‘Strictly is wounded’: Why Celebrity Traitors is the golden ticket for stars
The I Paper
Celebrity representative Mark Borkowski agreed. “Strictly is wounded, especially with the anchors exiting before they rust,” he said. “Traitors is a format that allows talent to shine.”
Carr’s fellow finalists are benefiting from the exposure. The new album from Traitor Cat Burns, released this week, is soaring up the charts.
The BBC hopes Traitors-deprived fans will follow Prof David Olusoga’s new series on the British Empire, which launches on BBC Two on Friday night.
Who are the ‘real winners’ of Celebrity Traitors? Unpacking the future of TV’s most talked about cast
The Radio Times
In a final showdown, the comedian managed to convince remaining Faithfuls Nick Mohammed and David Olusoga that he too was a Faithful, forcing them to end the game before managing to take all of the money for his chosen charity.
But despite winning the show, it won’t just be Alan people think of when it comes to The Celebrity Traitors, and indeed he won’t be the only winner of the bunch despite holding the title.
In fact, they’re all winners, according to PR expert Mark Borkowski.
Aside from the handful of players that were either banished or murdered in the game quite early on, Borkowski sees particularly Cat Burns and Joe Marler truly excelling after the BBC One series.
“Joe Marler seems to be on everything and anything, anytime you see him on The Wheel, he’s sticking, so clearly he’s got a good agent to get him into that role,” Borkowski told RadioTimes.com. “He’s got a very strong personality.”
He continued: “But I think everybody’s a winner in this series. It’s about visibility. It’s no different from other reality shows like I’m a Celebrity, and even Big Brother in the day, the celebrity versions. I’m a Celebrity is the best example of that. The more exposure that you have, the more of your personality, or your perceived personality is pushed out.”
“So with the BBC, [it’s] the same love that is shown from Strictly or whatever, they know that they can actually develop programmes or put people in those programmes, that they know they’re going to get eyeballs on in an age where there isn’t a linear audience that once was.”
The Celebrity Traitors has proven to be its own cultural phenomenon, with 11.7 million viewers and counting having tuned in for the first episode alone, making it the biggest unscripted episode across the UK market since 2022.
With so many eyes on a programme with a variety of famous faces, Borkowski argues it has only “doubled down” on the importance of having some of these stars on television, including Claudia Winkleman.
“That’s why Claudia has left [Strictly], because she’s helming lots of statistics,” he explained. “I read one in four people are watching it across the country. So it’s doubled down on her importance, and why does she want to be shackled to a 20-year-old format where [now] she can capitalise on the hot format at the moment and actually go into other things?”
Borkowski noted that the “biggest stars” from the series are ultimately the lesser known amongst some demographics, notably Cat Burns.
“Cat has got a recording career, I guess, but it’s all the other people who’ve come forward in a format that isn’t trivial, like suddenly things like eating bugs or dancing your way around a dance floor,” Borkowski told RadioTimes.com
“It is something that actually shows intellect. David Olusoga, you know, all these Nick Mohammeds, they’re all going to be vital collateral, and it’s going to give, in an age where TV executives can’t make their decisions about something, it identifies that they have an audience.”
Amidst rumours of chat shows for cast members and revivals for others, Borkowski explained that speculation will undoubtedly happen.
He said: “All of us, publicists or agents or whatever, social media managers, they are creating content in the now. One of the biggest pieces that is going to generate a conversation is speculation. What will they do next? That speculation is no different from a politician testing out public opinion on a radical policy.
“It’s no different. It’s ‘let’s land this and see what people do’. So that’s a message, not just to the public, but it’s also message to the TV bosses to see the reaction, and of course, now the down page comments and social media reaction. You’ve got a research facility.”
The News Review: The Traitors final, Meghan’s return and Andrew’s impact on the Royal’s reputation
PR Moment
Welcome to the PRmoment podcast. Today, we’re joined by Angie Moxham, founder of 3 Monkeys and Fourth Angel and Mark Borkowski, founder of Borkowski PR and PR commentator.
