In a stunning development for the hit BBC reality series, the long-concealed identity of The Traitors' 'Secret Traitor' is set to be revealed to millions of viewers far earlier than expected. The dramatic unveiling will occur in the next episode, following a high-stakes mission successfully completed by the two remaining known Traitors.
A Mission to Regain Control
After the shock banishment of barrister Hugo—the first Traitor to be voted out—the Faithful contestants believed the game's momentum was shifting in their favour. However, producers swiftly intervened with a twist designed to upend the game once more.
Remaining Traitors Stephen, 32, and Rachel, 42, were handed a critical task. Their objective was to wrestle back control from the unseen 'Secret Traitor' who had been operating solo since the show's opening episode. The duo's success in this mission means the mysterious recruit will finally join them, with the revelation scheduled for the upcoming episode airing on January 7 at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
The Nerve-Shredding Task
The mission was a test of nerve and stealth. Stephen and Rachel were instructed to shortlist nine potential murder victims 'in plain sight' using a large family tree painting located in the middle of the castle. The perilous setting left Stephen in a 'blind panic', as he later admitted his heart was 'pounding' while Faithful players constantly drifted past the artwork.
Their instructions were chillingly specific: dip their fingers into blood-red ink and leave a fingerprint beside each of the nine names they wished to target before the night ended. In a calculated move to deflect suspicion, Rachel even included Stephen's own name on the shortlist. The other eight marked for potential murder were Sam, Jade, Amanda, Reece, Maz, James, Jack, and Faraaz.
Against the odds, with Rachel handling the fingerprinting and Stephen keeping watch, the pair completed the task without being caught.
Uncertain Alliances and Future Plans
Host Claudia Winkleman, 53, confirmed the Traitors had succeeded, regaining their power and setting the stage for their first meeting with the Secret Traitor. However, unity among the villains is not guaranteed. As the episode concluded, Rachel voiced deep scepticism, telling Stephen: 'Whoever walks through that door, we don't need them.'
This distrust follows Stephen's ruthless betrayal of fellow Traitor Hugo at the roundtable, an act he claimed was necessary after another player's 'eloquent monologue' left him with no alternative path. Rachel, who was 'delighted' at Hugo's banishment, said the barrister had 'dug his own grave.'
Despite the looming unknown, Stephen and Rachel made a pact, vowing never to write each other's name down. They set their sights on reaching the final together and splitting the £120,000 jackpot—a feat no pair of Traitors has managed before in the show's history.
