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July 26, 2026Sources cited
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Entertainment • Television

The Traitors

The Traitors is a reality competition television franchise based on the Dutch format De Verraders.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Traitors is a reality competition television franchise based on the Dutch format De Verraders. Contestants live together in a Scottish castle, complete missions to build a prize fund, and try to identify secret “Traitors” among them before they are eliminated or “murdered.” The franchise has gained popularity for its psychological and social-deduction gameplay.

Premise

The series places contestants in a social-deduction competition built around trust, deception, and voting. Players complete missions to add to a prize pot while trying to survive elimination and identify the hidden Traitors.

Gameplay

All players begin as Faithfuls until a few are secretly selected as Traitors. Each night the Traitors choose someone to “murder,” and each day the group votes to banish a suspected Traitor. Faithful win if all Traitors are banished; Traitors win if any remain at the end.

Production and filming

The UK and US editions are set in a Scottish castle atmosphere and are associated with Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands. The format has been adapted internationally from the Dutch original De Verraders. The US version has been filmed at Ardross Castle through at least seasons 1–3.

Reception and popularity

The UK version has been described as a major hit for the BBC, and the franchise has drawn strong attention as a psychological reality competition. The Traitors has Canadian relevance as part of the broader international reality-TV franchise and social-deduction format.

Key facts

  • At the start of the game, a small number of contestants are secretly chosen as Traitors, while the others are Faithful.
  • Traitors meet in secret at night to “murder” one Faithful, removing that player from the game.
  • During the day, players discuss and vote to “banish” suspected Traitors at the Round Table.
  • Faithful win if all Traitors are banished; Traitors win if any remain at the end.
  • The UK and US versions are both filmed at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands.
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Canadian context

The Traitors has Canadian relevance as part of the broader international reality-TV franchise and social-deduction format that also appears in Canadian media coverage and streaming discussions.

Frequently asked questions

What is The Traitors about?
It is a reality competition where contestants work in teams to build a prize fund while trying to identify hidden Traitors among them. The game is built around deception, voting, and social deduction.
Who are the traitors in The Traitors?
The Traitors are a small number of contestants secretly chosen at the start of the game. Their identities are hidden from the Faithful contestants.
How does The Traitors work?
Contestants complete missions to add money to the prize pot, Traitors secretly “murder” one player each night, and all players vote at the Round Table to banish suspects. Faithful win if all Traitors are removed; Traitors win if any survive to the end.
Where is The Traitors filmed?
The UK and US versions are filmed at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, Scotland.
Who won The Traitors?
There are multiple versions and seasons, so the winner depends on which edition and season you mean. The available sources here do not list all season winners.
Is The Traitors scripted?
It is presented as a reality competition, not a scripted drama. The rules and outcomes are structured by the format, but contestants’ decisions and gameplay are unscripted.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Traitors_(American_TV_series)
    Supports: Premise, social deduction format, Ardross Castle setting, Traitors and Faithful roles
  2. TV Radar — https://tvradar.uk/the-traitors
    Supports: UK format, gameplay, hosts, filming, prize fund, winner conditions
  3. BBC — https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20240207-the-traitors-why-people-are-obsessed-with-this-new-deceit-filled-reality-tv-hit
    Supports: Format premise, roles, filming in Scottish castle, popularity
  4. BBC — https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2xRtJpWRbKcwPdXs7bZnxxH/the-traitors-how-the-show-works
    Supports: Game mechanics, Faithful and Traitors, banishment rules
  5. Peacock — https://www.peacocktv.com/stream-tv/the-traitors
    Supports: US series description, host, castle location, filming seasons 1-3
  6. Common Sense Media — https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/the-traitors
    Supports: Reality competition description, gameplay structure, unscripted nature