The new series of The Celebrity Traitors begins on Thursday 1 October at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The series will air two nights a week on Thursday and Friday.

Read more Celebrity Traitors interiews here.

Why are you taking part in The Celebrity Traitors?

Me and my family loved the first one. I watched it with the kids. It's first thing we watched as a family that we all enjoyed at the same time. We watched the final together on holiday and had a great time. So, the family are all behind me and really happy and supportive.

Do you enjoy playing games and are you competitive?

I wouldn't be the kind of person to go; let's all play a ball game. I'd probably be like, "do we have to?” That said, once I'm in it, I'll be competitive because there's no point doing the game if you don't want to win it. I think I'll just find the whole scenario hilarious because it's just so surreal to be around that group of people, and to be with a few people I know. Romesh, obviously everyone knows we’re such good friends, but Joe Lycett and James Acaster, I did gigs with them nearly 20 years ago, in pubs in Soho in front of eight people, and now all of a sudden we're in this situation. So, it's quite a reflective moment to consider this journey we’ve all gone on to now be on the biggest show on TV. Everyone wants to be on it, and we're very lucky to be here and to be here with friends and people that I've come through the ranks with and been able to confide in over the years. It's quite nice to see all of us here as grown-ups.

That’s really nice. At the same time, do you think you'd be able to betray any of them in the game?

Oh yes, if it’s part of the game. And I’d expect vice versa. If I get done, I get done. I'll be competitive, but if I get murdered or banished or whatever the situation is, of course I’ll be disappointed for a minute, and then I'll think, do you know what? I'm going home and I’ve got a couple of weeks off!

Do you want to be a Traitor or a Faithful?

Claudia knows who will be best suited to make it a great game, and I want it to be a great game. So, I'd happily be either. Claudia and the producers are the experts in this, not me, but I'm very happy to do both, and I’ve got no qualms about killing people off.

How would you describe your strategy in three words if you've got one?

In the moment.

Well, you do often have to be adaptable in this game…

Exactly. Do trust your gut in the moment because you can overthink and over prepare, and then what I've got is panicked rehearsed lines and that's not just in this game. In life, the best things I've ever said have never been planned. That's the case with my stand-up. Anything I prepare and write is always rubbish. The best stuff is what I write on stage, in the moment. Being on stage is like being at the Round Table. You're performing to an audience. And you're having to say things to get them to behave in a certain way.

Do you think you’d find it easier to deceive people or to defend yourself when questioned?

I think I'll be good at deflecting with humour naturally because that's what I've been trained to do. My problem is you know what I'm thinking by looking at my face. So, I think I'm in trouble because I tell everyone everything with my expressions alone…and then I am very chatty. If I have a big secret of being a Traitor, then I may just give it up straight away. I could be the fastest Traitor out in history. I'll probably just get a tap of the shoulder and get up and go: “You’ll never guess what just happened to me!” and off I go which actually could be a great moment. No, I wouldn't do that. But I don't know… You'll never know until you get in there. On the other hand, I'm very chatty and talk all the time, which I think could be helpful because it's constant information to people.

Are you going to be quite wary of the quiet ones?

That might be me to start off with. I think I'm going to try and keep my head down for the first couple of things, but if I feel like I have to respond to something I will. I'm not going in with a big strategy of I'm doing this and doing that if I'm this or that, I've got no plan.

Would you describe yourself as a leader, a team player or a lone wolf in this game?

I am visible at all times, everywhere I go, whatever I do. As much as I try telling myself maybe you just sit and breathe, Rob. I can't help it. I'm just always dragged into the middle of it. I'd say I'm a team player, and I like to look after people and not lead, but I like to make sure everyone's alright. I'm quite happy for someone to lead the group, and I'd be a part of that. And I’m certainly not a lone wolf. I'm too chatty to be a lone wolf. I can't. I'm not going to do alliances and all that. Let's see. ‘Will you be in an alliance?’ is like asking someone to go out on a date!

Have you got any hobbies we might not know about that could be useful in the game?

Really good at Lego. Really quick at that. Might help if there’s a puzzle… Really the only skill I’ve got is talking.

You’ve tried your hand at all sorts of challenges on Rob and Romesh Vs, you didn’t pick anything up there?

Yeah, but we’re rubbish at all of them. I'm comfortable being crap at things. I tell you what, my skill is being comfortable being crap at something on telly!

(Image: BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge)

Interview supplied by BBC