In a world dominated by Netflix, TikTok, and doom scrolling, event TV has become a rare phenomenon, though a few shows still manage to capture audiences.
When The Traitors premiered in November 2022, the reality competition series drew an average of 5.4 million viewers each week, eager to watch the latest twists of deception and betrayal.
Since then, the increasingly popular murder-mystery-style psychology game, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, has aired three series and is now gearing up for a celebrity edition.
The show, adapted from the Dutch series De Verraders, pits a group of secretly appointed “traitors” against a majority of “faithfuls.”
It’s up to the faithfuls to identify the traitors and banish them from the game before they become the next victims.
Players who survive to the end have the chance to win the prize money but if a traitor goes undetected, they’ll take it all.
The Celebrity Traitors will see 19 famous faces, including broadcaster Clare Balding and singer Paloma Faith, gather in the Scottish Highlands for the chance to win up to £100,000 for a charity of their choice.
Retired Olympic diver Tom Daley, actor Sir Stephen Fry, and Thursday Murder Club star Celia Imrie are also among the competitors.
Joining them are former England rugby player and podcaster Joe Marler, actresses Tameka Empson and Ruth Codd, Welsh singer Charlotte Church, singer Cat Burns, and comedians Alan Carr and Nick Mohammed.
Rounding out the cast are comedians Lucy Beaumont and Joe Wilkinson, historian David Olusoga, Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway, YouTube star Niko Omilana, Scottish actor Mark Bonnar and presenter Jonathan Ross.
Winkleman, 53, admits she was scared when the idea of a celebrity edition was first pitched.
“I was scared. Only because I’m in love with this show and I wanted to keep it small,” says the London-born broadcaster.
“Once a year, or maybe once every two years, felt like enough. My bosses, thank goodness, ignored everything I said.”
Asked about the line-up of celebrities, she adds: “It’s an absolute honour. I could barely breathe when I saw them all in the Highlands. I’m such a fan of every single one of them.
“The whole team were just in awe, it was hard not to scream, ‘you’re here!’ When I talked to Stephen Fry, I almost welled up; I told him, ‘this was my dream.’ We’re incredibly lucky to have the cast that we have. Each one of them is tremendous.”
Winkleman, who also co-hosts Strictly Come Dancing, says staying in character was harder with the celebrity series.
“The biggest challenge was being ‘strict,’” she explains. “All I wanted to do was chat and be friendly, but my role is aloof and grumpy. I found it hard not to just sit down with them and have a cup of tea.
“My family and I are obsessed with Joe Wilkinson. I had to stop myself from getting his autograph for my son.”
She adds: “They’re incredibly smart and kind. They play the game beautifully and were fully immersed in it. It was an extraordinary experience, and we’re so lucky 19 people said yes. It’s something we never take for granted and are so grateful for.”
Balding, 54, who has presented coverage of the Olympic Games and Wimbledon for the BBC, says she is drawn to the show from a psychological perspective.
“I love the show. Yes, I really find it fascinating, the way group thinking can be influenced,” the Hampshire-born presenter explains.
“I don’t know whether I can resist that or whether I can influence that, and I’m kind of interested in it from a psychological perspective. Also, I really want to see the castle, I want to see the grounds, and I want to meet the peacocks. Genuinely, I think it’s a fascinating programme and it’s like nothing else.”
Asked about her ability to read people, she adds: “I think I am good at it, but I can be much too trusting, so it would be very easy for somebody to convince me that they were not a Traitor. I have a few things I’ll try to look out for, and if I spot anyone being a bit casual about trying to get a shield, that will be very telling.”
Hull-born Beaumont says she has no game plan coming into the show.
“I don’t think game plans work,” says the 42-year-old comedian. “I’ve seen people think they have a game plan, but it always comes undone. I think it’s just luck – they’ve said the right thing at the right time and were aligned with the right people. I don’t have a plan for anything; I’m going to go with the flow.”
Asked if her comedy skills will come in useful, she adds: “Maybe that might help to an extent, until it starts to annoy people. I think I’m good at getting on with people, so that’s the only thing I can offer. It’s a sort of fairly OK demeanour! I haven’t got any type of plan, and I doubt I’ll contribute much to the missions, so the only thing I’ve got going is that I’m moderately pleasant.”
She adds: “If I was a Traitor, I think I could convince myself that I was a Faithful, and then I don’t think it’s so much like lying. If I could make myself genuinely believe that, then I think that’s what would get me through it.”
Faith, 44, says she plans to get rid of the boring ones if given the chance.
“Oh, I’d still vote out boring people if I’m a Faithful,” says the Hackney-born singer.
“If I don’t think someone is contributing much to our entertainment, I’ll just exert my influence at the Round Table.
When asked how she is at reading people she laughs: “I’m exceptional at reading people, and I’m worried that I’ll get voted off or murdered, because they’ll see that in me.
“I need to keep it under the radar about how good at it I am. I’m at the point in my life where people don’t even want to introduce me to their new boyfriend because they’re worried I’ll say I don’t get good vibes from him.”
She adds: “I quite like murdering people! I might see a different side to myself. I think that I’m always very moral and on my high horse so I might be surprised if I do some backstabbing.”
The Celebrity Traitors is on Wednesday, October 8 on BBC One and iPlayer.
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