In this new show Mark, Angie and PRmoment founder Ben Smith review the biggest news stories of the week from a PR perspective and this week we’re talking about Traitors, Meghan Markle’s return to acting and whether the Royal Family can survive Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s scandal in the long term.
The News Review: The Traitors final, Meghan’s return… | PRmoment.com
The smile that says, ‘Hollywood here I come!’: Meghan is seen on set for the first time filming new comedy movie where she plays HERSELF
Daily Mail
Mark Borkowski, one of Britain’s leading PR gurus, said the timing of her appearance on set is intriguing given William is in Brazil promoting and celebrating his Earthshot Prize.
‘It’s not just dusting off her craft. It is trying to seize control’, Mr Borkowski said.
‘Andrew has been stripped of all his titles, palace in a mess trying to sanitise it all, and meanwhile Harry and Meghan have faded. When silence sets in someone like Meghan knows when it is time to make a move.
‘She is a magnet for attention, whether people like or loath her. It’s a reminder she can make headlines without lifting a finger’.
The photo that will haunt the Beckham family forever
The Telegraph
Sir David must surely, then, be feeling especially sad about Brooklyn’s absence from his knighthood celebrations – “just as any of us would if a loved one chose not to be with us”, says public relations expert Mark Borkowski.
He adds: “The knighthood is something David has worked for desperately. He has his family behind him, that’s very important to him, and I’m sure he would have been expecting them all to be with him before this row happened. Sadly, it appears the wounds are just too deep for a rapprochement.”
The photo that will haunt David and Victoria Beckham forever
Why Celebrity Traitors hosting gig has “doubled down” on the importance of Claudia Winkleman
The Radio Times
Public relations agent Mark Borkowski exclusively told RadioTimes.com that through the sheer enormity of people tuning in to watch The Traitors, with consolidated figures suggesting that one in four British adults have been watching the celebrity series, it has “doubled down on her importance”.
“That’s why Claudia has left because she’s helming lots of statistics,” he explained. “I read one in four people are watching it across the country. So it’s doubled down on her importance, and why does she want to be shackled to a 20-year-old format where [now] she can capitalise on the hot format at the moment and actually go into other things?”
Amidst rumours that the presenter is poised to land her own chat show on the BBC from the production company behind The Graham Norton Show, Winkleman would undoubtedly be elevated into mega-star status.
Strictly Come Dancing faces fresh scandal as ‘married male contestant passionately kisses female pro dancer in 12-second clip’
Daily Mail
PR guru Mark Borkowski has said that with Tess and Claudia going in a matter of months, Britain is now watching the ‘slow death’ of Strictly and the presenters are fleeing a ‘dying format’ to protect their own careers.
‘This is the slow death of Strictly’, he said.
‘ITV can hear the death rattle. Stars are wary after all the recent headlines. People have seen the writing on the wall, who wants to be the last act in a long-running variety show, thanking a studio audience that’s already halfway to bed?
‘The exit of Claudia and Tess is brand preservation. Timing is everything and nothing kills a career faster than loyalty to a dying format’.
He added: ‘When you’ve fronted a juggernaut that’s starting to creak under its own sequins, the smartest move is to waltz off while the music still sounds half-decent’.
Alex Jones and Bradley Walsh in ‘talks’ to present Strictly Come Dancing
The Mirror
They added that the established format of the show will remain the same, including the set, theme tune and judging panel, which is to ensure that fans are not too disrupted.
However, BBC bosses are keen to “freshen up” the show with a new logo and new “faces on the dancefloor.” It was revealed by The Mirror that Tess’ departure was to ensure she spends more time with her family, but according to PR expert Mark Borkowski, she could be eyeing up a move to America.
He told the Mirror: “Tess has the advantage of a blank canvas. Her exit timing feels deliberate – just when Strictly starts to show its age. If she plays it right, this is her Madonna reinvention phase: same warmth, new edge.”
He added: “The US rumours make sense – she has the polish and credibility to slip into glossy network formats or daytime franchises without breaking stride.”
And it looks as though Claudia could be set on hosting her own chat show, similar to that of Graham Norton. According to reports, she will air while Graham’s show is off air so they do not compete for viewing figures.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/breaking-alex-jones-bradley-walsh-36185214
Full list of TV stars being lined up to replace Tess and Claudia on Strictly
Wales Online
The Mirror reported that Tess’ departure was planned to allow her more family time, but PR expert Mark Borkowski suggests she might be considering a move to the US.
He told the Mirror: “Tess has the advantage of a blank canvas. Her exit timing feels deliberate – just when Strictly starts to show its age. If she plays it right, this is her Madonna reinvention phase: same warmth, new edge.”
He added: “The US rumours make sense – she has the polish and credibility to slip into glossy network formats or daytime franchises without breaking stride.”
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/tv/full-list-tv-stars-being-32806287
From eugenics to Scooter Braun: how Sydney Sweeney became one of the most controversial stars in Hollywood
The Standard
The Right were thrilled. This, combined with her “All-American” looks, made her a pretty little pin-up for white, Right-wing Americans. And while Sweeney did hit out at “assumptions” that were made about her political stance after the pictures received a backlash, she stayed conspicuously clear of disclosing her own politics.
“It’s absolutely a tactic,” says celebrity PR expert Mark Borkowski, “because as soon as you disclose that in the age of culture wars, you are cannon fodder.”
Borkowski and Gamble both compare this apolitical side of Sweeney to Taylor Swift, who famously took a long time to disclose her political stance around the 2016 election, despite incessant pleas from her fans to denounce Donald Trump. At the time, PRs and critics claimed it was due to Swift wanting to capitalise on her fandom being split between both camps, and not wanting to lose half her audience.
Eventually, in a post to Instagram, Swift admitted how she had been “reluctant” to publicly voice her political opinions in the past, “but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now.” She went on to reveal that she was voting for a Democrat, and encouraged her fans to educate themselves and “make your vote count.” PR wise, Swift’s image didn’t take much of a hit: she’s now more famous than ever.
Inside Meghan Markle’s ‘Very Conscious’ Solo Rebrand and How Prince Harry Feels About It (Exclusive)
US Weekly
According to insiders and industry experts, Meghan, 44, is now deliberately repositioning herself as a power player separate from her husband, Prince Harry, 41. While the couple — who accepted the Humanitarians of the Year award at the Project Healthy Minds gala in NYC on Oct. 9 together — remain connected on many causes, she’s rebranding as a one-woman show. “This is the first time we’re seeing Meghan as an individual brand again,” says public relations expert Jane Owen.
“It’s a shift toward individuality.” Adds PR expert Mark Borkowski: “Meghan is no longer half of a royal duo. She’s re-emerging as a solo brand: global, aspirational and strategically aloof. The royal chapter was about proximity to power. This one’s about reclaiming it.”
Meghan Markle documents sweet Dodgers ‘date night’ with Prince Harry
US Weekly
Insiders and industry experts told Us that Meghan is rebranding herself as an individual power player, separate from her husband.
“This is the first time we’re seeing Meghan as an individual brand again,” public relations expert Jane Owen said. “It’s a shift toward individuality.”
PR expert Mark Borkowski added, “Meghan is no longer half of a royal duo. She’s re-emerging as a solo brand: global, aspirational and strategically aloof. The royal chapter was about proximity to power. This one’s about reclaiming it.”
Meghan Markle documents sweet Dodgers ‘date night’ with Prince Harry | Macon Telegraph
SOLO SUSSEX Meghan Markle & Prince Harry are ‘at war with themselves’ amid ‘professional separation’, claims royal expert
The Sun US
PR guru Mark Borkowski told Best magazine: “There has been a separation [of their work] for a while.
“Harry is ‘going back to basics’ with a formula that worked well for him as a Royal Family member, but there’s also the realisation that the couple’s ‘star power’ wasn’t as successful as they hoped.
“They had to change the narrative.”
Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are Keeping Their Professional Lives More Separate
Elle
PR expert Jane Owen told Us Weekly that Meghan’s recent moves suggest “a shift toward individuality.” Mark Borkowski, another PR specialist, noted that she’s “re-emerging as a solo brand: global, aspirational, and strategically aloof.” He added, “The royal chapter was about proximity to power. This one’s about reclaiming it.”
Meghan Markle planning to enter THIS industry after lifestyle guru era
Geo News
All of this hints at Meghan trying to establish a solo brand, per PR experts.
“This is the first time we’re seeing Meghan as an individual brand again,” said PR expert Jane Owen.
PR expert Mark Borkowski agreed, saying, “It’s a shift toward individuality. Meghan is no longer half of a royal duo. She’s re-emerging as a solo brand: global, aspirational and strategically aloof. The royal chapter was about proximity to power. This one’s about reclaiming it.”
As for her husband Prince Harry’s thoughts on the new trajectory, “He always thinks she’s making the right moves.”
According to the first mole, the Duke of Sussex thinks its great Meghan has found “something she can sink her teeth into. It’s what she successfully did before him, and he believes in the saying, ‘Happy wife, happy life.’ He’s happy not to be involved in that world.”
https://www.geo.tv/latest/631117-prince-harrys-thoughts-on-meghan-markles-new-solo-branding-revealed
How Lily Allen made a career out of controversy
The Telegraph
Allen is, as she herself puts it, “a well-documented nepo baby”: her father is actor Keith Allen, and, following their divorce, her mother Allison dated comedian Harry Enfield. “She grew up in a very showbiz household,” says PR expert Mark Borkowski. “She’s much like her dad Keith: he is very, very upfront, he doesn’t suffer fools or deal with any b—–ks.”
Allen was always “very feisty – the ultimate showbiz brat,” adds Borkowski. She certainly had a lengthy wild child phase. In 2006 she told Uncut magazine: “I was a drug dealer in Ibiza at 15. I did not excel in drug-dealing – I was terrible at it. Golden rule with drug-dealing; don’t get too enthusiastic with your own merchandise.”
Allen was also something of a pioneer, points out Borkowski, in utilising social media. “She was ahead of her time in building up a huge following on MySpace.” She has continued to talk frankly and directly to her audience, though it’s now mainly through her podcast Miss Me? which she has co-hosted with her friend Miquita Oliver since 2024. “She understands the modern need for raw honesty,” says Borkowski. “She’s also got absolute Teflon skin, so she can handle any blowback.”
Now Allen is back in the music world, and just as provocative as ever – if not more. “If you have success with something early on, you should carry on doing it,” says Borkowski. “A lot of people aren’t that strong-willed, but Lily has stuck to her guns.”
Why Meghan Markle just ‘professionally separated’ from Prince Harry
Tyla
In agreement that this all forms part of her professional separation from Harry, PR expert Mark Borkowski added that the former Suits actress is ‘no longer half of a royal duo’.
“She’s re-emerging as a solo brand: global, aspirational and strategically aloof,” he explained. “The royal chapter was about proximity to power. This one’s about reclaiming it.”
Of the message Meghan is supposedly striving to convey, Borkowski continued: “The Vogue salons, the couture cameos, the soft-focus humanitarianism – all signals that she’s positioning herself in the rarefied Gwyneth [Paltrow] and [Victoria] Beckham tier of conscious luxury.”
Also in agreement is Nick Ede, a culture guru who told the publication that the Duchess is in ‘pure celebrity mode’.
Tess Daly tipped for HUGE TV move after Strictly exit as insiders reveal ‘one ace card’ that could make her millions
The Sun
In her statement, Tess said: “Strictly has been more than just a television programme. It’s felt like having a third child, a second family, and a huge part of my life since that very first show back in 2004. I knew then it was something special, but I could never have imagined the magic it would bring.
“Strictly has always been about joy, celebration, and bringing people together — and I’m so proud to have played a small part in something that continues to mean so much to so many.”
And she finished it off saying: “This isn’t a goodbye to glitter, sequins, or Saturday night sparkle (I could never say goodbye to those!).
“Strictly will forever hold a special place in my heart — but it does feel like the right time to hand over the reins.”
