In a stunning twist that will rock the castle, the identity of the elusive 'Secret Traitor' on BBC One's hit show The Traitors is set to be unveiled in the next episode, arriving far sooner than the programme's millions of fans anticipated.
A Mission to Regain Power
Following the shocking banishment of barrister Hugo – the first Traitor to be voted out – the remaining faithful contestants might have thought the tide was turning in their favour. However, producers had other plans. The two surviving Traitors, Stephen, 32, and Rachel, 42, were given a high-stakes mission designed to wrestle back control from the unseen third Traitor who has been operating solo since the series began.
Their perilous task was to shortlist nine potential murder victims 'in plain sight' using a family tree painting located in the heart of the castle. Dipping their fingers into blood-red ink, they had to leave a fingerprint next to each chosen name before the night was over. Success meant one of the nine would be murdered the next day, and the Secret Traitor would finally join their ranks, uniting all three as equals.
Nerve-Shredding Tension in the Castle
The setting made the operation incredibly dangerous. Stephen confessed to being in a 'blind panic' as faithful players constantly drifted past the painting. 'My heart is just pounding,' he said. 'I'm praying and praying no one walks through this castle right now.'
Rachel took charge of the fingerprinting while Stephen kept watch. In a cunning move to deflect suspicion, she even included Stephen's own name on the list of nine. The other potential targets were Sam, Jade, Amanda, Reece, Maz, James, Jack, and Faraaz. Against all odds, the pair completed the covert mission without being caught.
Host Claudia Winkleman, 53, later confirmed the Traitors had succeeded, regaining their power and setting the stage for their first tense meeting with the mysterious recruit.
Alliance and Betrayal Among the Traitors
However, a harmonious villainous alliance is not guaranteed. As the episode concluded, Rachel expressed deep scepticism about the incoming Traitor, telling Stephen: 'Whoever walks through that door, we don't need them.'
This follows Stephen's ruthless betrayal of fellow Traitor Hugo at the roundtable, a move he admitted was a last resort to protect his own game. 'I hadn't expected to be throwing a fellow Traitor’s name around this early,' he said, claiming the actions of another player, Harriet, forced his hand.
Rachel, who was 'delighted' at Hugo's exit, said the barrister had 'dug his own grave.' The duo then made a pact, vowing never to write each other's names down as they aim to reach the final together and split the £120,000 jackpot – a feat no pair of Traitors has ever accomplished.
The Traitors continues on January 7 at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
