The hit reality competition series The Traitors has returned to BBC One with a bang, launching its fourth regular season on January 1, 2026, and introducing what is being widely described as the show’s most dramatic twist yet: the arrival of a secret fourth traitor. This bold shake-up, which has left both contestants and viewers guessing, marks the most significant format change since the program’s debut in 2022, and it’s already capturing the imaginations of millions across the UK and beyond.
According to BBC News, the launch episode drew an impressive live audience of 6.4 million—over a million more than tuned in for last year’s equivalent premiere. This surge in viewership comes on the heels of the show’s successful celebrity edition, which racked up a total of 15 million viewers, solidifying The Traitors as a staple of British television and water-cooler conversations everywhere.
So, what exactly is the new twist? For the first time in the show’s history, a secret traitor—cloaked in red rather than the usual green—has been appointed by host Claudia Winkleman. Uniquely, the identity of this traitor is hidden not just from the faithful contestants and the three other traitors, but also from the audience at home. Winkleman selected the secret traitor by tapping them on the shoulder at the iconic round table, but the camera cleverly concealed who received the fateful touch. As Digital Spy noted, only the secret traitor knows the true status of every player, including the identities of the other three traitors, giving them a singular advantage in the game.
The secret traitor’s powers are formidable. Each night, they compile a shortlist of three players the other traitors are allowed to murder—never including themselves, of course. The regular traitors, this season named as Rachel, Hugo, and Stephen, can only select their victim from this list. This has caused no small amount of consternation among the traitors, who are used to wielding unchecked power over the fate of their fellow players. As Hugo memorably quipped during the first episode, “I do not require middle management. The whole point of being a traitor is having perfect information.” Winkleman herself revealed that the traitors were “livid” when they discovered their new, anonymous overseer, but she was quick to add, “It’s really fantastic for the secret traitor, having the time of their lives.”
For fans who have long bemoaned the faithful’s struggles to identify traitors, this twist offers a tantalizing opportunity to play detective alongside the contestants. The show’s producers were inspired by social media chatter from earlier seasons. Mike Cotton, creative director at Studio Lambert, explained, “In series one, people said, ‘Wouldn’t it be interesting if the viewers didn’t know who the traitors are?’ We don’t agree with that, actually… But we thought it would be interesting if you didn’t know who one of them was. I think it could change the conversation slightly for this season.”
The new cast of 22 players includes a fascinating mix: a former police detective, a crime novelist, and a mother-daughter duo—Judy and Roxy—whose familial connection is a secret from the rest of the group. In a twist of fate, two other contestants, Ross and Netty, recognized each other at the castle thanks to a mutual friend, a link that even the producers had not anticipated. “We cast them as individuals,” Cotton recalled, “so we knew there was a tenuous link, but we didn’t know whether they would recognize each other, or how they would react.”
The first mission of the season upped the ante, as contestants set out on boats to retrieve floating coffins from a nearby loch. Each coffin, worth £1,000 for the prize fund, had to be placed in a named grave, automatically shortlisting that player for potential murder. In true British fashion, teams avoided awkwardness by nominating players from rival teams, and ten contestants ended up on the chopping block. After the dust settled, only three names—James, Maz, and Netty—made it onto the secret traitor’s final murder shortlist, ruling them out as the hidden mastermind for both the traitors and the eagle-eyed audience.
Speculation about the identity of the secret traitor has reached fever pitch on social media and in living rooms across the country. Cosmopolitan and Digital Spy both highlighted several potential suspects based on their behavior in the opening episode. Jade, for instance, became noticeably quiet and nervous after the traitors were selected, sparking theories that she might be hiding something. Judy, already keeping her relationship with Roxy under wraps, raised eyebrows when she failed to defend herself after being accused of traitorous behavior—simply saying, “What will be will be.” Intriguingly, Judy’s name was absent from the murder shortlist, which aligns with the rule that the secret traitor cannot nominate themselves. Meanwhile, Sam’s quick actions during the challenge and his relief at staying under the radar have led some viewers to suspect he’s the one in the red cloak. As the show’s fans have pointed out, the murder lists themselves may eventually reveal the traitor’s identity, since one name will never appear—a fact that both contestants and viewers are already tracking closely.
This season’s format change has not only shifted the power dynamics among the traitors, but it’s also reinvigorated the audience’s engagement. As one fan posted on X (formerly Twitter), “I actually wish they hadn’t told the other traitors that there’s a secret traitor, that would’ve been more fun. They’ll be looking at the murder lists trying to figure out who it is and they’ll be able to narrow it down quite quickly.” Another suggested keeping notes on their phone to help solve the mystery—a testament to just how invested viewers have become.
It’s not just the gameplay that’s getting bigger. The missions themselves have grown in scale, and the show’s signature blend of suspense, strategy, and interpersonal intrigue is as compelling as ever. Even the soundtrack choices, like Fleetwood Mac’s “Little Lies” and The Fugees’ “Killing Me Softly,” have been meticulously selected to echo the show’s themes of deception and betrayal.
As The Traitors continues its run—airing Fridays at 8:00 PM GMT on BBC One and iPlayer—fans can expect more twists, theories, and perhaps a few more surprises from Claudia Winkleman and the producers. For now, the nation is left to speculate: who is the secret traitor, and how long can they keep their identity hidden from the rest? One thing’s certain: with the stakes raised and the game reinvented, this season promises to be the most unpredictable yet.
Whatever happens next, viewers are in for a wild ride as secrets unravel and suspicions mount in the shadowy halls of The Traitors.
