By Tamara Davison

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From its impressive celebrity lineup to its brilliant challenges, Celebrity Traitors has undoubtedly become an instant hit since its debut this week.

Fronted by Claudia Winkleman, the BBC has assembled a stellar cast of UK stars for the popular reality show, including Stephen Fry, Alan Carr, and Cat Burns.

Not only does the show feature numerous deceptions and high-stakes tasks, but it also provides a more personal insight into the lives of our celebrity traitors and their faithful counterparts.

In the first episode, Stephen Fry surprised viewers when he revealed that he had been to prison in his youth before becoming a well-known UK presenter and actor.

Reflecting upon his “dreadful” childhood, Fry revealed his past to his fellow co-star Niko after he was asked about being knighted.

“I literally went to prison and things like that. So it was a bit like ‘this troubled child has finally been less of a disgrace’,” he explained.

But why did Stephen Fry go to prison? Here’s what we found out.

According to BBC Radio 4, Fry struggled with “galloping kleptomania” as a teenager, which resulted in him stealing in his youth.

At one point, he stole a credit card and headed to Swindon, where he was then arrested and sentenced to three months in prison.

Speaking previously about the ordeal, Fry explained that he was nicknamed “The Professor” while imprisoned at Pucklechurch Prison, as he taught his cellmate to read and write.

Aside from his prison stint, Fry was also expelled from school, among other challenges.

Adding further context when speaking on the Bold Reasoning podcast, Fry said his younger life led to ‘my abandoning all idea of schoolwork and concentrating on other things. I was expelled. I stole a jacket and found it had a wallet in it, and in the wallet was a Diner’s Club card…I stayed in lots of hotels, including the Ritz in London. Eventually, I was caught.”

Of course, his challenges with education didn’t stop him from becoming a household celebrity in the UK. He eventually went to Cambridge, appeared on University Challenge and then ventured into the performance, sketch comedy and entertainment world.

As it stands, Stephen Fry hasn’t been named a traitor in Celebrity Traitors, but that doesn’t mean it won’t change in the future.

As with previous seasons, the traitors often recruit more people to their team as they try to outmaneuver the faithfuls.

What’s certain is that there are lots more twists and turns to be anticipated in the upcoming season.

With one ‘murder’ already completed at the hands of Alan Carr, who knows which stars will survive till the end?