Claudia Winkleman for The Traitors© Llara Plaza,BBC

The Traitors season 3's release date confirmed - and it's in just a few weeks

The Traitors is back - but will it live up to the hype?

TV & Film Editor
4 hours ago

The Traitors is set to return to our screens - and BBC has now cofirmed the show's release date at long last, alongside a trailer starring the show's presenter, Claudia Winkleman

The trailer has confirmed that the show will be back on New Year's Day, so fans can settle in to watch it on Wednesday 1 January 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer. We could be more ready!

WATCH: The Traitors is back for New Year’s Day

Hosted by the Strictly Come Dancing star, who takes on a shadowy persona for the game of intrigue and murder, the show is set to welcome a group of strangers who will play the "ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust, in the hope of winning up to £120,000". 

Like the previous series, the show is set to air on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights. The first two episodes will air at 8pm, then move to 9pm from episode three. 

© Llara Plaza

Claudia Winleman returns

The BBC also confirmed that the show's popular podcast Traitors Uncloaked with Ed Gamble would also return, and will be available directly after every episode of the main show on BBC Two and iPlayer. An extended version with extra guests and more theories will be available on BBC Sounds. We can't wait for the show to take over our personalities!

Although there is set to be a celebrity version of the show later in 2025, season three will be made up of entirely regular contestants - and we can't wait to meet them!

© Llara Plaza

Season two was a huge hit for the BBC

The show was originally adapted from a Dutch format, but now has versions in the UK, Australia, US and New Zealand. The game follows a group of contestants who are either 'faithfuls' or 'traitors'. The faithfuls' job is to root out the traitors in their midst and banish them. If there are no traitors left by the end of the game, then the faithfuls share the prize pot. However, if one traitor is left, then they take home the money. 

Claudia has opened up about how much she loves making the series, telling the Independent: "I'll never forget when Will and Amanda both evicted Alyssa – when they turned on a fellow traitor. I just heard in my ear, very quietly: 'Watch your breathing'. 

© Studio Lambert

Ross in The Traitors season 2

"And I thought, this is something else. I don't know what is happening, but this is something. We did not see any of this coming. We went to Inverness and made a little show where people couldn't trust anyone. We were like: 'Never mind – we had fun'. And then something sort of magic happened and Twitter took over."

More TV and Film

See more