John Bercow meets his fellow contestants, Mercedes Javid, star of reality show Shahs of Sunset, and former world heavyweight boxing champion Deontay Wilder

John Bercow meets his fellow contestants, Mercedes Javid, the star of reality show Shahs of Sunset, and former world heavyweight boxing champion Deontay Wilder - PEACOCK/EPISODIC

As the most controversial Speaker of the House of Commons in modern history, he was accused of betraying his former colleagues in the Tory party and abusing his position to oppose Brexit.

Now John Bercow has boasted that “backstabbing” and “deception” are part of politics, as he made his debut on The Traitors US on Friday night.

Mr Bercow, 60, found himself up against almost as tough a crowd as a chamber of MPs as he battled with American reality TV stars on the second season of the US version of the British hit show.

Introducing himself to American viewers unfamiliar with his career, he said: “I’m a retired politician. Backstabbing [and] deception are all part and parcel of the political life.”

Mr Bercow’s former political opponents could take gleeful delight as he took a tumble not just once but twice in the show’s opening episodes.

Climbing into a rowing boat, he slipped and fell hard on his backside. Then, running along a tree-lined road, he suddenly tumbled face-down, splattering his shirt front with mud before getting back up on his feet.

John Bercow takes part in a task during the first episodes of the US version of The TraitorsJohn Bercow takes part in a task during the first episodes of the US version of The Traitors

John Bercow and other contestants take part in a task during the first episodes of the US version of The Traitors - PEACOCK/TNI PRESS LTD

In the series, a group of 21 minor celebrities attempt to work out which of their number is a “traitor”. In each episode, a pre-selected group of three traitors “murder” a “faithful” contestant, while the whole group votes off a suspected usurper in an attempt to win $250,000.

Mr Bercow, known for his affected style when chairing debates, claimed that his childhood asthma had caused him to breathe heavily on the show, arousing the suspicion of other competitors.

In the second of three episodes that aired on Friday, Mr Bercow came under suspicion for breathing too heavily while contestants were blindfolded and selected by host Alan Campbell. He was questioned about it by reality TV stars Tamra Judge and Janelle Pierzina.

The former Speaker denied being chosen as a traitor, claiming that his laboured breathing was caused by his nerves about the selection process. “It was extreme intensity in the room, and I was pleased it was at an end,” he said. “I’ve never breathed particularly well. I was asthmatic in my youth; I don’t regard myself as asthmatic today.”

Politician ‘a term of abuse’

After he was accused of “answering this just like a politician,” he replied: “Forgive me, but that’s just a term of abuse. I think that is a spectacularly flimsy basis upon which to assert that someone is guilty for being a traitor.”

In Friday’s episodes, Mr Bercow could be seen running around the grounds of Ardross Castle, near Inverness.

After being accused by other contestants of holding them back in a task that required them to row the boat across a lake, he responded: “My boating experience is being rowed or powered by others.”

He also performed his trademark theatrical “Order!” for the other contestants.

Two contestants, Mercedes Javid and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, voted for Mr Bercow to be removed from the show, but he was saved when Peppermint, known for her appearance in Ru Paul’s Drag Race, received more votes.

After surviving the first episode and waiting to see which other contestants had made it through to the next day, the former Buckingham MP declared: “I’m relieved still to be in the game, and I’m ready to drink a cup of English breakfast tea [and eat] some buttered toast.”

“Over the years I have developed a knack for detecting who frankly is trying to lie, to deceive, to cheat, for material gain.”

This series of The Traitors US features reality stars from Big Brother, Dancing With The Stars, The Real Housewives of Miami and Survivor. While the last series was streamed on BBC iPlayer, the second series is not yet available in the UK.

Judged to be a serial bully

Since leaving the Speaker’s Chair in 2019, Mr Bercow has taken on a variety of public speaking engagements, declared his opposition to Brexit and announced he has joined Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party.

In March 2022, he was found to be a “serial liar” and a “serial bully” by a parliamentary investigation and banned from holding a security pass to the Houses of Parliament for life.

He was accused by Lord Lisvane, a former staff member, and other colleagues of throwing his mobile phone and swearing at officials. After he appealed the decision, Lord Lisvane accused him of “hysterical petulance from someone caught bang to rights”.

Mr Bercow is the latest in a series of British politicians to take part in reality television shows.

Matt Hancock, the former health secretary, last year appeared in both I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here and Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Johnny Mercer, the current veterans minister, took part in Channel 4’s Banged Up, which saw celebrities spend time in “prison” with former convicts.

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