Secret traitors, cop scandals, cast relationships and a finale right around the corner – this season has had it all, and it’s not too late to dive in.
The following conversation contains spoilers for the first nine episodes of The Traitors UK S4. You have been warned.
Alex Casey: Tara, welcome back to the turret. Every season I say to myself “surely The Traitors will never get better than this, nay, surely life can never get better than this” and every season I am left as startled as a middle-aged Welsh woman left out of an important cop family disclosure. Wasn’t it just the greatest start to 2026 to crash right back into the Inverness castle?
Tara Ward: Lock me in a cage and send Fiona into the forest to never find the key, because I felt like I was still processing the glorious Celebrity Traitors UK from just a few weeks ago. When I realised that the dawn of the new year had bought us a brand new season of people trying to kill each other – well, I couldn’t have been more thrilled. It’s been four gripping weeks of tears and treachery, lies and laughs, with more jaw-dropping moments than ducks on a Claudia Winkleman jersey. First of all, let’s talk about this season’s major twist: What did you think of the introduction of a secret traitor???
AC: I love a good gimmick, but I did worry it would outstay its welcome. There’s already enough going on in the game without a little side quest, even if the Secret Traitor does get to don the most resplendent blood red cloak. The beauty of watching The Traitors is that the audience is in on all the secrets, so to have this mystery person faxing the turret every night felt a little distancing. It also seemed like the show didn’t quite know how much time to spend reminding us there even was a secret Traitor, which meant that I forgot about it for an episode or two. I am grateful they revealed all relatively quickly, in all honesty could have done without it, but mostly appreciate the Traitors producers are constantly looking for new and fresh ways to mess with the game as it reaches it cultural apex. What did you think? Were you expecting it to be Fiona?
TW: I was delighted it was Fiona, because I was really hoping for another Welsh queen (like season one’s Amanda) to remind us that we shouldn’t underestimate an older woman. I didn’t love the secret traitor twist either. I wish they’d leaned into it and revealed the secret traitor identity just to us, so that we could savour watching this one powerful player manipulate the entire game. But praise the Traitor gods that Fiona still delivered the drama, after that incredible, jaw-dropping, send-me-to-my-grave confrontation when she accused “trained by the FBI” Rachel of lying about Amanda being a police detective. One of the best and most bonkers Traitors moments ever, I reckon.
AC: On the Fiona thing, it is remarkable and bleak how The Traitors both shatters preconceptions about how certain types of people are expected to act, while also allowing heaps of really tense patterns to play out season after season. People of colour always seem to be persecuted at the round table with little evidence and are always banished first (see Ross and Judy this season) and older women, particularly those who put their head above the parapet, get ejected faster than you can say best-selling crime writer and former barrister. Even though she flamed out towards the end, Harriet’s every move was my favourite moment of The Traitors this season. When she went full barrister vs barrister on Hugo! When she did a crazy Liam-Neeson-in-Taken monologue to The Traitors in the confession booth! When she commanded the breakfast room to set a cat amongst the pigeons before the coffee had even been plunged! My queen.
TW: What an epic way to go out. I’m also amazed at the way Rachel has convinced everyone that she’s one hundred percent faithful, despite numerous players screaming her name in their last desperate seconds before banishment. She even admitted that she’d trained for six months in some sort of underground “how to convince a bunch of clueless people that you’re not lying” training course, and everyone was like “seems fine”. She seems unbeatable at this point. Also, while I’ve found myself skipping through some of the challenges this season, I did particularly enjoy the lone hand bursting out of the grave during last week’s cabin challenge. That’s the energy I’m here for.
AC: The art department on The Traitors is probably a reality television show in itself at this point. Really curious to know how those scary undead hand actors managed to stay breathing underground, and also how they managed to get the walls to leak rivers of blood? Tubes? Must be a lot of tubes. You are so right about Rachel, my money would be on her to go all the way and perhaps throw Stephen under the bus if the flames start licking his feet once more. Although he is incredibly good at wiggling out of questioning, I still can’t believe that nobody asked him why he was the last person to be lurking around the family tree? It’s a very powerful Traitor duo this season, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there is another secret relationship and/or dark horse Faithful to emerge at the eleventh hour. James’ sideburns hold big secrets, I just know it.
TW: If those sideburns would talk, they would say: we’ve only got three episodes until Saturday’s (NZT) season finale (which they’re screening in UK cinemas!). My pick is that faithfuls Roxy and Jade will make it to the very end alongside Rachel (greatest traitor ever?), but regardless of who wins, it’s a joy to know we’re about to enjoy some nail-bitingly tense, must-watch television. Will there be a last-minute intruder? Will Matthew’s dream of becoming a traitor finally come true, or will Stephen just unveil three more spectacular jumpsuits?!?! Can’t wait to find out.
