These Traitors Behind-the-Scenes Secrets Are Delectably Deceiving

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We are and have always been devoted viewers of The Traitors. 

Many people are excited to discuss the reality series hosted by Alan Cumming.

Almost 7 million viewers watched the season four premiere of a show on Peacock on January 8th, featuring celebrities like Lisa Rinna, Donna Kelce, Porsha Williams, Colton Underwood, Dorinda Medley, Johnny Weir, Ron Funches, and Stephen Colletti as they competed for a $250,000 prize.

The winners included Dylan Efron, who triumphed in season three of the murder mystery game set in a Scottish castle, as well as Gabby Windey, Dolores Catania, and Ivar Mountbatten.

Each season aims to uncover which players are ‘Faithful’ and which are ‘Traitors’ – a select group chosen by Cumming to eliminate others through deception and strategy, all while competing for a cash prize.

Considering the experience of contestants from shows like Real Housewives, The Bachelor, Big Brother, and Survivor, Zac Efron believes Rob Rausch from Love Island USA is best positioned to survive eliminations and strategically choose who gets ‘murdered’ – meaning, who the Traitors decide to remove from the game.

Honestly, watching Traitors, I’m starting to think Rob is going to take it all! I was chatting with Yahoo! Entertainment at the Golden Globes on January 11th, and I just feel like he’s got his strategy completely dialed in right now. He’s playing a really strong game.

According to Cirie Fields, the winner of the first season and the only ‘Traitor’ to win so far, the best strategy is to form a strong alliance with someone you trust.

After winning Survivor in 2023, a key piece of advice the player shared with TopMob News for future contestants was to carefully assess the group dynamics and build a strong alliance with the most well-respected person. She emphasized how important her relationship with fellow contestant Andie Vanacore was, suggesting others may have hesitated to target her because Andie trusted her so much.

And that’s just one secret we’ve unlocked from the show’s former competitors. 

By order of the traitors, you have been instructed to read more about the Emmy-winning series.  

Okay, so The Traitors is totally built on everyone being sneaky, but honestly, you’re just assigned to be a Traitor or Faithful – you don’t get a choice! But season two was AMAZING because they let people like Phaedra Parks and Kate Chastain actually talk to Alan Cumming and try to convince him of their innocence. It was SO good to finally see them get a chance to plead their case! I was on the edge of my seat!

The selection process is crucial, and Alan’s input is also very important,” explained executive producer Mike Cotton in an interview with Variety. “Choosing a ‘Traitor’ is similar to a job interview – we carefully consider everything and make a final decision right before the selection. We aim for a diverse group of personalities, each with their own strengths and abilities.”

The players didn’t initially know how many Traitors were among them. Cirie Fields, a winner from the first season of Survivor, explained to TopMob News in 2023 that they were told at the start of the game there could be anywhere from three to five Traitors.

Players were also asked to take the Traitor’s oath, which involved promising to lie, deceive, and even potentially eliminate other players each night. They also had to swear to keep both their own identity and the identities of their fellow players hidden.

To get a sense of who might be good at deceiving others, the show uses a personality test for the contestants. According to Cotton Variety, this helps identify traits that could make someone a convincing liar. However, the producers don’t actually know who the ‘Traitors’ are until the very moment Alan Carr secretly selects them.

You know, when I heard about the role, I was immediately intrigued! It was described as having a bit of a Bond villain vibe, which I loved. But the real clincher? They were open to me bringing my little dog along and even having a scene where I could pet her. I told them that’s exactly what I wanted to do, and thankfully, they were on board! It just felt like the perfect, fun project.

With his rescue dog, Lala, by his side, he fully embraced his on-screen role, peppering his delivery with quotes from the works of William Shakespeare and Plato. He described adopting a dramatic persona – “a sort of flaring-nostril thing” – and admitted to improvising a lot. In fact, he often had lines fed to him through an earpiece, making the experience feel similar to doing stand-up comedy – completely spontaneous and off-the-cuff.

While the actors filmed at the beautiful Ardross Castle in Scotland, they didn’t get to live there during production.

