The Traitors has the nation hooked with its unexpected plot twists. Initially, only 1,500 people applied to participate in the first series of this Mafia-style reality show, but that number skyrocketed to 40,000 for the second series.
When applications opened for the upcoming series, a staggering 300,000 potential traitors (and faithfuls) were eager to join. Show host Claudia Winkleman has developed a deep bond with all of those who appear on the BBC series, confessing that by the end of filming she feels as if the contestants are her “children”.
And she has even admitted to HELLO! Magazine that seeing some contestants banished has brought her to tears, saying: “There is somebody this year, and you can’t see it, but I really cried when they were banished.”
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In addition to banishment – where contestants vote to eliminate suspected Traitors – there are the “murders,” where Traitors scheme to discreetly remove Faithfuls, particularly if they’re beginning to suspect them. The show, which was originally a Dutch TV programme, has gained such popularity in the UK that a fourth series has already been approved and a celebrity spinoff is also in the pipeline, reports Lancs Live.
However, as popular as the show has been, producers are continually introducing little tricks to make its twists and turns even more tantalisingly deceptive. “There are some really exciting things that have changed, which keeps everyone on the toes and feeds into the central premise of trust,” Claudia revealed.
A significant twist has been introduced to the latest series of BBC’s The Traitors
(Image: Euan Cherry/BBC/PA Wire)
In the latest series that kicked off on New Year’s Day, a significant twist has been introduced: banished contestants are no longer required to reveal their roles as Traitors or Faithfuls to their fellow players. This change is set to sow seeds of doubt among the remaining faithfuls, leaving them questioning if they’ve made the correct decisions.
Claudia shared how this uncertainty played a part in her emotional response to a recent banishment, saying: “The camera people are all completely hidden in the round table and two of them came out and they were also cryin. The three of us cried together. We go in deep.”