After weeks of suspense, plots and sabotage, The Celebrity Traitors has reached a thrilling end

Warning: spoilers ahead - This article discloses details from Celebrity Traitors finale

Over the course of the show, audiences saw murders, betrayals, intense glares, and an unforgettable incident that cut through all tension.

However on the final evening, the final winner of the inaugural celebrity edition emerged triumphant.

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

Before long, the field narrowed to just three: the final players.

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

"This has been destroying me, my apologies," he declared, admitting to the remaining faithfuls that he'd always been one of the deceivers. "I'm an awful human being."

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

Online platforms immediately exploded with this development. "Most awful traitor ever being the best traitor ever," wrote one user.

"There could not have been a more iconic ending," wrote a different person, while a third called it "the television highlight of the year."

His chosen charity, a cancer charity, gets to keep all the prize money, with the total amount amounting to eighty-seven thousand five hundred pounds.

Alan Carr's transformation from giggle liability to cold-hearted killer was one of the standout highlights of the series.

But his win still left the nation surprised, as noted by entertainment reporters.

"The thought of him, among everyone, pulling off an expert performance in deceit felt just as probable as him keeping a straight face through one of his own punchlines."

On subsequent discussions, the other contestants summed up why no one had truly doubted him.

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

"Most people didn't target him because how does one eliminate a person so charming?" questioned another celebrity.

Carr said he had "thoroughly enjoyed" his experience with the show.

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

Thursday evening's installment was extended to 70 minutes on the network. There was an unusual opening than usual, as every celebrity were aware who'd make it at the morning gathering.

There was some very uplifting, and very un-Traitors-esque soundtrack, as we recapped key scenes from every remaining player's experience in the game.

True to form, Alan Carr gave us some of the most memorable lines.

"To be honest, I started the competition as something of an anxious mess. I've betrayed some really good friends to save myself, I've murdered beloved figures in plain sight. Apparently I'm a better liar and player than I thought."

At the same time, another contestant commented that reaching the conclusion was "way more stressful than playing for a national team", while another said he was "completely amazed" to have made it so far.

Early on of the finale, various contestants seemed to be attempting to become the fashion standout of the castle, replacing an earlier departed fashionable contestant.

Carr emerged at the morning meal looking like a 1950s US chat show host in patterned burgundy attire, before changing into an embellished light-colored outfit.

But he was outstyled by a fellow player's maroon velvet tuxedo. What a look.

Following this was the challenge, with the final players boarding a train named - naturally - The Deceivers' Railway.

This task saw them destroying images of former contestants. Spare a thought for one participant who was hit in the head THREE times by the lid of a heavy wooden box.

Before long, the moment arrived for the roundtable.

The deceivers did a pinky promise in advance, vowing to support each other. "We've progressed significantly, I'm not going to throw him under a bus," stated one, while their partner just giggled.

However, one did stick to his promise. But, having slipped unnoticed for the majority of the competition, the other still received the majority elimination votes.

The last deceiver looked like to be experiencing significant distress to be the last traitor standing. "Now I'm on my own, I'm frightened," he said. "I'm a loose cannon, without direction."

Social media and onlookers were similarly upset.

"I did NOT want that player to be eliminated. An endearing deceiver," commented an observer.

"Your legacy will remain in Traitors history," wrote another user.

However, there remained no time to focus on their elimination. Before long, the game reached the final stage - this being what we were really all here for.

The final four stood over the ceremonial fire. Meanwhile, the partnership broke down, just when it was most crucial, in a truly WTF moment.

A player was painfully banished - after a shock vote from their ally, who betrayed them.

"This pains me to be betrayed at the final moment like that," said the ousted contestant. Later, we learned that when they message, the eliminated contestant refers to the other as a traitor.

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

One player, appearing quite pleased, voted to end the competition. The same decision was made by another, and everything depended on the final participant, who made the identical choice - which meant that the traitor was the winner.

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

Happily, the winner quickly regained composure from his bout of tears, and could finally appreciate his victory.

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

And he even joked about the memorable elimination - his close ally in an early episode - by leaning toward the presenter in the final scene and touching her cheek.

"There's something on your face," he said, with his trademark giggle.

The last few weeks of celebrity gossiping, scheming and the occasional unexpected moments may feel like a bizarre fantasy. But it really did occur. It will be remembered fondly.