The Traitors Series 3 Is Coming On New Year’s Day
By
11 months ago
Here's what to expect
For two consecutive winters, The Traitors has captured the nation, spurring intrigue, arguments, conversation and scandal as 22 ordinary Brits come together to play a murder mystery style game. Having well and truly secured its cult status, lucky for us, the fun won’t stop at the third instalment: we could be getting new series of the hit game show all the way up to 2030. The news came over Easter weekend earlier this year when insiders revealed the BBC has booked up Ardross Castle, the home of The Traitors, until 2030 – meaning we have at least six more years of Traitors content to come.
Both UK and US versions of the show are filmed at the now-famous Scottish castle – and with plans for expansion of both series, plus potential new strands (a British celebrity version of the show is allegedly on the way, following the successful integration of celebrities and reality stars in the US version), the BBC has no choice but to book ahead.
It’s thought this was done largely to avoid having to find a new location if the castle was already booked, as a TV insider told The Sun: ‘The ultimate nightmare would be if the producers tried to return to Ardross Castle after the Beeb commissioned more series only to find it was unavailable.
‘That’s a very real prospect as the Highlands pile is in huge demand for weddings, which have swelled in numbers since The Traitors became so popular. Without taking this bold measure, it was at risk of becoming a victim of its own success.’
Until then, as the weather gets colder and the nights get longer, The Traitors series 3 is finally on the horizon. Here’s what you need to know.
The Traitors Series 3: Release Date, Cast & More
© BBC
What Happens In The Traitors?
A reality competition set in the Scottish Highlands, The Traitors rounds up a group of contestants who must work together to complete challenges and earn money for a prize pot. However, hidden among the group are ‘Traitors’ who have been secretly selected by the host. The Traitors’ goal is to ‘murder’ the other contestants, known as the ‘Faithful’, without getting caught. The Faithful contestants, meanwhile, must try to detect and ‘banish’ the Traitors through daily group discussions and votes, before the Traitors can eliminate them all.
If the Faithful manage to eliminate all the Traitors, they will split the prize money. But if a Traitor remains undetected until the end, they will win the entire prize pot for themselves.
Meanwhile Claudia Winkleman plays the show’s impeccably-dressed host, bringing a dollop of gothic mystery and whimsy to screens.
(c) BBC / Studio Lambert / LLara Plaza
When Will The Traitors Return?
It’s official: The Traitors will return in 2025. The BBC announced the news on their social media channels, captioning a sneak peek video with: ‘Start the New Year with a bang. Watch The Traitors on iPlayer from 8pm on New Year’s Day.’
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So we can expect The Traitors to return for series 3 this winter, after being filmed in the Scottish Highlands over summer 2024. Presented by Claudia Winkleman in trend-setting countrycore garb, the series was confirmed before series 2 even aired at the start of 2024, with the BBC’s Head of Entertainment Kalpna Patel-Knight quipping: ‘The BBC will always remain faithful to The Traitors.’
This carries on the trend of the last instalment of the show, which was bumped from December 2023 to January 2024 to make way for the BBC’s new flagship competition series, Survivor UK – an import from across the Atlantic. Initially renewed for a second series, Survivor UK has since been quietly cancelled by the BBC after a struggle in ratings – and a whopping £30 million investment. But despite the chaos, The Traitors will be sticking to its January schedule.
The January air worked well for the series at the start of 2024; with plummeting temperatures, Brits relished in having thrilling TV to curl up in front of on the sofa.
(c) BBC/Studio Lambert/LLARA PLAZA
Will Celebrities Star?
No, The Traitors series 3 will feature another cast of 22 ordinary Brits. That said, a celebrity version has been commissioned, and is expected to be filmed in 2025 back-to-back with The Traitors series 4. We expect both The Celebrity Traitors and The Traitors series 4 to air in winter 2025/26.
The Cast
No news just yet on the 22 contestants; they are usually announced a week or so before the series begins. Stay tuned for updates.
If you’d like to star in series 4, you have until 9 February 2025 to submit your application here.
WATCH
The first two series of The Traitors are available to stream on BBC iPlayer, along with versions from the US, New Zealand and Australia.
