Celebrity Traitors winners face right-wing backlash after donating prize to refugee and LGBTQ+ charities
Sebastian Croft and Romesh Ranganathan were crowned joint winners of the BBC reality series on Friday
By Callum Wells
The Celebrity Traitors‘ winners have faced backlash after donating their £83,000 prize fund to refugee charities, including one supporting LGBTQ+ refugees and displaced people.
Actor Sebastian Croft and comedian Romesh Ranganathan were crowned joint winners of the BBC reality series on Friday (30 October), with each donating their £41,500 share to a charity of their choice.
Croft, best known for playing Ben Hope in Heartstopper, opted for Choose Love, a humanitarian organisation supporting refugees and displaced people, particularly LGBTQ+ people forced to flee persecution.
Ranganathan, meanwhile, selected the Refugee Council, which supports people seeking safety and rebuilding their lives in the UK.
Why have The Celebrity Traitors winners faced backlash over their prize donations?
However, their decisions prompted criticism from right-wing figures on social media.
“The end of #CelebrityTraitors was the most BBC thing EVER,” TALK presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer wrote on X.
“Because of COURSE the two winners are donating their winnings – our licence fee money – to a charity for refugees and a charity for ‘queer’ refugees.”
“I’m pretty sure the refugee charities don’t need the #CelebrityTraitors winnings” – TALK presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer
Hartley-Brewer subsequently questioned whether the charities needed the additional funding, writing: “I’m pretty sure the refugee charities don’t need the #CelebrityTraitors winnings.”
I’m pretty sure the refugee charities don’t need the #CelebrityTraitors winnings. As the excellent @CharlotteCGill has been documenting for many months, these charities are already well funded by unsuspecting taxpayers to the tune of MILLIONS
— Julia Hartley-Brewer (@JuliaHB1) October 30, 2026
She also shared a post from journalist Charlotte Gill, who criticised the decision to donate to the two organisations rather than smaller charities.
“Omg Bash gave his money to CHOOSE LOVE – ‘for queer refugees and displaced people’ – and Romesh donated his to the Refugee Council,” Gill wrote.
“They do not need the money. So many small, struggling charities could have done with the help and publicity!”
“Those charity choices just ruined that whole game…” – one user on X
Other viewers also took issue with the donations, with some arguing that the money should have supported British people experiencing homelessness or military veterans.
One viewer wrote: “Those charity choices just ruined that whole game…”
Another said: “As a licence fee payers, I’m disappointed to see that neither chose to support charities that support British people.”
However, the criticism was met with a wave of support for the winners, with many viewers praising their decision to support refugees and displaced people.
Viewers defend Sebastian Croft and Romesh Ranganathan
Journalist Emily Bashforth was among those celebrating the donation, writing on X: “The entire £83,000 #CelebrityTraitors prize fund going towards supporting refugees and queer displaced people feels bloody wonderful in such wretched times marked by fearmongering and inhumane politics.”
The entire £83,000 #CelebrityTraitors prize fund going towards supporting refugees and queer displaced people feels bloody wonderful in such wretched times marked by fearmongering and inhumane politics – even more so knowing there will be many right-wingers enraged by that. ❤️ https://t.co/hx0bnlDGkV
— Em (@EmilyJBashforth) October 30, 2026
Another viewer wrote: “Cue right wing meltdown as a man of Asian heritage and a gay guy win #CelebrityTraitors and donate their winnings to refugee charities.”
One further post read: “A child of immigration and a queer kid winning £83k and donating it to refugees – we LOVE to see it!!! #CelebrityTraitors.”