Richard E Grant’s Rare Health Condition Means He Won’t Drink on Celebrity Traitors

Why Richard E Grant Will Not Drink on Celebrity Traitors

Richard E Grant has become one of the main talking points from the opening episode of Celebrity Traitors season two after being selected as a Traitor and appearing to announce his role to the entire castle. Grant is arguably the biggest celebrity in the cast, having received an Oscar nomination and taken major roles in Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, Marvel productions and Star Wars.

Grant is appearing as a Traitor alongside Maya Jama and, at the time of writing, either James Acaster or Amol Rajan. James Acaster is considered more likely because of reported leaks surrounding the series. Grant’s performance in the first episode has led some viewers to believe he may not remain in the competition for long.

Whatever happens to Grant in the game, viewers will not see him drinking alcohol in the castle. The actor has a rare health condition known as alcohol intolerance, which means his body does not have the enzymes required to break alcohol down correctly. The condition can cause vomiting, tachycardia, diarrhoea and fatigue. Grant has said that drinking causes him to develop a ‘terrible’ rash, become sick and feel unwell for more than 24 hours.

Richard E Grant’s Alcohol Intolerance

Grant discussed the condition in an interview with the Irish Examiner in 2006, explaining that he had been diagnosed when he was 19.

“I have an allergy to drink. I get a terrible rash and get ill for about 24 hours. I went to a doctor when I was 19 and he said I had none of the enzyme in my blood that processes alcohol.”

“He asked if I had Japanese blood. Or Inuit. Or Native American, because they have none of this enzyme. The French as a tribe have the most of it.”

“It wasn’t for lack of wanting to do it, it was just I am unable to, which is ironic because when I say I don’t drink, people say: ‘Oh, are you on the programme?’”

Grant’s inability to drink is also connected to his childhood experience with his father, whom he described as an abusive alcoholic. The actor has recalled that his father threatened him with a gun when Grant was 15 after Grant poured his alcohol down the drain.

Speaking on Desert Island Discs, Grant said:

“When I was 15 I naively thought that if I emptied all 12 bottles of Scotch down the sink that he would somehow stop drinking.“I was on the 11th bottle and felt something very cold on the back of my head and it was a gun.”

Grant said his father fired at him but missed because he was drunk, prompting the teenager to run away from home for several weeks.

“He missed because he was so drunk and then I ran away from home for a couple of weeks.“But having said that, my memory of him is so much more than remembering that part of him, because I knew that was something that was entirely brought about by addiction, rather than the man that I absolutely worshipped and loved.”

The One Time Richard E Grant Drank Alcohol

Although Richard E Grant has played characters connected with alcohol and appeared in major film franchises, he has said that he has essentially never drunk alcohol. The sole exception came while he was preparing to play the title character in Withnail and I, the role for which he remains particularly well known.

Grant played an alcoholic in the film, and director Bruce Robinson wanted him to understand the physical effects of a hangover. Grant recalled the experience in an interview with The Times:

“I don’t drink. During the rehearsals for Withnail, the director insisted that I get paralytically drunk so I’d know what it was like. It was dreadful. I was so ill I vomited and passed out.”

Grant has described himself as ‘intolerant’ to alcohol and said it makes him ‘violently ill’. Despite the pressures of competing inside the Celebrity Traitors castle, he will therefore not be joining the other contestants for a drink.

Why This Matters

Richard E Grant’s alcohol intolerance is relevant to his appearance on Celebrity Traitors because the series places contestants in a confined, high-pressure environment where socialising and suspicion are central to the game. His decision not to drink is based on a longstanding medical condition, not simply a preference or a strategy for the programme.

His account also adds personal context to his career-defining performance in Withnail and I, in which he portrayed an alcoholic despite having almost no personal experience of drinking. Grant’s role in the second season of Celebrity Traitors will continue to draw attention, particularly after his conspicuous behaviour in the opening episode.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Richard E Grant not drink alcohol?

Richard E Grant has alcohol intolerance because he does not possess the enzymes required to process alcohol correctly. He has said drinking causes a severe rash and leaves him ill for more than 24 hours.

Has Richard E Grant ever been drunk?

Grant has said he drank only once, during preparation for Withnail and I. Director Bruce Robinson wanted him to experience a hangover before playing an alcoholic character.

Is Richard E Grant a Traitor in Celebrity Traitors?

Yes. Grant was selected as a Traitor in season two of Celebrity Traitors, alongside Maya Jama and either James Acaster or Amol Rajan at the time described in the source.