The Traitors: Jake; Joe; Dan© BBC / Studio Lambert

The Traitors fans in disbelief after noticing major flaw in show strategy: 'It's obvious'

Series three is well and truly underway on BBC One

TV and film writer
1 day ago

Fans of The Traitors think they've spotted a major flaw in the show's strategy which seemingly makes it easy for the contestants to spot a Faithful. 

The popular BBC show, which returned with its third season in January, sees a group of contestants take part in "the ultimate game of truth and deception" for a chance to win a huge cash prize of up to £100,000. 

WATCH: Are you enjoying the new season?

Taking to social media, fans suggested that the final few players to arrive in the breakfast room each morning tend to be Faithful contestants who have narrowly escaped being murdered by the Traitors in order to create more suspense for viewers. 

One person penned: "Is #TheTraitors staged? Surely the contestants know from watching previous series that the people in contention for being murdered arrive for breakfast last and therefore aren't the traitors?!" while another replied: "Yep, amazed none of them notice."

The Traitors: Kasim; Charlotte; Dan© BBC / Studio Lambert
Fans have noticed a pattern in the show

A third person remarked: "Surely it's really obvious that the 2 people left until the end before coming in for breakfast makes it really obvious that they're both faithful. They're obviously last for the suspense for viewers so must have been the people discussed for murder, no?" while a fourth questioned how the contestants haven't picked up on the theory, adding: "Why does nobody in Traitors pick up on the fact that the last two people through the door at breakfast are the survivors of the Traitors' top 3 targets and can be ruled out? They all talk about their rubbish theories and 'evidence' but miss the most obvious."

© BBC / Studio Lambert
Linda is one of this season's Traitors

Another commented: "How don't the contestants realise that the final few through the door at breakfast are the one the traitors were debating whether to murder or not?!"

However, season one contestant Ivan Brett challenged this theory, saying that while Faithfuls tended to turn up last at breakfast, it didn't always happen. "In episode 4, Amanda was last to turn up to breakfast. Nobody was murdered that night, but they still used it as an opportunity to break the Laithful pattern," he explained. 

© BBC / Studio Lambert
Do you agree with the fan theory?

"But even without that, you only spot this pattern of no Late Traitors (lators?) if you *already know* who the traitors are," continued the former contestant. "Faithfuls are sus of everyone and only discover traitors once banished. We all tracked votes, friendships, but breakfast arrivals were not being counted."

The Traitors continues on Wednesday 8 January at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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