Expect even more twists, turns, secrets, epic missions, deception, banishments and, of course, murders aplenty… The Traitors, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, are back in the castle for a fourth series on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
The Traitors series four sees 22 people from across the UK join Claudia Winkleman in a Scottish Castle to compete for up to £120k. Starting on New Year’s Day at 8pm on BBC One, faithful viewers will once again be treated to the ultimate reality game of trust and treachery, with the second episode airing on Friday, 2nd January at 8pm, and the third on Saturday, 3rd January at 7.45pm.
BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge
Q: We’re back in the castle for a brand-new series – can you give us a sneak peek of what’s in store?
I mean, I’d really love to, but I’d get into enormous trouble. All I will say is there’s something new, and what happens in this series is truly extraordinary, with moments that made me gasp. I can’t wait for people to see it. The producers have the greatest minds on earth.
Q: As the show enters its fourth season, have the players’ strategies evolved?
They have, and they haven’t. The absolute brilliance of the game is that you can have your strategy worked out; you can decide how you’re going to play it, but once you’re in the castle, everything changes. The tension takes hold, but also so do the friendships, and everything goes up a few notches this time in how people play it. People think they know when someone is lying to them. This game has shown that it isn’t always the case…
Q: How do you keep the players on their toes throughout the game?
Well, I just paint myself fluorescent orange, but the people in charge always have excellent ways of changing the game. You think you know how to win. Turns out you don’t. The castle has many secrets, that’s all I can say. Massive apologies.
Q: Have you ever looked at the missions and thought, I’d love to have a go?
Absolutely not. I have never actually moved fast, and my favourite thing to do is lie down. However, I am absolutely on their side and really want them to do well. It’s like at my kids’ sports days, but on steroids.
Q: Do friends and family ever try to get spoilers out of you?
Never. Genuinely, I’d lose my job. Plus, there’s no fun in knowing. When Alan won, my husband and youngest son couldn’t stop screaming, crying, and shouting, “You knew!” They had a toastie and calmed down…
Q: In The Traitors, players can hide their true identities or keep secret relationships. How does that twist affect the strategy and tension of the game?
It takes us, as viewers, on a real ride, and we want to shout at the telly. I think it would be lovely to have someone you know in there with you. But as we know, it doesn’t always help. “But Ross is” is tattooed on my forehead. It isn’t. But I like the idea of it.
Q: The Scottish Highlands have become a huge part of the show – it must be a joy to film there?
The Scottish Highlands might be the most beautiful place on the planet. It’s a privilege to spend so much time surrounded by the jaw-dropping landscape. I’ve never been anywhere like it. There’s something about the expanse of sky, the breathtaking lochs and the flora and fauna. I am officially in love with gorse. Not only are the people we meet in Inverness the warmest and greatest, but now that we’ve been back a few times, it’s lovely to see familiar faces.
BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry
Q: What are your favourite moments from the series?
I have too many to mention, but I’ll try to answer. I love watching them at breakfast. The second they walk in and react to each other over a plate of sliced cheese is fascinating to me. I love the bonding and the excitement of the missions, but the roundtable is probably the bit I get most excited about. Watching how they play is addictive.
Q: Choosing the Traitors feels quite a responsibility. How do you go about it?
It’s nerve-racking, but I don’t choose them alone. I interview all the players, and some are absolutely desperate to be faithful. Anyone who convinces me otherwise is in contention. I then go into a small room with the bosses and an enormous tin of biscuits, and we pick.
Q: And telling the players seems to get more and more dramatic…
The walk around the table is very tense. I can’t tell you how many times I walk around it, but I really try to build the tension, which is hideously mean but also quite addictive. I try to wear clompy footwear to add to it. It gets a bit flamenco. Alan recently said I walk around the table like a cart horse, and he’s bang on.
Q: And you really are the master at controlling your facial expressions – you never give anything away – how hard is that?
I think the orange fake tan helps. This might sound ridiculous, but we all take the game seriously, and if I mess it up with my face, then it’s not fair to the players. My youngest child watched a bit of the last series and said that I pulled my “you have to do your homework” face. That’s pretty much it.
Q: The owl seems to be a great keeper of your secrets. What can you tell us about the owl? Do they have a name? Are they a Traitor or a Faithful? Do they get along with the peacocks?
The owl is the constant, and we love seeing him. His stage name is Sage, and last year he and his girlfriend had a baby, who has been named Onion. I know…
The Traitors series four, presented by Claudia Winkleman, premieres on BBC One, New Year’s Day at 8pm.
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