Following weeks of tension, plots and backstabbing, The Celebrity Traitors has reached a nail-biting end

Spoiler alert - This piece reveals details from Celebrity Traitors conclusion

Throughout the season, audiences saw murders, betrayals, intense glares, and an unforgettable incident that cut through all tension.

Yet on Thursday night, the final winner of the inaugural Celebrity Traitors emerged triumphant.

Out of 19 contestants, just a handful were left standing: Traitors and loyal players facing off for the winnings.

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

In the end, funny man Alan Carr was crowned the champion, in a surprising outcome that went viral and made him tearful.

"This has been destroying me, my apologies," he exclaimed, admitting to the remaining faithfuls that he'd always been a traitor. "I'm an awful human being."

"You played amazingly," they comforted him. "It's all right."

Social media quickly erupted with the news. "Most awful traitor ever being the best traitor ever," wrote one user.

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

The organization he selected, a cancer charity, gets to keep the entire winnings, with the final pot amounting to £87,500.

Alan Carr's transformation from comic relief to strategic player was one of the standout highlights of the series.

However, his victory still left the nation surprised, according to industry observers.

"The thought of him, among everyone, pulling off a masterclass in deception felt about as likely as him keeping composure through one of his own punchlines."

During follow-up conversations, fellow players summed up the reasons nobody had truly doubted him.

"Alan could have appeared to the morning meal in a green cloak and I still wouldn't have thought he was deceiving us. I was too busy laughing," a player said.

"Most people didn't target him because how does one vote for a person so loveable?" asked another celebrity.

Carr said he had "absolutely loved" his experience with the program.

"I'd like to do it again... I doubt it would work again!"

The final episode was lengthened to 70 minutes on television. It had an unusual opening than usual, as every celebrity were aware who'd make it at the breakfast table.

There was particularly inspiring, and atypical for the show soundtrack, as we recapped key scenes from every remaining player's experience in the game.

As ever, the comedian gave us unforgettable quotes.

"Let's face it, I started this game a bit of an anxious mess. I've thrown 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 being in the final was "way more stressful than playing for a national team", while someone else said he was "totally surprised" to have lasted this long.

Early on in the episode, various contestants seemed to be making a bid to become the new style icon of the competition, taking over from an earlier departed fashionable contestant.

Carr emerged at breakfast looking like a vintage television personality in patterned burgundy attire, before changing into an embellished light-colored outfit.

However, he got out-jacketted by another contestant's burgundy formal wear. What a look.

Following this was the competition, with the final players getting on board a train named - of course - The Traitors Express.

This task saw them ripping up portraits of eliminated players. Have sympathy for one participant who managed to get hit on the head THREE times by the lid of a substantial container.

Soon after, the moment arrived for the elimination discussion.

Two traitors did a pinky promise in advance, pledging to support each other. "We've come a long way, I won't throw him under a bus," stated a player, while the other simply laughed.

And one adhered to their agreement. But, having slipped under the radar for most of the game, their partner still received the majority elimination votes.

The last deceiver looked like to be experiencing a world of pain to be the final deceiver remaining. "Being alone, I feel terrified," he said. "I'm a loose cannon, without direction."

Social media and onlookers were equally disappointed.

"I hoped against that player to be banished. An endearing deceiver," said an observer.

"You will forever be remembered in the show's legacy," posted another user.

However, there remained little opportunity to dwell on their elimination. Soon, the game reached the endgame - this being what we were really all here for.

The last players gathered around the fire pit. And the alliance collapsed, precisely when it mattered the most, in a truly WTF moment.

A player was eliminated in dramatic fashion - after a shock vote from their ally, who betrayed them.

"This pains me to be betrayed last minute in that manner," remarked the ousted contestant. Later, it was revealed that if they ever communicate, the eliminated contestant refers to their former ally by a betrayer's name.

Finally, just three players remained in the game: the last participants.

A contestant, appearing quite pleased, voted to end the game. So did another, and it all came down to the third, who did the same - which meant that the deceiver emerged victorious.

For observers, the scene where the other players consoled the winner was "beautiful TV". "I anticipate it will be in the running for memorable moment at next year's awards," they commented.

Happily, the champion soon recovered from his bout of tears, and could finally appreciate his victory.

"Such an emotional journey. I thought I was terrible at deception, my expressions gave me away and here I am a winner," he said.

He also made light of the memorable elimination - his close ally during the initial stages - by reaching over the host in the final scene and making contact.

"There's something on your face," he said, with his characteristic laugh.

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