Cumming told the Daily Beast that none of the cast and crew stayed at the castle itself. Instead, they stayed at the airport hotel in Inverness. He personally had a room in the castle, which he used to get ready, noting it contained a large bed where he’d often nap, but he didn’t spend the night there.

The show nearly involved a much more dangerous challenge. According to creator Marc Pos, he initially planned to film on a ship off the coast of Australia, with eliminated contestants having to swim to an island. However, he decided it would be too complicated and expensive to actually film.

Contestants didn’t have access to the entire castle. According to Cotton, who spoke with Variety, they’re using just one section – a wing of the castle – as the game playing area. They also have access to all the outdoor spaces and are free to move around within those boundaries.

He pointed out that with room for around 30 bedrooms, complete privacy would be difficult. While people could spread out and talk separately, the space was still small enough that conversations could be overheard or someone could be seen slipping away for a private discussion.

It makes sense that Rachel Reilly, known from Big Brother, found car rides to and from challenges to be the best opportunity to strategize with other players. She told Reality Blurred that “You’re separated, and nobody can hear what you’re saying,” which was much easier than having to whisper in the castle.

Players weren’t allowed to discuss strategy at the hotel. According to Dan Gheesling, a contestant from season two, this was because anything said off-camera couldn’t be used in the show if it contained important information. He told Business Insider, “You’re not supposed to talk about the game when the mics aren’t ready or the cameras aren’t on, because if we say something that’s important and it’s not on camera, they can’t use it on the show.”

Chrishell Stause, from season three of the show, also shared that they weren’t allowed to have a hair and makeup team. She told Us Weekly that she “would’ve died to have glam in the castle,” but Alan didn’t permit it.

Getting the ‘Faithful’ to bed in separate rooms each night and then letting the ‘Traitors’ out for their meetings is like a huge military undertaking,” Cotton explained to Variety.

Even though Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan were a couple during season two of the show, they weren’t permitted to share a hotel room. According to executive producer Sam Rees-Jones, producers felt it would have given them an unfair advantage over the other contestants.

Despite the rules, Reza Farahan from Shahs of Sunset tried to add some playful mischief. He told Digital Spy that he attempted to slip notes under contestants’ doors, writing things like, ‘I know what you did last summer, signed The Traitors,’ just to have a little fun when they weren’t supposed to.

The production schedule is demanding, with the team aiming to film one episode each day. According to director Rhys-Jones, this fast pace helps maintain an immersive environment and keeps the cast focused. While it’s a lot of pressure, they believe it’s the best way to create the show. A typical day includes breakfast, a planning meeting, a mission, and a murder mystery, then they start the process all over again. Stause mentioned they sometimes didn’t return to their rooms until 2 a.m.

According to Cotton, who spoke with Variety, breakfast is carefully scheduled with people arriving at different times, but the meals themselves only last about an hour, from beginning to end.

Producers of reality shows like Love Island limit alcohol consumption to keep contestants focused. Ekin-Su Culculoglu, winner of Love Island and a participant on another season of a similar show, explained to Entertainment Weekly in 2024 that they were only allowed one drink per night, which she felt was very restrictive.

While it’s often difficult to find genuine connections with other players, everyone on the show is supported by a dedicated welfare team member. According to Mercedes Javid, a popular contestant from last season, these team members provide constant support. She described them as positive, professional, and made her feel well cared for throughout the experience.

When it comes to building relationships on the show, contestants don’t find out who their competition will be until they get to Scotland. Casting director Deena Katz told Time that this is intentional – they don’t want anyone researching each other or making plans beforehand. However, once the competition begins, players are given information about each other and a journal to keep notes.

Cumming jokingly refers to himself as a “Traitor,” referencing the social deduction game he enjoys. In a 2023 interview with The Daily Beast, he explained the game involves players accusing each other, often based on trivial reasons. He gave the example of someone being labeled a “Traitor” simply because he touched them, highlighting the arbitrary nature of the accusations.

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2026-01-18 11:18