The new year is here which means millions of viewers will once again be glued to their TV screens to watch the launch episode of Series 4 in the award-winning TV show The Traitors.
Claudia Winkleman will return to preside over a group of around 25 individuals, each given a role to play, whether it’s that of a Traitor or a Faithful. Then, over 12 episodes spread across January, the competitors will use their powers of deduction, deception, and indeed manipulation, to outwit each other in the quest to win in excess of £100,000.
The Traitors latest news
Both producers and presenter Claudia Winkleman have been loathe to give too much away in advance of The Traitors Series 4. However there is one big talking point already – a red cloak!
Whether the wearer of the new red cloak will have different powers to the rest of The Traitors is being kept under wraps for now, but it does appear that the powers of the new cloak will be revealed to us as early as episode one.
The Traitors betting odds
If previous episodes are a sign of what to expect, then being able to bet on the outcome of The Traitors may be a forlorn hope, with UK betting sites wary of leaks coming to light. With that in mind, we’re not afraid of putting our reputations on the line. And, having bet on numerous reality TV shows over the years, you can be sure that The Traitors betting odds we publish are a fair interpretation of the most likely outcome.
What time does The Traitors start?
The first episode in the fourth UK series of The Traitors will be aired on New Years Day, at 8pm on BBC1. Future episodes will also be screened at 8pm, which is a shift from the slightly later time of 9pm that we have grown used to in previous series. Once the series settles down, we can expect to see three episode each week, meaning the finale is scheduled to be screened on Friday 23rd January 2026.
| Episode | Date |
| 1 | 8pm, Thursday 1st January |
| 2 | 8pm, Friday 2nd January |
| 3 | 7.45pm, Saturday 3rd January |
| 4 | 8pm, Wednesday 7th January |
| 5 | 8pm, Thursday 8th January |
| 6 | 8pm, Friday 9th January |
| 7 | 8pm, Wednesday 14th January |
| 8 | 8pm, Thursday 15th January |
| 9 | 8pm, Friday 16th January |
| 10 | 8pm, Wednesday 21st January |
| 11 | 8pm, Thursday 22th January |
| 12 | 8pm, Friday 23rd January |
What’s the format of The Traitors?
In the previous three series of The Traitors UK, between 22 and 25 contestants came together at Ardross Castle in Scotland. Some were given the role of playing Traitors, whilst others were known as the Faithful. If the Traitors can’t be identified by the final show, they will take home the entire prize pot, which is typically around £100,000. If the Faithful can successfully uncloak every Traitor, it is they who will be rewarded with the prize money.
Presenter Claudia Winkleman has spoken of plenty of new twists and turns in the build-up to series 4, as producers aim to keep the show fresh and viewers guessing right up to the nail-biting conclusion.
As with the previous three series, all the competitors are expected to be general members of the public, rather than reality TV veterans, as happens in the US version of the show.
Previous winners of The Traitors UK?
There have been three series of The Traitors in the UK so far. The first eventually saw Traitor Wilfred Webster correctly identified by a trio of Faithfuls, and so Aaron Evans, Hannah Byczkowski and Meryl Williams split the prize pot. The tables were turned in series two though, as Harry Clark deceived his rivals. They were unable to identify him as a traitor, as so he claimed the entire prize fund for himself. Then, in series three, Charlotte Berman, looked on course to secure another victory for Team Traitor, before being stung by the Seer power twist, allowing Jake Brown and Leanne Quigley to share a prize pot just shy of £100,000.
| Series | Winners | Traitors Role | Prize Fund |
| 1 | Aaron, Hannah & Meryl | Faithful | £101,500 |
| 2 | Harry | Traitor | £95,150 |
| 3 | Jake & Leanne | Faithful | £94,600 |
Will there be another Celebrity version of The Traitors?
The first celebrity version of The Traitors aired in the UK in 2025, with Alan Carr somehow deceiving the Faithful to secure the prize money for charity. The BBC have already confirmed that a second Celebrity version of The Traitors will be filmed later in 2026, so we can expect it to be aired in autumn of the new year.
