Julie Hesmondhalgh reveals secret Celebrity Traitors alliance

Julie Hesmondhalgh has revealed the deep bonds she formed with Romesh Ranganathan and Ross Kemp during her time on Celebrity Traitors. The 56-year-old actress, best known for playing Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street between 1998 and 2014, was the third person banished from the 2026 series as a Faithful.

She described an off-screen alliance with the comedian and the documentary presenter. Julie Hesmondhalgh said: "The three of us were a very unlikely little threesome. I adored Ross, too." She called Romesh Ranganathan and Ross Kemp her first friends in the castle and her closest pals, stating that the friendships formed quickly due to the unique environment. The show strips away status, she explained, and contestants spend significant time traveling together off-camera without being able to discuss the game, which accelerates connections. She believes she made friends for life.

The secret alliance that wasn't shown

Julie Hesmondhalgh confirmed she formed a secret alliance with Romesh Ranganathan and Ross Kemp that was never broadcast. A superfan of the show who had watched every iteration, including the New Zealand version, she said she could not refuse the invitation to join. She described Romesh Ranganathan as one of the greatest human beings, noting they were in the castle together from the very start.

While psychological support is provided to contestants, she admitted nothing fully prepares you for the experience. She also revealed that producers edited out the real reason for her banishment, a detail later corroborated by fellow contestant James Acaster.

Emotional reflections on trust and loss

Hesmondhalgh was touched that fellow contestants trusted her with personal stories during the show. She was voted the most trusted person among the Celebrity Traitors cast. Reflecting on her own career, she described her exit from Coronation Street as a 'real tearjerker' but said she has no regrets about leaving to explore new options. She stated that the short storyline about Roy Cropper falling for her character Hayley accidentally became a key plot that got people talking.

She also spoke on broader issues, expressing that trans rights have gone backwards. Her career includes roles in queer favourites such as Cucumber, Banana, and Doctor Who. She felt mentally the same age as younger contestants like Bella Ramsey and Sebastian Croft but realized she is not.

Looking ahead to new projects

Julie Hesmondhalgh will next appear as Sister Alice in the Call the Midwife: Sisters In Arms Christmas special. The three-part prequel is set during the Second World War and includes storylines about unwanted pregnancies, sex work, and life before the NHS. She said she became very invested in the show and called it one of the happiest jobs she has done.

She appears as the cover star of the latest Good Housekeeping UK issue. Celebrity Traitors airs Thursday and Friday at 8 pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. She described her time on the reality show as 'extraordinary' and is married to writer Ian Kershaw, with whom she has two grown-up daughters.