The Traitors has returned for its second series, welcoming 22 brand-new contestants preparing to take on the ultimate game of deception.
Following its word-of-mouth success in Christmas 2022, the BBC reality series returned on 3 January for a new series with just as many twists and turns as before.
Claudia Winkleman is back as host, guiding the cast as they’re split into “Traitors” and “Faithfuls” and forced to lie and sabotage their way to the end of the competition. Up for grabs is their share of the up to £120,000 cash prize.
*Spoilers for The Traitors episode four below – you have been warned!*
Below, you can meet all 22 contestants who have arrived at, and been banished from, Andross Castle. But are they Faithfuls, or are they Traitors? Read more to find out...
Andrew – FAITHFUL
Andrew in ‘The Traitors'— (BBC/Studio Lambert/Mark Mainz)
An insurance broker from Talbot Green in Wales, Andrew has a particularly inspiring story, having been pronounced dead on the side of the road 23 years ago and in a coma for nearly five weeks. He was considered a “miracle patient”, as his parents were told that if he did wake up, he’d never walk, talk or use his arms again. The 45-year-old is basing his game plan on his experience working in close protection security, where he had to “be on my toes, be alert, and be able to adapt at the drop of a hat”. Andrew reckons he’s a good liar, and says he’ll do “whatever it takes, within reason” to win.
Anthony – FAITHFUL
Birmingham-based Anthony is preparing to transpose the psychological challenges of chess, the game he coaches, into The Traitors. The 45-year-old wants to be a Traitor, but says he has a good poker face. He’s prepared to go “all the way” to win, as like in chess, “everything is expendable”.
Charlie – FAITHFUL
Unlike most of the other contestants, mental health area manager Charlie admits that she’d be a bit worried if she’s made a Traitor. “I’ve tried to prepare for it just in case it does happen. But I think I’d be a little bit worried,” she says. “As much as I like the idea of having a good poker face, I don’t know whether I actually would have with everyone watching me.” If she wins, the 34-year-old from Bristol says she’ll put the money towards her wedding to her boyfriend, as they’ve been engaged for nine years.
Charlotte – FAITHFUL
Recruitment manager Charlotte applied for the show in search of a challenge, and she’s already preparing to portray herself as “the ditzy one” in order to go undetected. “I used to play poker tournaments and they used to just think ‘Who’s the bimbo at the end of the table?’ but I’d still make it to the end,” says the Warwickshire local, 32. Still, she admits that she can be a bit gullible, but is determined to win – if only to achieve her dream of flying her dogs by private jet to the US to join her and her wife on a roadtrip.
Diane – FAITHFUL
For Diane, 63, applying for The Traitors was all about proving her kids wrong after they “said I could never do something like this”. A retired teacher, Diane hasn’t got a game plan, but hopes her sense of humour and physical fitness will help her out along the way. “I’ve discovered over the years that I can either raise an atmosphere or bring it down,” she says. “I’m hoping I’ll be motivating and energising for people. Those are my best qualities.”
Evie – FAITHFUL
A veterinary nurse from Inverness, Evie applied for the show in what she says may have been “a bit of an existential crisis about turning 30”. She reckons she’d be good enough at being a Traitor, and is good at trusting her gut and intuition if she turns out to be a Faithful. If she was to win the money, Evie, 29, wants to use it to rescue loads of animals. “There’s always three-legged dogs or one-eyed hamsters and a bunch of chickens that need to be homed so I think I’d love to live out my spinster dreams with my small holding for all of them,” she says.
Harry – TRAITOR
Aged just 22, Harry is an engineer in the British Army from Slough. He plans to put his work experience to use on The Traitors, and describes himself as having “no fear” while also being able to work in teams and problem solve. Harry is desperate to be a Traitor, but either way, he’s “going in there to win it”.
Jasmine – FAITHFUL
As a sales executive, 26-year-old Jasmine describes herself as a “professional truth embezzler” who’s perfect for The Traitors. Sporty and adventurous, the London local says she does have a game plan (although it’s subject to change), and will do basically anything to win. Jasmine says: “If I had to curse out someone’s family on national television, I don’t think I would do that. But within the game, I don’t think there’s anything I wouldn’t do. If I have to eliminate someone, if I have to steal the big pot of money, that’s absolutely fine.”
Jaz – FAITHFUL
Jaz hails from Manchester, where he works as a national account manager. The 30-year-old was convinced to apply by his in-laws, and has some big theories about how to play a good game. “I think if you go in with a game plan then you won’t last,” he says. “If I’m a Traitor, I feel as though I’m going to go in with the mindset of a Faithful so people can see my body language, they can see my eye contact, they can see everything about me and go ‘This guy is a Faithful. So, there’s no point even questioning him.’ And that’s it, just take them out one by one.”
Meg – FAITHFUL
Hoping to “wing it” on The Traitors is Meg, an illustrator from Herefordshire. The 22-year-old is “very competitive”, but has a measured approach to Traitor-dom. “I wouldn’t go to the lengths of throwing somebody under the bus, unless they were going to throw me under in that same moment. If I’m going down you’re coming down with me, that’s how I’d see it,” she says.
Miles – TRAITOR
Another veterinary nurse, Miles was born in Birmingham, but now lives in Worcestershire. After living a “cookie-cutter” life, the 36-year-old applied for the show to mix things up in his life, and thinks he’s a great judge of character. “I can tell when someone is being genuine or not. Even when they’re telling me what they want me to hear, not the actual truth,” he says. “I’m the person people want to meet their partners. I’m that guy… A good judge of character is very rare, so that’s my superpower.”
Mollie – FAITHFUL
Hailing from Bristol, Mollie works as a healthcare assistant and a disability model. The “innocent-looking” (her words) 21-year-old has thought of herself as a Faithful, and admits things will change if she does end up being a Traitor. “I think your mindset, whether you get tapped on the shoulder or not, is to be a Faithful in the daytime,” she says. “You’ve got to convince yourself that that is who you are, so that you can then convince other people.”
Paul – TRAITOR
Business manager Paul has dabbled in stand-up comedy in the past, and hopes his sense of humour will allow him to defuse any tensions within the group. The 36-year-old from Manchester would be “buzzing” to be a Traitor. “It’s great to be a Faithful and find the Traitors but I want to be the one that people are trying to find. I would just try to be, calm, normal and just like me,” he says.
Ross – FAITHFUL
Throwing himself into “the deep end of something” by applying for the show, video director Ross is more used to being behind the camera than in front of it. But the 28-year-old from Lancashire is up for the challenge. He plays a lot of poker, so is used to bluffing, and says he’s good at spotting liars.
Tracey – FAITHFUL
Points for most intriguing job might have to go to Tracey, who is a sonographer and clairvoyant from Inverness. The 58-year-old plans to trust her intuition and “go in blind”. While she’d be “terrified” to be a Traitor, she says she’s really good at lying, and is good at spotting other liars too. She would put the money towards retiring.
Zack – FAITHFUL
As a parliamentary affairs advisor, Zack, 27, says he’s good at reading people. He wants to be a Faithful, as he’s got a “massive mouth so I can’t really keep anything a secret”. “My game plan, regardless of which team I’m in, is to strike up close friendships,” he says. “Try and get two, three, four people from different age groups and backgrounds and have their backs but kind of be secretly puppeteering from the background so they do the things I want them to do.”
ELIMINATED
Aubrey – FAITHFUL
Retired shop owner Aubrey has one simple plan on The Traitors: “Get on with everyone and to try and befriend everyone.” The 67-year-old from Loughborough is happy to be Faithful or Traitor, saying: “To be a Faithful you’ve got to be observant. So, if I’m a Faithful, I’ll have to watch people. You’ve got to be observant and alert, watching for signs. I would say I’m cunning, as cunning as a fox. I am a bit like that but not in a nasty way!” Aubrey was the first contestant to leave the competition when the Traitors chose him as their first victim to murder.
Sonja – FAITHFUL
— (BBC/Studio Lambert/Mark Mainz)
Aged 66, Sonja is a volunteer business mentor who also comes from Lancashire. After a few difficult years, she wanted to do something to “challenge me and test all of my abilities”. Enter: The Traitors. As an avid knitter, she hopes to knit her way to the final, and “teach some of the other tortured souls how to do a bit of knitting while we’re there too”. But having worked as a business negotiator, she knows how to play the game seriously too. Even if she’s a Faithful, she says she’ll “turn it on its head” and “be the most devious Faithful you can be”. Sonja was eliminated after her fellow contestants thought she was a Traitor.
Kyra – FAITHFUL
One of the youngest contestants at 21, Kyra is outspoken and not afraid to stand up for herself. It’s got her to where she is as an apprentice economist in Kent, saying: “I’m successful at my job and I have the ability to be articulate and socialise with other people, so I think I’ll be good in the game.” She’s aware being a Traitor would be a lot of pressure, but if she is one, she’ll be doing “anything that I can do to win for the Traitors and shock people”. Kyra was murdered after the Traitors decided to eliminate her.
Brian – FAITHFUL
Brian is taking part in the show for the “experience”, meaning he’s not going in with a game plan. The 33-year-old photographer comes from Glasgow and describes himself as forgetful and bossy. He thinks the clue to a good game – whether Faithful or Traitor – is “being very aware of how I’m acting to other people, observing others and taking notes when I’m alone at night like a mad man”. Brian was banished by the contestants at the beginning of episode four.
Ash – TRAITOR
Taking part in search of an adventure is Ash, an events co-ordinator from London. She, too, thinks she’s got a better chance of winning if she’s a Traitor. If she’s a Faithful, however, she says that she’s good at spotting a liar. “It could be about someone’s energy,” Ash, 45, says. “Human beings do things without realising they’re doing them. Micro expressions and little physical behaviours. It’s easier to see other people’s faces than it is to see your own, right?” Ash was the first Traitor to be eliminated after her fellow Traitors turned on her.
Jonny – FAITHFUL
Jonny on ‘The Traitors’— (The Traitors, BBC)
An ex-military man, Jonny, 31, hoped to use his sense of humour to keep morale high among the contestants. He said he would be excited to be a Traitor, but said that he “wouldn’t underestimate it because you’re going to make friendships with people and there will be some hard decisions to be made”. The Bedfordshire father-of-two is disabled, but said that he’ll “crack on” with any physical challenge. “I feel completely normal in the sense of what I can and can’t do,” he said. Jonny was banished when his fellow Faithfuls convinced themselves that he was a Traitor – only to be shocked when he revealed the truth.
The Traitors airs Wednesday to Friday at 9pm on BBC One.
