Sadiq Khan wades into BBC Celebrity Traitors winners' charities row as he defends refugee charity choices

Sadiq Khan has waded into the ongoing controversy surrounding the chosen charities of this year's Celebrity Traitors winners, Romesh Ranganathan and Sebastian Croft.

The BBC One competition reached its conclusion on Friday evening when comedian Mr Ranganathan and actor Mr Croft were revealed as the last Faithfuls standing, sharing an £83,000 prize pot equally between two refugee organisations.

Under the Celebrity Traitors format, winners donate their prize money to charity rather than keeping it themselves - a distinction from the civilian version of the programme.

Mr Ranganathan pledged his £41,500 to the Refugee Council, whilst Mr Croft directed his identical share to Choose Love, a humanitarian organisation working with displaced communities worldwide.

Mr Ranganathan, 48, became a patron of the Refugee Council in September, stating at the time: "Whatever your politics, I think we should be able to agree that people who have been forced from their homes deserve to be treated with humanity and dignity."

Meanwhile, Mr Croft began volunteering with Choose Love, previously known as Help Refugees, at the age of 15 and now serves as an ambassador.

The choice of charity recipients sparked a fierce debate once they were unveiled at the end of Friday's show. The People's Channel's Alex Armstrong, broadcaster Julia Hartley-Brewer, and journalist Charlotte Gil are just three prominent voices to have criticised the decision, arguing the money should be spent on lesser-known Britain-centric organisations.

However, there has been plenty of support for the show's winners from other recognisable figures. This Morning contributor Ashley James and Jeremy Vine regular Narinder Kaur were two vocal supporters, and now, the Mayor of London has joined them.

Charities like @chooselove and @refugeecouncil do incredible work supporting refugees and people seeking sanctuary. Fabulous to see @RomeshRang and @SebastianCroft stay faithful to the values so many of us share by donating their winnings to two great charities. Charities and #CelebrityTraitors are the best of us 👏🏾— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) October 31, 2026

Mr Khan took to X, where he reposted the news of Mr Croft and Mr Ranganathan's victory with a caption of his own.

He penned: "Charities like @chooselove and @refugeecouncil do incredible work supporting refugees and people seeking sanctuary.

"Fabulous to see @RomeshRang and @SebastianCroft stay faithful to the values so many of us share by donating their winnings to two great charities.

"Charities and #CelebrityTraitors are the best of us," he signed off to his one million followers.

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Elsewhere, Maya Jama, the longest-serving Traitor who made it to Friday's finale, revealed she had personally donated the sum she would have received had she triumphed to her chosen charity.

The Love Island star directed the funds to Action for Children, which is a charity dedicated to supporting vulnerable young people facing poverty, abuse, and the care system.

The 32-year-old's announcement came after a fan highlighted her chosen cause on the platform. "Just donated what I would have won for my chosen charity @actnforchildren... amazing cause," she wrote, accompanied by love heart and prayer emojis.

Followers were quick to shower her with praise, with X users branding her a "queen", "star of the show", and "real winner".

The inaugural celebrity series in 2025 saw Traitor winner Alan Carr donate his entire £87,500 prize to Neuroblastoma UK.

Mr Ranganathan and Mr Croft's victory came at the end of a nail-biting finale. The endgame saw the pair correctly unmask both Ms Jama and YouTuber King Kenny as Traitors during two intense roundtable discussions.

Kenny had turned on his fellow Traitor, Ms Jama, at the final roundtable, sending her home before facing elimination himself.

Singer James Blunt inadvertently sealed his own departure by choosing to continue voting rather than end the game, leaving Mr Ranganathan and Mr Croft as the sole survivors.