The Traitors series 2: release date, episodes, cast & more

3 January 2024, 14:00 | Updated: 8 January 2024, 19:29

By Radio X

@RadioX

The hit reality game show is set to return for a second series with Claudia Winkleman as its host.

The Traitors is returning for a second series right on time for the new year.

Earlier this year, the BBC confirmed Claudia Winkleman will be back to host the nail-biting psychological reality competition, which sees 22 strangers play a game of detection, backstabbing and trust in a bid to win £120,000.

"I can’t wait to go back to the castle to watch people play the greatest game on television," she said. "I’m knitting a high funnel sweater immediately."

Now a release date for the hit reality competition has dropped, alongside a first-look image of its host, plus more details on the second helping of the show.

Find out everything we know about The Traitors 2 including, when it launches, how many times a week it will air and what the cash prize is.

Claudia Winkleman announces return of The Traitors

READ MORE: The Traitors' Tom Elderfield had no idea if girlfriend Alex was actually a Faithful

When does The Traitors series 2 start?

The Traitors returns for a second season on Wednesday 3rd January 2024.

What days will The Traitors be on?

• After The Traitors launches on Wednesday 3rd January at 9pm on BBC One, episodes two and three will then be available on iPlayer immediately after.
• The episodes will then air on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights throughout the second series.

When are the next episodes of The Traitors out?

See the release schedule below:

• Episode one – Wednesday 3rd January
• Episode two – Thursday, 4th January (immediately on iPlayer after episode 1)
• Episode three – Friday 5th January 5 (immediately on iPlayer after episode 1)
• Episode four – Wednesday 10th January
• Episode five – Thursday 11th January
• Episode six – Friday 12th January
• Episode seven – Wednesday 17th January
• Episode eight – Thursday 18th January
• Episode nine – Friday 19th January
• Episode ten – Wednesday 24th January
• Episode eleven – Thursday 25th January
• Episode twelve/series finale – Friday 26th January

Where is The Traitors filmed?

The Traitors UK and its US equivalent is filmed in Andross Castle, north of Inverness, Scotland. It plays a huge part in the show, with the contestants sleeping, eating and taking part in some of their tasks in the castle.

How many contestants are in The Traitors UK?

22 contestants will take part in The Traitors UK, battling it out for the chance at the £120,000 cash prize.

Who's The Traitors season 2 contestants?

• Andrew (45), Talbolt Green - Insurance Broker
• Anthony (45), Birmingham - Chess Coach
• Ash, (45), London - Events Coordinator
• Aubrey, (67), Loughborough, Leicestershire - Retired Shop Owner
• Brian, (33), Glasgow - Photographer
• Charlie, (34), Bristol - Mental Health Area Manager
• Charlotte (32), Warwickshire - Recruitment Manager
• Diane, (63), Lancashire - Retired Teacher
• Evie, (29), Inverness - Veterinary Nurse
• Harry, (22), Slough - British Army Engineer
• Jasmine, (26), London - Sales Executive
• Jaz (30) Manchester - National Account Manager
• Jonny (31), Bedfordshire - Ex-Military
• Kyra (21), Kent - Apprentice Economist
• Meg (22), Herefortshire - Illustrator
• Miles (36), Birmingham (now lives in Worcestershire) - Veterinary Nurse
• Mollie (21), Bristol - Disability Model
• Paul (36), Manchester - Business Manager
• Ross (28), Lancashire - Video Director
• Sonja (66), Lancashire - Volunteer Business Mentor
• Tracey (58), Inverness - Sonographer and Clairvoyant
• Zack (27), London - Parliamentary Affairs Advisor

Who won The Traitors UK series 1?

The first series was jointly won by Faithfuls Aaron, Hannah and Meryl, who each took home a share of the £101,050 prize pot.

Will there be a third season of The Traitors?

Yes. A third series of The Traitors has already been confirmed ahead of the second season airing.

Applications for those wanting to become one of the 22 strangers taking part are open from now until 11th February 2024.

Series one - which was filmed at a Scottish castle and has been watched 34 million times on BBCPlayer, saw three Faithfuls, Aaron, Hannah and Meryl, outsmart the Traitors and took home a third of the total £101,050 prize pot each.

Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC, said: “Last year’s ambitious and bingeable hit 'The Traitors' with Claudia Winkleman is coming back with the brilliant team at Studio Lambert set to bring viewers another magnificent series full of drama and suspense.

"We can certainly expect even more deceit and psychological games for The Traitors and Faithfuls."

Claudia Winkleman shares three facts about series 2 of The Traitors

Stephen Lambert, CEO of Studio Lambert, added: "We were delighted so many viewers of BBC One and BBC iPlayer loved the first season.

"They told us they enjoyed the drama and entertainment of watching our players judge each other, often leaping to false conclusions, but also forming alliances and real friendships.

"We’re excited to be making a second season with Claudia as together we build on the success of the first."

The BBC is currently looking for applicants to appear in the second series of the show.

Claudia Winkleman announces season two of The Traitors

Tom Elderfield, who appeared on the show alongside his girlfriend Alex Gray spilled some of the secrets on the show.

Asked how he knew that his partner Alex wasn't a Traitor, he told Radio X's Ed Gamble and Matthew Crosby: "I didn't and they were very strict on those rules. Like if one of us was a Traitor we could not tell the other otherwise you forfeit the whole prize fund. Understandably so, but she's my girlfriend, so I don't care. So I'm going to say she's faithful 100 percent."

Quizzed if he thought even if she was a Traitor they would share the money either way, he replied: "Yeah exactly and she's significantly smarter than me, so she would go ahead and win it."

Tom from The Traitors reveals show's secrets

"First of all, we had to keep it a secret," he went on. "We realise the moment we go in and have an alliance what would happen is we'd be like, 'Hi this is my girlfriend...' [They'd go] Banished. Banished. Like... we'll be out straight away. No one wants to have an alliance."

Talking about his dramatic announcement at the breakfast table, he said: "The reason it sort of came out in that moment is you're trying to think not just the next step, not just the step after the step... You're trying to think, three, four, five steps ahead.

"Obviously you don't want to get banished or murdered and they're both complete opposite ways of getting out of the show."

READ MORE: The Traitors set for celebrity special?