After weeks of suspense, schemes and sabotage, The Celebrity Traitors concludes with a nail-biting finale

Warning: spoilers ahead - This piece reveals key moments from Celebrity Traitors conclusion

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 Thursday night, the final winner of the inaugural celebrity edition was revealed.

From 19 contestants, just a handful remained: Traitors and faithfuls facing off for the winnings.

Before long, the field narrowed to only three contenders: the remaining contestants.

Ultimately, funny man Alan Carr emerged as the winner, in a shocking result that went viral and made him tearful.

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

"You played amazingly," they comforted him. "It's all right."

Social media immediately exploded with the news. "The worst deceiver being the most effective player," commented one user.

"It couldn't have been a more iconic ending," wrote another, while a third called it "the TV moment of the year."

The organization he selected, Neuroblastoma UK, will receive the entire winnings, with the final pot amounting to eighty-seven thousand five hundred pounds.

Alan Carr's transformation from giggle liability to cold-hearted killer was one of the standout highlights of the season.

But his win still shocked viewers in shock, according to industry observers.

"The idea of Alan, among everyone, pulling off a masterclass in deceit felt just as probable as him keeping composure through one of his own punchlines."

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

"Alan could have come down to breakfast in a green cloak and I still wouldn't have thought he was deceiving us. His humor distracted me," one participant said.

"The majority didn't target him because how can you vote for a person so charming?" asked another celebrity.

Carr said he had "thoroughly enjoyed" his time on the show.

"I want to do it again... I don't think it would be successful again!"

The final episode was extended to over an hour on television. It had a different start than typical episodes, as all the celebs knew who'd make it at the breakfast table.

There was particularly inspiring, and very un-Traitors-esque soundtrack, as we recapped key scenes from each of the finalists' experience in the game.

True to form, the comedian gave us unforgettable quotes.

"Let's face it, I started this game a bit of a nervous wreck. I've thrown close allies to save myself, I've murdered beloved figures in plain sight. Apparently I'm a better liar and traitor than I thought."

At the same time, another contestant commented that being in the final was "way more stressful than playing for England", while someone else said he was "totally surprised" to have lasted this long.

Early on of the finale, various contestants appeared to be making a bid to become the new style icon of the castle, taking over from an earlier departed fashionable contestant.

The winner appeared at the morning meal resembling a vintage television personality in patterned burgundy attire, before changing into a bejewelled white suit.

But he was outstyled by a fellow player's maroon velvet tuxedo. Impressive style.

Following this was the challenge, with the remaining contestants boarding a locomotive called - naturally - The Deceivers' Railway.

The challenge involved ripping up images of former contestants. Spare a thought for one participant who was hit in the head multiple times by the lid of a heavy wooden box.

Before long, the moment arrived for the elimination discussion.

The deceivers made a pact in advance, vowing to support each other. "We've come a long way, I won't throw him under a bus," stated a player, while the other just giggled.

However, one did stick to his promise. But, having slipped under the radar for most of the game, the other still got the most votes.

The remaining traitor looked like to be experiencing a world of pain to be the last traitor standing. "Being alone, I'm frightened," he said. "I'm a loose cannon, a rudderless ship."

Social media and onlookers were equally disappointed.

"I did NOT want this contestant to be eliminated. A truly loveable traitor," said an observer.

"Your legacy will remain in the show's legacy," wrote a different viewer.

But there was little opportunity to dwell on this departure. Soon, the game reached the endgame - which was what we were really all here for.

The final four stood over the ceremonial fire. Meanwhile, the partnership broke down, precisely when it mattered the most, in a truly WTF moment.

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

"This pains me to be stabbed in the back at the final moment in that manner," said the eliminated player. Later, we learned that when they message, the eliminated contestant calls their former ally by a betrayer's name.

Finally, only three contestants were still competing: the last participants.

One player, looking incredibly smug, voted to end the competition. So did a different player, and it all came down to the final participant, who made the identical choice - which meant that the traitor emerged victorious.

For observers, the scene where remaining contestants comforted the champion was "beautiful TV". "I anticipate it could be in the running for outstanding scene at next year's awards," they commented.

Fortunately, the champion quickly regained composure from his emotional outburst, and could finally appreciate the moment.

"What a rollercoaster. I was awful at lying, I had no poker face and now I stand the champion," he said.

He also joked about the memorable elimination - his close ally in an early episode - by reaching over the presenter in the concluding moments and making contact.

"You've got something on your face," he said, with his characteristic laugh.

The recent episodes of famous people scheming, plotting and sometimes surprising incidents may feel like one big crazy jumbled dream. But it really did all happen. And we will miss it.