The Traitors has the nation on tenterhooks with its gripping twists and turns. From a modest 1,500 applicants for the debut series of the Mafia-style reality show, interest skyrocketed to 40,000 for the second series.
When the call went out for the upcoming series, an astonishing 300,000 hopefuls – potential traitors and faithfuls alike – clamoured to participate.
And it seems that host Claudia Winkleman holds a special place in her heart for the contestants, likening them to her “children” by the end of filming.
She even confessed to HELLO! Magazine that the banishment of certain contestants 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.”
Claudia says she sees the game’s players as her ‘children’
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And she wasn’t alone in getting emotional. “The camera people are all completely hidden in the round table and two of them came out and they were also crying,” she shared. “The three of us cried together. We go in deep.”
The game’s rules involve banishment, where players vote off those they suspect of treachery, and “murders,” executed by Traitors to stealthily eliminate the Faithfuls who are onto them.
Originating from Dutch TV, The Traitors has soared in popularity in the UK, with a fourth series already given the go-ahead and a celebrity edition in the pipeline. Despite its success, producers keep the game fresh with new tweaks to ensure its deceptions remain tantalisingly unpredictable.
She admits that some banishments maker her feel ‘tearful’
(Image: PA)
Claudia hints at the excitement of these changes, stating: “There are some really exciting things that have changed, which keeps everyone on the toes and feeds into the central premise of trust.”
In the current series of The Traitors, which kicked off on New Year’s Day, there’s a significant change in the rules. Now, ousted contestants are no longer required to reveal their allegiance – as Traitors or Faithfuls – to the remaining players.
This twist is set to sow seeds of doubt among the faithfuls, leaving them questioning their decisions.