Former House of Commons speaker John Bercow, known for his iconic cry of “order!”, has made his US TV debut as he enters the Traitors house in a bid to use his political acumen to sow chaos.
In the premiere episode, Bercow, introducing himself as a retired politician, acknowledged the prevalence of backstabbing and deception in political life.
The show features 21 celebrities, including Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, Tamra Judge from The Real Housewives of Orange County, Maksim Chmerkovskiy from Dancing with the Stars, and Marcus Jordan, son of basketball legend Michael Jordan.
Hosted at a castle in the Scottish Highlands, contestants vie for a cash prize in a format similar to the UK version aired on BBC. Three participants, selected by host Alan Cumming, are tasked with creating chaos and intentionally sabotaging others.
Though Bercow wasn’t chosen as a traitor, suspicions arose among fellow contestants when he experienced “breathing difficulties” during the premiere. While he attributed it to asthma, skepticism lingered among his peers.
During an exchange with Big Brother’s Janelle Pierzina, Bercow’s response to questions about his breathing issues raised eyebrows. Pierzina pointed out the disparity between Bercow’s claim of asthma being a lifelong condition and his earlier statement about being asthmatic as a child. Accusing him of answering like a politician, she pressed for clarity.
In this season, the designated traitors are Big Brother’s Dan Gheesling, Phaedra Parks from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, and Survivor’s Parvati Shallow. However, Peppermint of Ru Paul’s Drag Race was voted off in the first episode. Notably, several contestants cast their votes against Bercow.
Bercow, renowned for his role as Commons speaker for a decade, earned a following for his witty retorts and emphatic calls for “order, order” during Brexit debates and PMQs. The Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant described him as unparalleled in delivering the phrase. Bercow resigned from his Commons role in 2019, and a 2022 independent inquiry labeled him a “serial bully” and a liar, recommending a ban on holding a parliamentary pass. Criticising the inquiry process, Bercow remarked, “To call it a kangaroo court is unfair to kangaroos” before the final report was published.
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