The latest episode of The Traitors 2026 delivered seismic shocks, leaving contestants and viewers reeling. The drama unfolded on Thursday 8 January 2026, with host Claudia Winkleman overseeing a series of brutal betrayals and stunning confessions.
A Detective in Disguise
The episode's most jaw-dropping moment came when contestant Amanda confessed she is a police detective. The revelation sent fellow player Rachel into a state of utter shock, completely destabilising the game's dynamics. This strategic disclosure has thrown everyone's trust into question and reshaped the playing field entirely.
Secret Overlords and Breakfast Banishments
Earlier, the Secret Traitor was unmasked as Fiona, leaving Traitors Rachel and Stephen stunned to discover their hidden overlord had been operating in plain sight. In a format shake-up, Claudia announced a roundtable banishment would occur immediately after breakfast instead of dinner.
This led to the elimination of Faithful Ross, who narrowly avoided being murdered in the previous episode. In a poignant post-elimination twist, it was revealed Ross is in a relationship with fellow contestant Ellie, who vowed to avenge his banishment.
Fiery Missions and Face-to-Face Murder
The episode featured a tense mission where contestants had to set effigies ablaze to add £10,000 to the prize pot. The catch: naming another player during each ignition removed their protection from murder. Matthew's decision to sacrifice Sam was described as "brutal," adding £1,000 but putting Sam at grave risk.
By the mission's end, nine contestants were left unprotected: Sam, Reece, Jade, Amanda, Faraaz, Fiona, Ellie, Stephen, and Matthew. The episode concluded with three Faithfuls—Reece, Maz, and Sam—nominated for a murder, with the Traitors instructed to kill their victim face-to-face.
In a cruel twist, it was later confirmed that Maz had been murdered, removing a popular Faithful from the game. As the contestants returned to the castle, paranoia was at an all-time high, setting the stage for even more dramatic confrontations in the episodes to come.
