Crew members working on The Traitors have reported a series of eerie incidents at the show's castle, leading many to believe the grounds are haunted by the spirits of wolves. During filming for the previous series, staff sensed unexplained presences and heard blood-curdling screams after dark, leaving them convinced the location is plagued by poltergeists.
A show insider told Daily Star: “The castle and its grounds are vast and they have an eerie feel to them. Crew witnessed some bizarre stuff after dark. They kept hearing screams. It freaked some of them out. They became convinced it was paranormal activity.”
Medieval artefacts fuel speculation
Speculation has emerged that the castle grounds are haunted by the spirits of animals from the Middle Ages. Preserved artefacts from the area include stone slabs depicting a wolf and a deer, and an old Scottish fable warns that the spirits of those animals never left.
The insider added: “Some of the missions were filmed in the woodland areas in the castle grounds. After the cameras stopped rolling, the crew heard wails and thought it could be the spirits of wolves.”
Show's spooky reputation
The Traitors, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, is known for being one of the spookiest shows on television, regularly featuring macabre missions involving funerals and talk of death. Claudia revealed she was initially "scared" to do a celebrity version of the show.
She told The Telegraph: "Only because I’m in love with this show and I wanted to keep it small. Once a year, or maybe once every two years, felt like enough. My bosses, thank goodness, ignored everything I said."
Ghost hunter contestant
Last civilian series saw then 22-year-old Adam Waugham sign up. He previously admitted he is a keen ghost hunter and hoped to lend his expertise to the castle’s haunting visitors. Adam, from Essex, said: "I'm an enthusiastic ghost hunter, so I'd love to get into that castle and see if it's haunted."
Adam’s efforts were cut short as he was murdered in episode 8 of his series by winning traitors Rachel Duffy and Stephen Libby. Adam goes on regular ghost hunts with pals, and the group, known as Paranormal Essex, visit sites said to be plagued by spirits. Footage from the hunts has been posted on social media and become a big hit.
Adam started investigating the paranormal after losing his father. He said: "I wanted to prove to myself that my dad is still out there somewhere and that I'm going to meet him again another day, because he was so young and we were best mates. That and the fact that I love old buildings. I love the smell of them."
Adam also recently starred in a one-night stage production in Essex on September 19, described as a "live paranormal experience combines a real-time ghost hunt with immersive theatre, placing you at the centre of a night where history and the unexplained collide."
