The Traitors may have only just started, but fans are hooked on the Secret Traitor twist, whose identity has been hidden not just from those in the castle but also from viewers themselves.
In the launch show, Claudia Winkleman chose one of the 22 stars to be her hidden player: a Traitor with the power to control the game by knowing exactly who the Traitors are. In past seasons, there have been three Traitors in the Scottish castle, who could know each other’s identity, but to mix things up this time, the host chose a fourth person to be fitted for a red cloak.
The three known Traitors are barrister Hugo — who has since been banished from the show — head of communications Rachel, and Scottish cybersecurity consultant Stephen. They work together, whereas the Secret Traitor is a lone wolf.
Read more: The Traitors’ Judy shares gameplay plan with Roxy and how they nearly bungled their secret (Yahoo exclusive)
In the first two episodes, the Secret Traitor drew up a murder list for the normal Traitors to choose from, and they couldn’t name themselves in order to throw off the scent. James, Netty, and Maz were shortlisted for murder in the first round, with Netty getting the chop. Ben was murdered in Episode 3, after Maz and Reece were shortlisted alongside him, ruling those players out of being the Secret Traitor too.
Who is the secret traitor on The Traitors S4? (BBC)
The Secret Traitor’s murder list is handwritten, giving viewers and the Traitors their first clue as to the identity of the Secret Traitor. The trio were also given an audacious task that, if they succeeded, meant their co-conspirator would be unmasked — and they did, so all will be revealed on Wednesday night.
Audiences at home have been playing along to try and figure it out, but with only the show’s clever editing to go on, it’s clear the producers have laid out a few red herrings along the way, too. Out of 22 players, only 13 remain who could be the scarlet-robed villain revealed in Wednesday’s episode.
Ahead of the big reveal, here are the clues that have been gathered so far.
Who could be the Secret Traitor? The cluesAmanda
Amanda is one of the players viewers suspect in The Traitors. (BBC)
A retired detective, Amanda told Winkleman that she’d love to be a Traitor because she’s “found baddies all my life. Now it’s time to be one.”
She’s proven quite capable of keeping calm under pressure, and has so far kept her police work a secret from everyone else in the castle. If she’s great at keeping secrets, then that might make her the perfect person to be the Secret Traitor, and in one confessional to camera, she discussed having a ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ personality, suggesting she was hiding something secret.
After submitting an all-male murder shortlist in episode 2, the Traitors were convinced the Secret Traitor would be female.
Jade
Jade’s reaction to the selection process has made her seem suspicious. (BBC)
PhD student Jade is the only person to be shown telling Claudia that she wanted to be a Faithful. Could this make her the perfect person to be the Secret Traitor? Suspicion has mounted against Jade from viewers because, after Claudia had made the selections, she looked terrified.
What would make her so scared? Perhaps the dawning realisation of being selected as a Traitor when she wanted to be a Faithful all along.
Sam
Could Sam be the Traitor hiding in plain sight? (BBC)
One star who could prove to be the Secret Traitor is Sam, who, during the challenge at the gravesite, placed a coffin in Rachel’s grave. He told his team that they just needed to pick the one closest to them, but it seemed so quick that it appeared deliberate. Also, Rachel is a Traitor, so it hints that he knows that.
He also remarked that he was glad he wasn’t under suspicion, which seems an odd thing to say as a Faithful — but perhaps this is a red herring. After leading the charge against confirmed Faithful Judy in her banishment, he has played the game most Traitor-like so far. Or is he, like Reece said about James, “Not a Traitor, but a bad Faithful”?
Roxy
Roxy’s handwriting could be a giveaway. (BBC)
In episode 3, the contestants had to write down who they wanted to be murdered in a roundtable discussion. This has led viewers to suspect Roxy, whose handwriting appeared similar to the names written on the murder list handed down to the Traitors in the first episode.
Roxy had written James’ name, and the J looked markedly similar to the J in the list earlier in the series. Could this mean it’s her?
The Traitors (BBC)
It could perhaps be the case, as Roxy’s mum Judy had been selected an episode earlier to be banished, and was ultimately revealed to be a Faithful, but Roxy’s expression suggested she already realised the mistake the others had made because she would have known her mum was a Faithful.
Harriet
Harriet is another contender to be the Secret Traitor. (BBC)
Crime writer Harriet knows her way around a murder mystery or two, so she could be a good choice for the role of the Secret Traitor. It’s thanks to Harriet that Hugo was identified by the team and banished, which has led fans to believe that she must have known his identity as a Traitor all along.
Also, the author keeps referring to herself as a secret barrister, in reference to the fact she’s keeping her former occupation a secret from the others — could this be a way to deflect from her actual role?
Ross
Ross could be hiding a secret. (BBC)
When Ross entered the show, he was surprised to find someone he knew there also in the cast — Netty. The personal trainer wanted to keep their connection on the down low, but Netty was happy sharing this information with others — perhaps this is why Netty ended up on the first murder list?
Internet sleuths have also apparently discovered a connection between Ross and psychologist Ellie, with fans on Reddit spotting a LinkedIn post featuring both of them. Another post on the Traitors subreddit shows an Instagram photo of the two together from June 2024, months before the show was filmed.
Has Ross got room for another secret up his sleeve?
Fiona
What if Fiona is the Secret Traitor? (BBC)
Fiona has quickly become a fan favourite among viewers, and so her unveiling as the Secret Traitor would be well received. In terms of clues, during the challenge where they had to put a coffin in a person’s grave, she got a bit confused and thought it referred to who they wanted to save, not murder. But could this all be an elaborate act to avoid suspicion? Some fans seem to think so.
Ellie
Ellie is another player viewers think could be the Secret Traitor. (BBC)
Like Roxy, Ellie’s handwriting appears to be very similar to that of the Secret Traitor’s murder list. This has led viewers to be suspicious of the psychologist, who has also stated the words “secret traitor” out loud on the show (is that a secret task for the Secret Traitor?)
Some viewers seem to believe that the person in the red cloak has blonde hair, which could ultimately mean that psychologist Ellie is the one, but she’s not the only blonde.
The others
The other players in the game who could also be revealed as the Secret Traitor are Adam, Faraaz, Jack, Jessie, and Matthew. None of these players have featured heavily in the episodes so far, so for any of them to be revealed as the Secret Traitor would likely be a bit of a letdown for viewers, something the producers will not want to do.
The Traitors airs Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 8pm on BBC One.