James Blunt on The Celebrity Traitors (BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/BBC Creative)

James Blunt has clarified why he changed his surname from “Blount” to “Blunt”, while sharing how the original is pronounced.

The 52-year-old singer-songwriter, who is currently appearing on The Celebrity Traitors, addressed the renewed chatter about his real name in posts on X.

Blunt wrote that he was born James Hillier Blount and decided to simplify the spelling for his stage name. He also pointed out his real name “is on the first line of his Wikipedia page” and not a big secret.

In a follow-up post, he added: “For clarity, Blount and Blunt are pronounced the same way. But I simplified it to Blunt as I was tired of people rhyming my name with ‘count’.”

He previously said in 2014: “My real name is James Blount, but I changed it as people teased me that it rhymed with ‘count.’”

Blunt also recently got in trouble with the BBC after sharing the official press photograph promoting his Celebrity Traitors involvement and tagging tailor Barrington Ayre. The image showed him in a tweed suit, though it also featured the broadcaster’s and show’s logos.

A BBC spokesperson told Metro: “The BBC has clear guidelines in place around commercial activity which we take very seriously, and players have been reminded of this. The social media posts referred to have been taken down.”

The Celebrity Traitors continues on 15 October, with the fate of four vulnerable Faithfuls set to be confirmed.

At the end of last Friday’s episode, Ross Kemp, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett were chosen for the Traitors’ shortlist.

What Traitors Maya Jama, James Acaster and Hannah Fry don’t know, though, is that those at risk had a chance to save themselves, as host Claudia Winkleman presented them with a shield.

After a debate, the men decided to give Pinnock the shield, meaning if the Traitors try to “murder” her, then she will be saved.

Whatever happens, it’s sure to cause suspicion.

The Celebrity Traitors continues Thursday night at 8pm on BBC One.

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