The Traitors 2026 stormed back onto BBC One tonight with a jaw-dropping opener that saw Claudia Winkleman unleash multiple twists within minutes – including the introduction of a Secret Traitor that has already turned the game on its head.
From the moment the first episode began, it was clear series four was not going to play by the old rules. Claudia wasted no time explaining the mystery behind this year’s red cloak, something that had kept fans guessing in the run-up to launch. By the end of the 65-minute episode, viewers had met all 22 contestants, discovered who the Traitors are – or at least some of them – and learned that one player has a very personal secret lurking inside the castle.
Here is everything we learned from episode one of The Traitors 2026, including the first clues about who the Secret Traitor could be.
The Traitors 2026: What the red cloak means
The episode opened with scenes of the 22 contestants making their way towards Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, all with their eyes firmly on a prize pot that could reach £120,000. But before any of them arrived, Claudia had already been at work.
Under the cover of darkness, 12 hours earlier, Claudia appeared alone in the castle holding a red cloak. Addressing the unseen wearer, she said: “You stand before the Traitors’ Turret. Before you take the Traitors oath, I imagine you are wondering why this cloak is a different colour. I can now reveal you have a special role. You are my Secret Traitor.”
Later, Claudia was shown speaking directly to the red cloak as it hung on a mannequin. She teased viewers: “Just when they think they know how to play, I am also going to pick a Secret Traitor. Nobody will know who that is – not the Traitors and not even you. It’s naughty, isn’t it?”
Who are The Traitors?
Once all the contestants had arrived, Claudia summoned them to the first Round Table of the series. Blindfolded, they waited as she walked around the group, tapping four players on the shoulder to mark them as Traitors. However, viewers only saw three of those faces revealed, with the fourth deliberately kept hidden.
The three confirmed Traitors for 2026 are Hugo, a 51-year-old barrister; Rachel, a 42-year-old head of communications and mum-of-three; and Stephen, a 32-year-old cyber security consultant.
Claudia later confirmed their identities in a piece to camera, adding: “But what you didn’t see is who I picked for my Secret Traitor. Do you know who it is? Could you guess?”
She also revealed there would be no murder on the first night.
The Traitors 2026: Who is the Faithful?
With Hugo, Rachel and Stephen exposed as Traitors, that leaves 19 other players in the game. Eighteen of them are Faithful, but one is secretly working alone as the Secret Traitor.
Those players are: Harriet, Judy, Netty, Ross, Ellie, Sam, Fiona, Jessie, Adam, Jack, Jade, Maz, Amanda, Faraaz, Ben, James, Reece, Roxy and Matthew.
Surprise connections
Episode one also delivered two unexpected personal revelations. Early on, it emerged that Netty and Ross already knew each other, having met around 10 to 15 years ago through a mutual friend in London. Netty was delighted by the reunion, admitting she loved seeing a familiar face, while Ross was far more cautious, describing the situation as “suss”.
The bigger bombshell came towards the end of the episode, when Roxy revealed in a confessional that Judy is actually her mum. The pair have chosen to keep their relationship secret from the rest of the group. Roxy explained that coming into the game as a known pair could look like an alliance, while Judy said she was enjoying the secret, especially as nobody else has a clue.
Who is the Secret Traitor?
Meanwhile, the three Traitors were left reeling when Claudia paid them an unexpected visit. She told Hugo, Rachel and Stephen: “I have a small confession. You are not the only Traitors in this castle. At the Round Table, I picked one other Traitor. The Secret Traitor. You still have power, but not quite as much.”
Claudia explained that the Secret Traitor would work alone and would not join them at night. Instead, they would control the murders by providing a shortlist each evening. The Traitors can only murder someone on that list. Crucially, the Secret Traitor knows the identities of all the Traitors, while none of them know who the Secret Traitor is.
Stephen quickly shared his suspicions, telling the others he had a feeling the Secret Traitor could be Judy. Rachel, however, made it clear she was furious about the loss of control and vowed to hunt the mystery player down.
The Traitors: Who gets murdered first?
The first mission of the series saw the contestants bank £10,000 for the prize pot, but it also put 10 players at risk. Sent to a lake filled with 100 floating wooden coffins, the group had 45 minutes to retrieve gold-marked coffins and place them into open graves, each worth £1,000. Every grave was labelled with a name, and those whose graves were filled became vulnerable to murder.
By the end of the task, Rachel, Fiona, James, Ross, Adam, Judy, Reece, Faraaz, Maz and Netty were all placed at risk. As a Traitor, Rachel was secretly safe, leaving the Secret Traitor to decide which names appeared on the murder shortlist.
Claudia later delivered that shortlist to the Traitors, confirming they could only choose between James, Netty or Maz. The episode ended on a tense cliffhanger, with the first murder of the series still to be revealed.
When is The Traitors on again?
The Traitors returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer tomorrow, Friday January 2, 2026, at 8pm for another 65-minute episode.
The launch continues with a three-night run, with episode three airing on Saturday January 3 at the earlier time of 7.45pm, running for a full 75 minutes.
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