BBC has unveiled the 22 contestants for the second series of its psychological reality competition, The Traitors, which returns on Wednesday 3 January at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The show, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, sees players compete in a castle in the Scottish Highlands for a prize of up to £120,000, with some secretly designated as Traitors who must eliminate Faithfuls each night.
Among the new contestants is a Welsh player who cites last year's Traitors Amanda and Wilfred as inspirations. They said: 'I'm not being biased but of course I like the Welsh, so I'd have to say Amanda. I liked Amanda's character and she was quite ruthless. Also Wilfred was great, he was very good from the off.' The contestant, who has a background in close protection security, believes their ability to adapt and stay calm will be an asset.
Another player, who suffered a serious accident years ago, said they want to inspire others: 'I'd like to inspire thousands of people out there who've maybe had a traumatic experience or suffered with their mental health. I want to inspire people and give them hope. To tell them that if you keep fighting and believing you will get to your dreams.' They described themselves as having a larger-than-life personality and being competitive yet empathetic.
The series will air on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights, with episodes 2 and 3 available on iPlayer immediately after the first episode. Contestants must navigate missions and roundtable discussions to identify and banish Traitors, with the potential for a Traitor to steal the entire prize fund if undetected at the end.
