Claudia Winkleman and the masterminds behind the hit BBC show The Traitors have promised a "brutal" and "twisted" fourth series, revealing that the upcoming season will push its contestants to their absolute limits.
A Game Like Never Before
The new series, which launches on BBC1 on New Year's Day at 8pm, will feature all 22 contestants arriving at the Scottish castle unscathed, a departure from previous seasons where some were eliminated before even entering. However, this initial kindness is not a sign of a softer approach. Executive producers Mike Cotton and Sarah Fay have devised fresh, unseen elements that promise to upend the game.
"All I will say is there’s something new and what happens in this series is truly extraordinary with moments that made me gasp," Claudia revealed. "The producers have the greatest minds on earth... It gets pretty twisted. I love it."
Mike Cotton of Studio Lambert emphasised the heightened intensity: "We test our Traitors harder than ever, we push them really hard. And you’ll see that later in the series. Also the Faithful as well, it becomes quite brutal."
Secrets, Strategies, and a New Level of Gameplay
Claudia, who was delighted to be dubbed the "queen of darkness" by one player, said this series feels distinct. "The castle has many secrets, that’s all I can say," she teased. "They play it in an extraordinary way... We've never seen it played like this brilliant cast play it."
She contrasted the upcoming civilian series with the recent celebrity edition, noting the gameplay is far less polite. "They play with their entire hearts - it gets really, really brutal. Also after the celebrity one... they were like, 'no, no, after you'. That’s not how this one goes."
Producers have hinted that some twists will be deployed strategically based on how the game unfolds, with potential secrets among the contestants—like the mother-and-son duo from series two—being a possibility.
Behind the Scenes with Claudia
Claudia, 53, maintains strict secrecy, even with her own family. She recalled their reaction to Alan Carr's celebrity series win: "My husband and youngest son couldn’t stop screaming and crying and shouting, 'but you knew!'"
She is equally disciplined with her reactions during filming, fearing a giveaway expression could unfairly influence the game. Her favourite moments are the tense breakfast scenes: "The second they walk in and react to each other over a plate of sliced cheese is fascinating to me."
Her iconic selection process remains, aided by a pair of loud boots. "I scrape them along... I get a bit flamenco and I go round about five times," she laughed, adding that Alan Carr compared her to a carthorse.
While her wardrobe retains its "Cruella meets Princess Anne" aesthetic for this series, she has bold plans for the future: "Next series we’re going full Oliver Twist. Lots of patches."
With promises of "hard core" gameplay, "juicy roundtables," and shocking twists, The Traitors Series 4 is set to be its most cutthroat season yet.
