Following weeks of suspense, plots and sabotage, Celebrity Traitors has reached a thrilling finale

Warning: spoilers ahead - This piece reveals key moments from The Celebrity Traitors conclusion

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

Yet on the final evening, the final winner of the inaugural celebrity edition was revealed.

Out of 19 contestants, only five were left standing: Deceivers and faithfuls competing for the prize.

Before long, the competition tightened to only three contenders: the remaining contestants.

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

"It's been tearing me apart, my apologies," he exclaimed, admitting to the other players that he was actually a traitor. "I'm an awful human being."

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

Social media immediately exploded with this development. "The worst deceiver being the best traitor ever," wrote one user.

"There could not have been a better conclusion," stated another, while someone else described it as "the TV moment of the year."

His chosen charity, Neuroblastoma UK, will receive the entire winnings, with the final pot reaching eighty-seven thousand five hundred pounds.

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

But his win still shocked viewers in shock, as noted by industry observers.

"The idea of Alan, among everyone, executing an expert performance in deceit felt about as likely as him maintaining a straight face through one of his own punchlines."

During follow-up conversations, the other contestants explained the reasons nobody had ever really suspected him.

"Alan could have come down to the morning meal in traitor attire and I wouldn't have believed he was deceiving us. I was too busy laughing," a player said.

"The majority didn't target him because how can you vote for someone who is so loveable?" questioned another celebrity.

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

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

Thursday evening's episode was lengthened to 70 minutes on the network. It had a different start than usual, as every celebrity knew who would appear at the breakfast table.

Viewers heard some very uplifting, and very un-Traitors-esque music, as we recapped key scenes from each of the finalists' time in the castle.

As ever, the comedian gave us some of the most memorable lines.

"Let's face it, I started this game as something of an anxious mess. I've thrown close allies to save myself, I've eliminated beloved figures in plain sight. I'm clearly a better liar and player than I thought."

Meanwhile, a different player commented that being in the final was "way more stressful than competing with England", while someone else said he was "completely amazed" to have lasted this long.

In the beginning in the episode, various contestants appeared to be making a bid to become the new style icon 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.

However, he got outstyled by a fellow player's maroon velvet tuxedo. What a look.

Next up was the competition, with the final players boarding a locomotive called - of course - The Traitors Express.

This task saw them destroying portraits of former contestants. Spare a thought for one participant who managed to get hit on the head multiple times by the lid of a heavy wooden box.

Soon after, the moment arrived for the elimination discussion.

Two traitors did a pinky promise in advance, vowing to support each other. "We've progressed significantly, I'm not going to betray him," stated a player, while the other simply laughed.

And one did stick to their agreement. But, having slipped unnoticed for most of the game, the other still received the majority elimination votes.

The remaining traitor appeared he was in a world of pain to be the last traitor standing. "Being alone, I'm frightened," he said. "I'm a loose cannon, a rudderless ship."

Online platforms and viewers were equally disappointed.

"I hoped against this contestant to be banished. An endearing deceiver," said an observer.

"You will forever be remembered in Traitors history," posted a different viewer.

But there was little opportunity to dwell on this departure. Before long, they were at the endgame - this being the moment everyone anticipated.

The last players gathered around the fire pit. And the alliance collapsed, precisely when it mattered the most, in an absolutely shocking development.

One contestant was painfully banished - after a shock vote from their partner, who turned against them.

"It hurts to be stabbed in the back at the final moment in that manner," remarked the ousted contestant. Subsequently, it was revealed that if they ever communicate, the betrayed player refers to the other as a traitor.

Ultimately, just three players remained in the game: the final trio.

A contestant, looking incredibly smug, chose to conclude the competition. So did a different player, and it all came down to the final participant, who did the same - which meant that the deceiver was the winner.

According to commentators, the scene where remaining contestants consoled the champion was "compelling television". "I predict it will be a contender for outstanding scene at television honors," they said.

Fortunately, the champion soon recovered from his emotional outburst, and was able to enjoy the moment.

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

And he even joked about the memorable elimination - his close ally in an early episode - by reaching over the host in the final scene and making contact.

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

The recent episodes of famous people scheming, scheming and sometimes unexpected moments may feel like one big crazy jumbled dream. Yet it actually all happen. And we will miss it.