Fans of Peacock’s hit reality competition series The Traitors have been buzzing with speculation about what’s in store for season 5. As of March 2026, the answer is becoming clearer: the much-discussed Secret Traitor twist, which divided fans and contestants alike in season 4, will not be making a comeback. According to multiple sources, including IGN and TV Insider, the show’s production team and Studio Lambert founder Stephen Lambert have confirmed that the twist was a one-time experiment—an attempt to shake up the series, but not a permanent fixture.
For those out of the loop, The Traitors is a murder-mystery style competition where celebrities and, soon, civilians, are split into two groups: the Faithfuls and the Traitors. The Faithfuls must root out the Traitors hidden among them before the finale, or risk losing a prize pot that can reach up to $250,000. Hosted by Alan Cumming, the show has become a staple of Peacock’s reality lineup, with its Scottish castle setting and dramatic banishments keeping viewers coming back for more.
Season 4 introduced the Secret Traitor twist, a move that, on paper, promised fresh intrigue but instead left many feeling unsatisfied. The twist involved selecting one contestant—Donna Kelce, in this case—who was appointed as a Traitor without the knowledge of the other Traitors or the audience. As TV Insider explains, Alan Cumming would reveal the role in secret, with only the chosen contestant donning the infamous red cloak. The catch? Even the other Traitors didn’t know who their ally was, and viewers were kept in the dark until the big reveal. Unfortunately for Kelce, her stint as the Secret Traitor was short-lived; she was banished at the Round Table in just the second episode, making her both the first and last to hold the role.
Reflecting on the twist, Stephen Lambert provided candid insight into the production team’s thinking. Speaking at an event attended by IGN, Lambert explained, “After the huge success of the Celebrity Traitors, we introduced the idea of a Secret Traitor as a way of doing something that was different, but it wasn’t something we wanted to keep going with. It was a clever way of signalling we were doing something different, but I go back to the pleasure of the show being that the audience doesn’t know who the Traitors are.”
Lambert elaborated on the challenges of the twist, noting, “There have been other shows which have done something similar, where the audience didn’t know who ‘the mole’ was, and the trouble is you’re completely a victim of the edit… and that doesn’t feel very satisfying.” He added that the original format, with its blend of familiar structure and small variations, is strong enough to keep viewers engaged without needing such a dramatic change.
The Secret Traitor twist was originally devised to differentiate the most recent UK and US seasons from the previous Celebrity UK spin-off, according to IGN. However, the experiment proved short-lived, especially in the US version where it failed to make a lasting impact. “A good format is something that’s designed in such a way that people feel a sense of familiarity with it, which is why they want to keep coming back,” Lambert said at the University of East Anglia in Norfolk. “But intrinsically it’s designed so that there’s sufficient variation—partly, obviously, through the change of cast, but also you want to make little changes within it… What I like about The Traitors is there’s so many ways that story can go, that once you add a different cast and once you think of some additional tweaks here and there.”
The upcoming fifth season of The Traitors is set to return to its roots, with Alan Cumming expected to reprise his role as host. While the cast list remains under wraps, fans can anticipate a full castle of celebrities, building on the show’s tradition of featuring reality TV stars, royals, and famous relatives. If the show sticks to its pattern, the premiere will likely land in January 2027, though official dates have yet to be announced.
But that’s not all on the horizon for The Traitors franchise. In a move sure to excite longtime viewers, a civilian season will air on NBC before season 5 drops on Peacock. Production for this civilian edition is slated to begin in 2026, with applications already open for aspiring contestants. Meanwhile, the UK version will continue its own tradition, with a second season of Celebrity Traitors joining the established civilian format. Both the US and UK versions are filmed back-to-back at the iconic Scottish castle, a strategy that helps keep costs down and allows for creative cross-pollination between the two series.
Over its four seasons, The Traitors has delivered a split record: two seasons were won by the Faithfuls, and two by the Traitors. Notable winners include Cirie Fields, who claimed victory as a Traitor in season 1, and Rob Rausch, another standout Traitor who dominated season 4. Faithfuls Chris “CT” Tamburello and Trishelle Cannatella took home the prize in season 2, while season 3 saw Dylan Efron, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, Dolores Catania, and Gabby Windey outlast the Traitors. According to CarterMatt, both Rob Rausch and Cirie Fields are widely regarded as the best Traitors in the history of the American show, cementing their legacies in the series’ lore.
For those eager to catch up or relive the drama, all four seasons of The Traitors are currently streaming on Peacock. The series’ unique blend of psychological strategy, social deduction, and high-stakes gameplay has made it a favorite among reality TV aficionados, and the removal of the Secret Traitor twist seems poised to return the show to its most compelling form.
While the production team remains tight-lipped about any new twists or changes for season 5, Stephen Lambert’s comments make it clear that the core of The Traitors—the tension between Faithfuls and Traitors, the shifting alliances, and the ever-present paranoia—will remain front and center. As Lambert put it, the show’s enduring appeal lies in its ability to keep viewers guessing, not just about who the Traitors are, but about how the story will unfold with each new cast.
With filming set to begin in Scotland in the coming months, anticipation is building for what promises to be another dramatic chapter in The Traitors saga. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a newcomer lured in by the show’s growing reputation, there’s never been a better time to get caught up—and maybe even apply for a chance to play the game yourself.
As the series prepares for its next act, one thing is certain: in the world of The Traitors, trust is always in short supply, and surprises are just around the corner.