The Traitors stars Ross and Ellie weren’t strangers after all when they entered Ardross Castle, it has now been confirmed.
Last night’s show (January 7), saw the Secret Traitor’s identity revealed and Ross banished from the Traitors castle.
“The Traitors have done their work, because they have framed Ross,” Ellie said afterwards in the confessional. “I’m really sad to see him go… Especially because Ross is actually my boyfriend.”
Clips of the couple engaging in secret conversations in the castle were then shown, before Ellie told the confessional cameras: “What I’ve got to do now is avenge his death. I’ve got to work a lot harder. I want to catch a Traitor for him.”
But now, Ross has spoken about how the show impacted their relationship.
The Traitors ‘helped’ Ross and Ellie’s relationship
Speaking on The Traitors: Uncloaked, which aired straight after the episode, Ross finally acknowledged his secret relationship. And he explained just how the show affected them as a couple.
Ross admitted: “I have seen a lot more of Ellie. In relationship wise, I don’t know if she would be competitive but she would keep her guard up. But now, I understand that’s what that face means. It’s been really helpful. It was really good for us.”
When asked if there was ever a moment that he nearly gave away that they were in a relationship, Ross explained that he actually enjoyed keeping it hidden.
He said: “Not for me. Weirdly, our relationship was the most fun and comfortable thing. I don’t know why, but arrogantly, I knew nobody would guess. Especially after the Netty scenario, we could do whatever.”
Ross also explained that they decided to sign up together, as they were fans of the show. But that when the first few episodes were released, they went to extreme lengths to hide it from the public.
“We had to leave the house at separate times”, Ross admitted. “We went to watch the first episode at my family’s house together. Ellie took a big jacket and sunglasses. I get it. You don’t want people to ruin the fun.”
Ellie and Ross’ relationship secret
Ellie’s reveal finally lifted the lid on perhaps the show’s worst-kept secret. Earlier this week, a resurfaced photo of the pair was shared online.
Speculation had been building since the BBC One series began that the pair already knew each other before filming. And, earlier this week, that theory gained traction after a since-deleted image, said to date back to summer 2024, emerged on Reddit and quickly caught fans’ attention.
Since series four launched, viewers questioned whether Ross, 37, and Ellie, 33, were already acquainted, with many pointing out how comfortable they appeared when meeting on the Traitors train for the so-called first time.
The opening episode confirmed Ross had a real-world connection to Netty, who has since been murdered. But attention then turned to whether Ellie was also part of his pre-show circle.
A Reddit user uncovered a photo from a “team outing” shared in June 2024 by an account named @damospersonaltraining. The image showed Ross standing beside Ellie, with his hand resting on her back.
The caption read: “Team outing with the best personal trainers in London.”
The photo featured Ross, Ellie and seven others at a restaurant called Eco. It has since been deleted, and while Ross still appears connected to the account, Ellie no longer features in any visible grid posts.
Confirmed, Ross and Ellie know each other #TheTraitors #TheTraitorsUK pic.twitter.com/iLncgfTWVv
— (@j_swizzle_123) January 5, 2026
Fans react
Viewers were quick to weigh in on the discovery. “Ooooo well done detectives!” one fan wrote, while another predicted: “Things are gonna get interesting!”
Others questioned the timeline. “When was The Traitors filmed? I’m wondering if they met on the show and something blossomed from there,” one asked. Another responded: “It literally says June 2024… it wasn’t filmed a year and a half ago.”
After Ellie’s bombshell admission tonight, viewers took to the hashtag. “Ross and Ellie were dating. Yeah, we knew,” said one. “To be fair to Ross and Ellie, you couldn’t tell they were together from their behaviour in the castle. That takes some doing,” a second commented.
“No one’s surprised by that,” said a third. “I called Ross and Ellie in the first episode,” bragged another. “Ross and Ellie are in a relationship!” said another, adding a meme that saw a girl pretending to be shocked.
Super sleuthing revealed Ross and Ellie were a couple long before she confessed
Since filming wrapped, Ross has been spotted commenting on Ellie’s social media posts, fuelling further speculation that their connection extends beyond the show.
Fans also noticed that Ross had liked a LinkedIn post shared by Ellie in July. As Metro reports, Ross commented: “Congratulations! Great work Dr Buckley,” when Ellie announced she had qualified as a chartered psychologist. There are also reports the pair have been on holiday together.
One fan commented: “They could be a couple potentially. I did see Ellie react when Netty recognised Ross.” Another added: “She glances at him when everyone is sitting in a group after Traitors are chosen. It’s just a split second, but it looks like she’s checking his reaction to what’s being said.”
Read now: Complaints pour in as ‘pointless’ Secret Traitor task comes to an end
The Traitors returns Wednesday (January 7) at 8pm on BBC One.
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