The fourth series of BBC One's hit reality show The Traitors is set to premiere on New Year's Day at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Host Claudia Winkleman will once again oversee 22 contestants from across the UK as they compete in a Scottish castle for a prize fund of up to £120,000. The game involves players being divided into Faithfuls and Traitors, with the latter secretly eliminating others each night.
Among the contestants is a former detective who believes their background in interviewing criminals will help them spot lies. They said: 'I was a detective, and I've done lots of interviews with criminals and victims. You have to put the pieces together to find the truth and see through the lies.' Another player, a self-described 'outspoken' individual, plans to rely on their ability to read body language: 'You won't be able to tell if I'm lying. I've studied body language. I understand how people stand, what they do with their hands, their ticks, their eye movements, even the way their ears move!'
One contestant admitted they would be happy to play either role: 'Yes, on both sides whether I'm a Faithful or a Traitor. I've thought about it a lot. I've got the sort of brain that thinks of something 100 times before anyone else has.' Another player, a ghost hunting enthusiast, said: 'I'm an enthusiastic ghost hunter as well so I'd love to get into that castle and see if it's haunted.'
As the series progresses, players will be banished or murdered, with the final survivors sharing the prize pot. The full list of contestants and those who have left will be updated as episodes air. For now, the 22 players are all in the castle, ready to begin the game of trust and treachery.
