Reality television shows constantly have to evolve to keep things feeling fresh and ensure that audiences don’t become bored. “The Traitors” is no different, and with the fourth season on the horizon, could a new role be introduced to mix things up inside the Scottish castle?
Fortunately, the producers have plenty of ideas and concepts that can be borrowed from the likes of “Mafia” and “Ultimate Werewolf,” the social deduction games that inspired “The Traitors.”
Spoiler Warning: This post includes details about the latest season of the British adaptation of “The Traitors.”
The British Version of ‘The Traitors’ Recently Introduced a Secret Traitor
BBCThe fourth season of the British adaptation of “The Traitors” that began airing on January 1, 2026, features a brand new role not previously seen in the show. The Secret Traitor was chosen by host Claudia Winkleman in total secrecy, with their identity remaining a mystery to the other Traitors. The Faithful were also unaware that a Secret Traitor even existed.
What sets apart the Secret Traitor from normal Traitors is that even the audience does not get to know who they are. They wear a distinctive red cloak and are responsible for drawing up a shortlist of Faithful who the Traitors can kill in the turret each night. This also led to the Faithful contestants only being confirmed either after their elimination or when they were included in the shortlist provided by the Secret Traitor.
However, the Secret Traitor did not remain hidden for long and the Traitors were given the opportunity to have them revealed and join them in the turret by completing a difficult task in plain sight of the other contestants.
While there has been no confirmation that the upcoming US version of the show will feature a new role, previous iterations have tended to follow trends set by other adaptations. For example, the Seer from the third season of the U.S. edition of “The Traitors” was first seen in other versions, including the British show. So viewers might get to see Alan Cumming choose a Secret Traitor this season.
‘The Traitors’ Season 4 Cast Reveal Their Most Treacherous Real-Life Moments
The cast of the fourth season of “The Traitors” have recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly to discuss some of the treacherous things they had done in real life, to test just how suited they would be to the role of a Traitor.
For example, “The Real Housewives of Dubai” star Caroline Stanbury said, “I had to fire my own father. He worked for me for a few years and I had to let him go myself.”
“Dancing With the Stars” alumniMark Ballas revealed, “Me and my friend, Derek, stole my mom’s car, and my nan had no idea. We would take it to the park every other day, and we would smoke cigarettes in it.”
Finally, Monét X Change remembered a time when she made the decision to steal from a fellow performer when she forgot some of her equipment. “I was at a gig in Cincinnati, Ohio, on one of the tours, and I had left my wig glue at the previous city,” she remembered. “So I went over to a girl’s station – sorry, Trinity – and I stole her wig glue, and she was looking for it, and she was looking for it, and I needed it.”
