Following weeks of suspense, schemes and backstabbing, Celebrity Traitors concludes with a nail-biting end

Warning: spoilers ahead - This piece discloses key moments from Celebrity Traitors finale

Over the course of the show, audiences saw eliminations, betrayals, serious side-eye, and a memorable moment that cut through the overwhelming tension.

However on the final evening, the final winner of the inaugural Celebrity Traitors emerged triumphant.

From nineteen participants, only five remained: Deceivers and faithfuls facing off for the prize.

Soon, the field narrowed to just three: the final players.

In the end, funny man Alan Carr emerged as the champion, in a surprising result that broke the internet and made him tearful.

"It's been tearing me apart, I'm so sorry," he exclaimed, admitting to the other players that he'd always been one of the deceivers. "I'm an awful human being."

"You played amazingly," they comforted him. "Everything's fine."

Online platforms immediately exploded with the news. "The worst deceiver being the most effective player," commented a viewer.

"It couldn't have been a better conclusion," wrote another, while someone else described it as "the TV moment of the year."

The organization he selected, a cancer charity, will receive the entire winnings, with the final pot reaching eighty-seven thousand five hundred pounds.

Alan Carr's transformation from giggle liability to cold-hearted killer was among the most memorable aspects of the season.

However, his victory still shocked viewers surprised, as noted by industry observers.

"The thought of him, of all people, pulling off an expert performance in deceit felt about as likely as him keeping a straight face through one of his own punchlines."

On subsequent discussions, fellow players summed up the reasons nobody had ever really suspected him.

"He might have appeared to breakfast in a green cloak and I still wouldn't have thought he was a traitor. His humor distracted me," a player said.

"The majority didn't target him because how does one vote for someone who is so charming?" asked another celebrity.

The winner stated he had "absolutely loved" his experience with the program.

"I want to participate once more... I don't think it would work again!"

The final installment was lengthened to 70 minutes on the network. It had an unusual opening than typical episodes, as every celebrity knew who'd make it at the morning gathering.

There was particularly inspiring, and very un-Traitors-esque soundtrack, as we recapped some moments from each of the finalists' time in the castle.

As ever, Alan Carr provided unforgettable quotes.

"Let's face it, I started this game a bit of a nervous wreck. I've betrayed close allies to save myself, I've murdered national treasures in plain sight. I'm clearly more deceptive and traitor than I believed."

Meanwhile, another contestant noted that reaching the conclusion was "significantly more pressure than competing with England", while another said he was "completely amazed" to have lasted this long.

Early on in the episode, various contestants appeared to be making a bid to become the new style icon of the competition, taking over from the previously eliminated fashionable contestant.

Carr emerged at breakfast resembling a vintage television personality in patterned burgundy attire, before changing into a bejewelled white suit.

However, he got outstyled by another contestant's maroon velvet tuxedo. Impressive style.

Following this was the competition, with the remaining contestants getting on board a locomotive called - naturally - The Traitors Express.

This task involved destroying portraits of eliminated players. Have sympathy for one participant who was hit on the head multiple times by the lid of a substantial container.

Before long, it was time for the roundtable.

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

And one adhered to his promise. Yet, managing to stay under the radar for the majority of the competition, their partner still got the most votes.

The last deceiver appeared he was in significant distress to be the final deceiver remaining. "Being alone, I feel terrified," he said. "I'm a loose cannon, without direction."

Social media and viewers were similarly upset.

"I hoped against that player to be banished. A truly loveable traitor," commented an observer.

"You will forever be remembered in Traitors history," wrote a different viewer.

But there was no time to focus on their elimination. Before long, the game reached the endgame - this being what we were really all here for.

The final four gathered around the fire pit. And the alliance collapsed, just when it was most crucial, in an absolutely shocking development.

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

"This pains me to be betrayed last minute like that," said the eliminated player. Later, it was revealed that when they message, the eliminated contestant calls their former ally by a betrayer's name.

Finally, just three players were still competing: the last participants.

One player, looking incredibly smug, chose to conclude the game. So did another, and everything depended on the third, who did the same - resulting in the deceiver was the winner.

For observers, the scene where remaining contestants consoled the winner was "compelling television". "I anticipate it could be in the running for memorable moment at television honors," they said.

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

"What a rollercoaster. I was awful at lying, my expressions gave me away and now I stand a winner," he said.

And he even joked about that infamous murder - 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 characteristic laugh.

The recent episodes of famous people scheming, scheming and sometimes surprising incidents may seem like one big crazy jumbled dream. But it really did all happen. It will be remembered fondly.