By Keira Guy, third year Politics and International Relations
As we have just finished another series of The Traitors, this enigmatic reality TV show has been by our side, providing the suspense and intrigue needed to get us through the endless reading, lectures, and assessments. With Alan Carr winning the final on Thursday, undoubtedly we will miss Claudia Winkleman and the rest of the star-studded cast gracing our screens mid-week.
Instead of ambitious game players battling it out for a life-changing prize pot, this round of The Traitors has been played by nineteen well-known celebrities. While celebrity gameshows are usually underwhelming to say the least, this cast has been stacked with some of the brightest and boldest British stars. Joining Claudia in the Scottish castle this time is comedian Alan Carr, singer Cat Burns, actress Celia Imrie, singer Charlotte Church, broadcaster Clare Balding, historian David Olusoga, Rugby player Joe Marler, comedian Joe Wilkinson, presenter Jonathon Ross, broadcaster Kate Garraway, comedian Lucy Beaumont, actor Mark Bonnar, comedian Nick Mohammed, content creator Niko Omilana, singer Paloma Faith, actress Ruth Codd, multi-talented Stephen Fry, actress Tameka Empson and Olympian Tom Daley. I know I was not the only person excited to see icon Alan Carr attempt the humbling challenges in the highlands and endure the torturous mind games of the round table. Little did we all expect, he would do oh so very well.
For those unfamiliar with this gripping show, The Traitors is a psychological game show that tests its contestants on trust, instinct and teamwork. Based on the Dutch series De Verraders, the concept is similar to games such as mafia and werewolf. A number of so-called ‘Traitors’ are secretly chosen by Claudia to murder and deceive the ‘Faithfuls’ to win the final prize for themselves. Each day the contestants partake in ruthless challenges to add money to the prize pot, before facing the Round Table where they must collectively decide who to eliminate based on their suspicions. But when night falls, the cloaked ‘Traitors’ meet in their turret and decide who to murder. There are other additional elements such as the shield that protects the owner from murder, and the ‘Seer’, which allows a player to confirm the identity of another player. All of which only fuel the confusion and chaos!
Since the first UK season in 2022, The Traitors has become something of a cultural phenomenon. The first ever UK episode received 3.88 million views compared to a whopping 9.91 million in the finale of the most recent season. For many of us, The Traitors isn’t just entertainment, it is an obsession, a pop culture sensation. What other show could produce moments such as Linda’s terrible acting, Charlotte’s fake Welsh accent, Jaz being compared to Harold Shipman and ‘Jazatha Christie’, weird character shots of the contestants doing press ups and showering, a lying priest, and of course the iconic 'Paul’s not my son…but Ross is'. Viewers cannot get enough of the dramatic fake funerals, spectacularly misleading campaigns against ‘Faithfuls’ and emotionally-heated arguments, which all make for brilliant television.
Most of all, The Traitors is a masterclass in manipulation. Charming ex-army engineer, Harry Clark, who won the second season, is often referred to in psychology classes for his talent in leading a group, evading suspicion and winning over a majority of the ‘Faithfuls’. Elle Hunt from The Guardian wrote in 2024 that The Traitors is a ‘crash course in human psychology’, showing that we tend to favour people who are like us, naturally form cliques and ‘in-groups’.
Of all the tactics to succeed in this game, the most important is to be able to command group opinion and form connections with the other contestants so that they are unwilling to see you as a dishonest ‘Traitor’. This has always frustrated me, as the trustworthiness of someone is unrelated to their being a ‘Faithful’. Claudia chooses the ‘Traitors’ herself, and so their character is irrelevant to their status. But contestants tend to lose any aspect of logical reasoning in the castle during their scramble for survival, thus the voting process tends to be a blind stab in the dark and an exercise in groupthink hysteria.
'The celebrities are also more accustomed to being filmed. Furthermore, the professional actors among them can benefit from their skills in performing and deception.'
There are many routes you can take as a player: you can stay quiet and avoid attention, or you can be confident and command the room. It is ideal to achieve a balance of both; be accusatory but also avoid being too loud to avoid allegations of trying to deflect attention onto a ‘Faithful’. Evidently, numerous aspects are at play, which is why the game is both unpredictable and enjoyable to watch.
Meg Pantry
This latest season has been especially interesting, as the players are public figures that we know and love. We knew their personalities going into it, and so did the other contestants. It has seemed that any suspected 'changes in behaviour' have been almost made up - ending up with a faithful being voted out every single round.
Unlike the previous seasons, the contestants this season competed for an up to £100,000 for a charity of their choice, this ending up to being £87,500 that Alan donated to Neuroblastoma UK. With this, the removal of the potential for personal monetary gain from the celebrities actions in The Celebrity Traitors, the focus shifted to contestants fighting for the reward of reputation and authenticity. Viewers have loved Cat Burns' quiet confidence and her ability to go 'under the radar', while others, like Jonathan Ross — despite his TV background — came off overly strategic. The absence of personal prize money seemed to reveal which participants were really there for the experience, Nick Mohammed emerging as one of the public's most beloved for his genuine character.
With the traitors winning this first season, which celebrities do you think will be up next year? Are you team faithful, or team traitor?
Featured Image: IMDb /The Celebrity Traitors Cast (2025)
