Celebrity Traitors 2026: Launch Show Airs Tonight on BBC One

The Celebrity Traitors returns for a new star-studded season, with Claudia Winkleman once again hosting as 21 celebrities head to the Scottish Highlands for the game of social deduction.

The celebrity version follows the same format as the original series, with contestants secretly divided into Traitors and Faithfuls. The celebrities, ranging from actors to comedians to musicians, will try to outwit one another for a chance to win £100,000 for a charity of their choice.

When is the launch show on TV?

The BBC has confirmed the reality gameshow will return tonight, Thursday, October 1, with an extra-long opening episode at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The series will air two nights a week on Thursday and Friday evenings at 8pm.

This year, the show will have 10 episodes, compared to the last series' nine.

Traitors: Uncloaked and bonus content

Its sister show Traitors: Uncloaked will follow the main series episodes on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds. It will once again be hosted by Ed Gamble, who will be joined by banished and murdered players and previous celebrity and non-celebrity players for a debrief and reactions.

There will also be exclusive bonus episodes available immediately after the main show on BBC Sounds, with extended celebrity interviews and in-depth gameplay analysis. There had previously been much speculation as to when the series would begin airing, with the BBC only revealing the date a fortnight ago.