A spine-tingling new trailer for the upcoming fourth series of The Traitors has been released, teasing a major and sinister twist that will completely alter the hit BBC guessing game. The show, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, is confirmed to return to BBC One and iPlayer on New Year's Day.
A Mysterious New Player Enters the Game
The newly unveiled promotional clip hints at a dramatic format change, centred on the introduction of a brand new red Traitors cloak. This marks the first time the iconic cloak, traditionally black, will appear in a different colour. The atmospheric trailer features a Christmas dinner table, a chiming grandfather clock, and a candle being extinguished before an ominous red-cloaked figure approaches holding a lantern.
In a voiceover, Claudia Winkleman says, 'Have yourself a merry little Christmas… I'm joking.' The red-cloaked Traitor then places the lantern down, faces the camera, and puts a finger to their lips in a classic gesture of secrecy. The meaning and role of this new player remain shrouded in mystery.
Unprecedented Treachery and a Celebrity Success
A source told The Sun that the twist is designed to create 'distrust and treachery like never seen before.' They added, 'Nobody knows what the red Traitors cloak means, what that player will do, how they will fit in or even if there is just one of them. But one thing is for sure, a different kind of Traitor in play will entirely change the game, again.' The move is seen as essential to keep both viewers and contestants on their toes as the game's strategies become well-known.
The news follows the record-breaking success of the show's first celebrity edition earlier this year, which featured stars like Jonathan Ross, Cat Burns, and Alan Carr. That series, filmed at Ardross Castle in Scotland, attracted over 14 million viewers and saw comedian Alan Carr emerge victorious after outwitting his fellow celebrities.
Future Plans and Economic Impact
The BBC has already confirmed that a second celebrity series of The Traitors will air in 2026, with Claudia Winkleman returning as host. Brand new episodes of the companion show Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked will also return to BBC Two and BBC Sounds.
Kalpna Patel-Knight, the BBC's head of entertainment, stated the celebrity series promises to be 'just as unmissable as the first.' The director of BBC Scotland also highlighted the significant positive economic contribution the production has made to Scotland's creative industry, celebrating the show as an 'immense TV success story' filmed in the country.
With a mysterious red cloak set to disrupt the established rules of trust and betrayal, fans are eagerly awaiting to see who will follow in the footsteps of last year's civilian winners, Jake Brown and Leanne Quigley, when The Traitors returns on 1st January.