PR guru Mark Borkowski also agrees that This Morning will be eyeing up the BBC’s crown jewel.
He said: “Tess is a top talent, and ITV would love to have her because she comes with a built-in audience. Whatever move she makes will generate huge news.
“Tess is the girl-next-door kind of presenter, which is really popular. She might have been on prime time for 20 years, but whatever slot she takes, she’ll certainly make it prime time.
“I’m also expecting channels like Sky to want to sign her up for something. Tess is a safe pair of hands and has managed to be scandal-free, which is desirable.
“She’d be perfect for a morning TV programme as they all need a boost at the moment, but equally she could turn an afternoon show into a huge success because of her personality and following. Think of Noel Edmonds with Deal or No Deal; no one thought opening boxes would be that exciting.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/37103828/tess-daly-claudia-winkleman-strictly-top-show-millions/
‘Unflappable, witty and super smart’: the rise and rise of Claudia Winkleman
The Guardian
On reports of a chatshow, he said: “I think she needs to be careful with that. Because that has to be about you. You have to be driving it and controlling it, and I think she possibly hasn’t enough of an ego.”
The PR expert Mark Borkowski said: “I remember I used to go into Liquid News. It was orientated towards a smart, younger audience, Paddy O’Connell used to be on it. It was a really interesting place for some of the BBC talent who are now pretty well established and have matured like great wine.
“And I always thought she was so smart, so on it. That’s part of what she offers at the moment.” Few people could carry live TV well, he added. “But you can see it in her. Whip smart, delivered without any of that barbed cynicism you get from social media.”
Winkleman, who has said of herself: “I’m a tiny orange lady and my fringe is too long,” has presented dating shows, film programmes, Fame Academy, Eurovision selection shows and The Great British Sewing Bee. She initially joined Strictly in 2005 to host the companion show Strictly: It Takes Two before moving to the main show in 2014, replacing Bruce Forsyth.
She has three children aged between 12 and 21 with her husband, the film producer Kris Thykier, and has juggled Strictly with the juggernaut that is The Traitors, Channel 4’s The Piano, and, up until last year, a BBC Radio 2 weekend show.
Celebrity Traitors, currently the BBC’s most watched reality TV show, is pulling in approximately 11 million viewers, to the delight of BBC bosses.
Borkowski said: “She’s great on Traitors at juggling that tension and the silliness with surgical precision. She’s got this calm that you need in the storm of this type of reality TV. She’s unflappable, witty, super smart and not over-exposed.”
In a world seemingly flooded with reality TV contestants and influencers, “in this general malaise of mediocrity”, he said, she stood out. “In terms of the unscripted space, she’s an absolute star.”
“She is emblematic, really of where real talent should be aiming for,” Borkowski said, adding that she had cross-generational appeal, particularly to women.
“One crucial thing. She has got an incredible stylist. And in this world of Instagram and visual aesthetics, she has really delivered. The sheen gloss black hair, everything about her look is so on brand and idiosyncratic. It does feel she’s not copying anybody else. There are no precursors to her. She is what she is and that’s very rare.”
Is this the death knell for Strictly? As Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman quit, bosses plan ‘big changes’ to the show after string of scandals
Daily Mail
Claudia’s TV mega-hit The Traitors is now outperforming Strictly in terms of viewers with the celebrity version now the most talked about show on terrestrial TV.
PR guru Mark Borkowski has said that with Tess and Claudia going in a matter of months, Britain is now watching the ‘slow death’ of Strictly and the presenters are fleeing a ‘dying format’ to protect their own careers.
‘This is the slow death of Strictly’, he said.
‘ITV can hear the death rattle. Stars are wary after all the recent headlines. People have seen the writing on the wall, who wants to be the last act in a long-running variety show, thanking a studio audience that’s already halfway to bed?
‘The exit of Claudia and Tess is brand preservation. Timing is everything and nothing kills a career faster than loyalty to a dying format’.
He added: ‘When you’ve fronted a juggernaut that’s starting to creak under its own sequins, the smartest move is to waltz off while the music still sounds half-decent’.