multiple times by the lid of a heavy wooden box.

Soon after, it was time for the roundtable.

The deceivers made a pact in advance, vowing to stick together. "We've come a long way, I'm not going to betray him," stated one, while the other simply laughed.

And one did stick to his promise. But, having slipped under the radar for the majority of the competition, their partner still received the majority elimination votes.

The last deceiver appeared he was in significant distress to be the last traitor standing. "Now I'm on my own, I'm frightened," he said. "I'm unpredictable, without direction."

Online platforms and onlookers were equally disappointed.

"I hoped against this contestant to be eliminated. An endearing deceiver," said a commentator.

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

However, there remained no time to dwell on their elimination. Soon, they were at the final stage - this being what we were really all here for.

The last players stood over the fire pit. Meanwhile, the partnership broke down, precisely when it was most crucial, in a truly WTF moment.

A player was painfully banished - following a surprising decision 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, it was revealed that if they ever communicate, the eliminated contestant refers to the other by a betrayer's name.

Ultimately, only three contestants were still competing: the last participants.

A contestant, appearing quite pleased, chose to conclude the game. So did another, and everything depended on the third, who did the same - resulting in the deceiver emerged victorious.

According to commentators, the moment where the other players consoled the winner was "beautiful TV". "I anticipate it could be in the running for memorable moment at next year's awards," they said.

Fortunately, the winner quickly regained composure from his bout of tears, and was able to enjoy his victory.

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

And he even joked about the memorable elimination - his close ally during the initial stages - by leaning toward the host 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, scheming and the occasional unexpected moments may feel like one big crazy jumbled dream. But it really did occur. It will be remembered fondly.