The reality TV show involves 22 strangers, one Scottish castle, and £120k up for grabs. Among the ‘Faithful’ players, there’s ‘Traitors’, who meet secretly, to discuss which Faithful they will murder that night. During the day, players participate in challenges, giving them the chance to add money to the huge prize pot. To avoid the Traitors murdering every Faithful, and easily taking home the money, each player participates in the round table. During this, all players – Traitor or not - are at risk of being banished from the castle forever. As the game progresses, numbers dwindle, the money gets closer to people’s pockets, and suspicions start to rise. There’s backstabbing, lies, accusations being thrown from all directions, and it’s so much fun to watch!
The Traitors:
This year, we saw six Traitors, but some stood out more than others. Paul and Harry were among the first to be recruited as Traitors, in episode one. From the moment I saw Paul on screen, I knew he’d be the perfect Traitor. He had all the components: evil laugh; ability to turn on the water works at any given moment; endless cunning plans; and even throwing his fellow Traitors under the bus. Despite multiple red flags pointing in his direction, Paul’s friendly personality made all the Faithfuls feel bad about voting against him. Paul managed to last for 8 glorious episodes. His exit from the castle will go down in Traitors history.
Before Paul left the show, Harry was overlooked as a Traitor. He seemed to just go along with Paul’s plans, but we soon saw his true gameplan come to fruition. Firstly, he was the one who finally got everyone to vote Paul out. This gave him an advantage in the game, as he was praised massively by the other players. Some even said that by being involved in the banishing of Paul, Harry proved he was a Faithful… For the remainder of the episodes, Harry came up with amazingly thought-out plots, which carried him all the way to the final. The final three players were Harry, Molly, and Jazz (affectionately known by the public as Jazatha Christie). Harry’s name got mentioned by Jazz in the final, but at this point it was too late – Harry had Molly firmly locked within his circle of trust - and he ended up wining the prize money. I hope Molly has learnt that men with dangly earrings should never be trusted.
I hope Molly has learnt that men with dangly earrings should never be trusted...
Diane and Ross:
I’m sure everyone’s heard the line “Paul just couldn’t be my son … but Ross is” by now. And for good reason; it’s another moment which will go down in Traitors history. The Diane and Ross (termed ‘Diana Ross’ by Ed Gamble) pairing was an excellent move by the show’s producers. Diane quickly became the ‘people’s princess’, with the nation going into chaos when she was murdered, and all for enjoying a glass of fizzy rose. However, she was given the most iconic ending of the show, with the players taking part in a funeral procession for her – brutal that Ross had to watch his mum’s funeral. And of course, we can’t forget about Ross breaking the fourth wall, or his short-lasting revenge narrative.
Claudia Winkleman & the Production Team:
Part of what makes this show so brilliant is Claudia Winkleman. She was truly born to host The Traitors. Each episode, she appears in a fantastic outfit and dominates the screen. She stands shouting at the players during challenges. She led a funeral procession. She called out the blatant sexism of the Traitors’ all boys club. She basks in the chaos of the round table. She makes the Faithfuls feel like they’ve led to someone actually being murdered. But above all, it’s clear that she loves the show just as much as the viewers. Long live The Winkleverse.
It’s clear that she loves the show just as much as the viewers. Long live The Winkleverse.
The show would be nothing without its outstanding production team. From the skilful editing, thrilling soundtrack, and flawless setting, everything comes together perfectly. All episodes are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now, and I would strongly suggest doing so, if you haven’t already.