The thrilling reality gameshow The Traitors is making a comeback to our telly screens, but some viewers might need a refresher on the rules of the game and how contestants can bag the cash prize.
First-time watchers may be left scratching their heads as serious terms like traitor and murder are thrown around by participants and returning host Claudia Winkleman. But don’t worry, it’s all part of the game – a game that could see someone walk away with more than £100,000.
So what’s the deal with The Traitors? What do the Faithful and other contestants have to do to win the dosh? Are there any special items they can use to give them a leg up during the show? Here’s the lowdown.
he Mirror reports how all contestants will start off in the castle – where most of the action happens – as Faithfuls. They’ll soon find out if they’re going to stay in that role for the rest of the series or if they’ll be dubbed a Traitor. The job of each Faithful is to basically sniff out the Traitors in the group and boot them out. Traitors, on the other hand, must work to stay under the radar while getting rid of as many Faithfuls as possible.
If the Faithfuls manage to kick out all the Traitors before the game ends, those left standing are the winners and get to split the prize money. However, if there are any Traitors still lurking about, they get to pocket the cash. The suspense is palpable on The Traitors, as the faithful contestants won’t discover if any traitors are still among them until the grand finale. The traitors are chosen at the first meeting of the contestants at the Round Table, with host Claudia Winkleman selecting them by a simple touch on the shoulder.
The contestants regularly convene at the Round Table to discuss their suspicions and vote on who they believe could be a traitor. The contestant with the most votes is banished from the show immediately, but not before revealing whether they were a faithful or a traitor.
In addition to these meetings, the traitors hold secret gatherings where they have the opportunity to ‘murder’ a faithful. This ominous term essentially means the same as banishment, but those chosen receive a ‘death warrant’ informing them of their fate.
The remaining contestants only discover the identity of the ‘murdered’ at breakfast the following day. The faithful contestants are kept in the dark about the number of traitors in play at any given time. Only the traitors know their numbers and identities. They also have the power to recruit Faithfuls to their cause. If a traitor is successfully banished, the remaining traitors may choose to recruit to level the playing field.
Aside from the eliminations and killings, all participants are required to engage in regular missions. These consist of a variety of challenges and tasks that offer the opportunity to add money to the prize pot, which could total up to £120,000. Gold coins symbolise the prize fund, although they don’t carry a specific monetary value.
During missions, contestants have the chance to acquire special items. In the previous series, for instance, the Shield was won as a side quest during these tasks. Once obtained, it shields its bearer from the next Murder, but if not used, it expires. There are also Daggers, which allow their holder to double their vote at the next Round Table.
Like Shields, they also expire if not used, so contestants are incentivised to use them. It’s common for contestants to agree not to disclose if they’ve secured a Shield or Dagger, fearing it may make them a target for the Traitors.
There might be additional twists or rule changes in store for the third series. This follows previous series where Traitors had the option to put contestants On Trial or send them to The Dungeon.
In the second series, the Traitors were forced to select four members of the group to sit out the day’s activities, including at least one of their own. The team victorious in that day’s challenge could choose to grant immunity to one of those put on trial. Whether this rule will return for the third series remains unknown.
The Traitors begins tomorrow at 8pm on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer.