Sharp-eyed viewers of the hit BBC show The Traitors are convinced they have uncovered the identity of the new 'Secret Traitor' after spotting what they believe is a major production blunder.
The Uncloaked Background Blunder
The speculation erupted while fans were watching the companion show, The Traitors: Uncloaked. Observant fans on social media platform X noticed the photographs displayed on the wall behind the show's hosts. One user pointedly asked why the three known traitors were pictured alongside contestant Harriet. This immediately sparked theories that Harriet was the mysterious fourth traitor introduced this season.
Another fan declared it a spoiler, writing that the portraits of the traitors were in the background "plus an additional one", directly naming Harriet as the secret traitor. A third viewer questioned whether Uncloaked had inadvertently revealed the twist already, pondering what a dramatic plot twist that would be for the main show.
Suspicious Wording Fuels Further Theories
The hunt for clues has extended beyond visual gaffes. Fans are now dissecting every word spoken by the contestants. During a confessional, participant Ellie, a psychologist, stated she was hesitant because she didn't want people to think she was the "Secret Traitor".
This choice of language raised immediate red flags for viewers. As faithful contestants are supposedly unaware of this season's new twist, fans questioned how Ellie knew to use the specific phrase "Secret Traitor" instead of just "traitor". Multiple viewers took to social media to highlight this as suspicious wording, suggesting it might be a Freudian slip from someone in the know.
The Secret Twist Revealed
Host Claudia Winkleman introduced the game-changing twist on January 1st, the premiere of the new season. For the first time, there is a fourth traitor whose identity is hidden from everyone—the other traitors, the faithful, and the audience at home.
This Secret Traitor, who wears a scarlet cloak, holds significant power. Their role is to select a shortlist of three players, from which the other traitors then choose who to murder. The tension escalated in the episode aired on January 3rd, where the original traitors, Stephen and Rachel, were given a secret mission to uncover the secret traitor's identity.
Their task was to mark a family tree of players with red ink. Success would grant them a murder that night and a meeting with the Secret Traitor. They succeeded, narrowly avoiding detection by fellow player Reece. The episode concluded with the Secret Traitor approaching the turret, leaving the reveal for a future episode, potentially on Wednesday, January 7th.
While it seems unlikely producers would make such an obvious error, the fan detective work highlights the intense scrutiny and excitement surrounding the show's latest strategic layer. Whether the background photos were a deliberate misdirection or a genuine mistake remains to be seen, but the speculation is certainly keeping audiences glued to their screens.
