At a glance

Richard E. Grant, despite being the first to leave the BBC's "The Celebrity Traitors," gained 277,000 Instagram followers in a month, generating £1.4 million in media value. This surge in followers highlights his growing commercial appeal and potential for future brand collaborations. The research also shows that television exposure can significantly boost social media presence and value for celebrities.

Richard E. Grant gained 277,000 Instagram followers in a month as new Kolsquare research reveals the social media success of Celebrity Traitors stars and their growing commercial appeal.

Richard E. Grant may have been the first contestant banished from The Celebrity Traitors, but the actor has emerged as an Instagram success story, generating an estimated £1.4 million in media value as his social media following soars.

New research from influencer marketing intelligence platform Kolsquare reveals that the 69-year-old actor gained an astonishing 276,900 Instagram followers in just one month, an increase of 21.48%, taking his audience to 1.29 million. His follower growth accelerated dramatically around the BBC programme’s launch in early October, suggesting that his brief appearance on the hit reality show has introduced him to a substantial new audience.

Despite being the first celebrity to leave the castle, Grant generated the highest Instagram media value among his fellow stars. The actor also got  20.35 million Instagram views and 557,850 engagements during the reporting period, more than twice the engagement volume generated by Ross Kemp, who ranked second for estimated media value among those analysed.

From television star to influencer favourite?

Grant’s growing social media appeal could also open up lucrative new commercial opportunities.

Kolsquare’s analysis of his Instagram profile identified just one sponsored brand collaboration in the previous six months, with British fashion label Holland Cooper in September. One of the campaign’s Instagram Reels generated an estimated £17,800 in media value, attracting 251,000 views and more than 5,000 engagements.

With his Instagram audience expanding rapidly, Grant could become an increasingly attractive proposition for brands looking to work with recognisable personalities who appeal to audiences beyond the traditional influencer demographic.

Alicia Van Der Meer, UK Marketing Manager for Kolsquare, says: “Richard E. Grant is a brilliant example of why brands shouldn’t overlook established celebrities when developing influencer marketing campaigns. His extraordinary audience growth demonstrates how television exposure can introduce familiar personalities to entirely new audiences. With relatively few commercial partnerships to date, he could represent an exciting opportunity for brands looking for authenticity, personality and cross-generational appeal.”

Ross Kemp and Joanne McNally perform well on Instagram

Grant isn’t the only Celebrity Traitors contestant generating substantial social media value.

Ross Kemp generated approximately £997,000 in media value from an audience of just 243,000 Instagram followers. The former EastEnders actor and documentary presenter attracted 19.73 million views and 272,010 engagements, demonstrating that a relatively modest follower count can still deliver considerable visibility.

Comedian Joanne McNally generated £777,000 in media value, 10.27 million views and 238,930 engagements. Joe Lycett follows closely with £757,000, while Miranda Hart generated approximately £647,000.

Interestingly, Lycett achieved the highest engagement rate among the five leading performers, at 2.57%, compared with Grant’s 2.03%. Miranda Hart also recorded a strong engagement rate of 2.47%, suggesting that Grant’s dominance in overall media value doesn’t necessarily translate into the highest proportion of audience interaction.

Maya Jama, who has the largest Instagram following among the contestants analysed at 3.39 million, generated approximately £545,000 in media value, considerably less than Grant despite having more than twice his audience.

James Blunt leads the way on TikTok

While Instagram dominates the selected contestants’ social media activity, TikTok tells a different story. Singer James Blunt generated the highest TikTok media value among the contestants analysed, at approximately £3,640, followed by Maya Jama (£1,700), Amol Rajan (£1,600) and Romesh Ranganathan (£1,300).

The figures reflect activity on the selected contestants’ own accounts rather than the wider conversation surrounding The Celebrity Traitors, including fan videos, reaction clips and content published by broadcasters.

The commercial power of Celebrity Traitors

The findings illustrate how appearances on major television programmes can boost social media growth, even for contestants whose screen time is limited.

For brands, the research also demonstrates that the commercial potential of celebrity influencers cannot be judged by follower numbers alone.

Grant’s rapid audience growth, high engagement volume and comparatively limited history of sponsored partnerships suggest that his post-Traitors popularity could make him an interesting prospect for future brand collaborations. And while his time in the castle may have ended almost as soon as it began, his social media success appears to be continuing long after his banishment. ENDS

Editorial insight

Richard E. Grant’s surge in Instagram value following his early exit from The Celebrity Traitors highlights the potential for established celebrities to reach new audiences through mainstream television exposure. The latest data from Kolsquare indicates that even brief appearances on high-profile reality shows can translate into significant social media gains, offering brands an alternative to traditional influencer partnerships.

For marketers and agencies, these findings reinforce the commercial appeal of familiar personalities who can engage audiences beyond typical influencer demographics. With limited prior brand collaborations and a rapidly growing online following, Grant’s profile exemplifies how television can rejuvenate celebrity influence in the digital space, creating new opportunities for brand engagement.

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