The Traitors’ fourth season has come to a dramatic end, with the prize pot being split between contestants Stephen and Rachel.
Traitor dream-team Stephen and Rachel managed to dodge banishment until the very end, despite multiple Faithfuls making strong cases against them both.
Friday’s (23 January) episode began with James being banished. Jade became the next Faithful to be erroneously voted out, after a tearful exchange at the roundtable.
The remaining contestants then turned on Faraaz, leaving Rachel, Stephen and Jack remaining in the game.
With just one Faithful remaining and victory for the Faithfuls now an impossibility, Rachel and Stephen nonetheless opted for a final banishment. Using their two votes to eliminate Jack from the game, they maintained their pact with each other.
Claudia Winkleman praised the duo for their loyalty, describing them as “Traitors, but faithful”.
The Traitors can be viewed on BBC iPlayer. Follow the latest updates below…
The Traitors
- Rachel and Stephen emerge victorious after refusing to break pact
- Rachel and Stephen’s win was dazzlingly enjoyable, but the BBC must heed this warning - review
- James banished after 50-50 decision
- Jade left in tears during emotional roundtable confrontation
Fans are going wild over the Faithfuls missing Rachel's blunder
09:20 , Roisin O'ConnorHow did they miss it? The stressful, high-stakes situation might have been why Rachel’s blunder was overlooked when it otherwise might have been pounced on: “If I were a Faithful, I’d murder me,” she told her fellow four remaining players, before correcting herself: “If I were a Traitor, I’d murder me.”
“She literally just outed herself as a Traitor,” viewers screamed on social media.
“Did none of them pick up on Rachel saying ‘If I was a Faithful’????” another viewer wrote.
“Oh Rachel that slip-up might have cost you,” another warned.
But it didn’t! Rachel seemed to struggle to conceal her relief as the conversation moved on, and she went on to win the game with fellow Traitor Stephen. Wow.
COMMENT: The Traitors finale, review – Rachel and Stephen’s win was dazzling, but the BBC must heed this warning
08:33 , Roisin O'ConnorBy the end of its fourth series, the BBC reality show had everyone entranced once again. But the Beeb must be wary about over-exposing its winning formula, writes TV critic Nick Hilton:
The Traitors finale was dazzling, but the BBC must heed this warning – review
How much does Claudia Winkleman get paid for The Traitors?
People still feeling sorry for Jade.
Goodness me.
— Karl Cunliffe (@KDCunliffe) January 23, 2026
It’s “a game” but genuinely the end for Jade was sad to see.#traitorsuk #thetraitorsuk #traitors #thetraitors #jade pic.twitter.com/x4ncURta8T
Traitors contestant divides viewers with ‘embarassing’ catchphrase in finale
Traitors contestant divides viewers with ‘embarassing’ catchphrase in finale
Something many viewers may be wondering: How to apply for The Traitors series five?
The Independent reviewer Nick Hilton: Rachel and Stephen’s win was dazzlingly enjoyable, but the BBC must heed this warning
Read more:
The Traitors finale was dazzling, but the BBC must heed this warning – review
The contestants react to the final result...
The result made history for the show, with Rachel and Stephen being the first pair of Traitors to split the winnings.
With Jade and Faraaz out the picture, Rachel and Stephen held true to their pact, eliminating Jack from the game and sharing the spoils.
Jade had suspected that she was being groomed for banishment, and, with just five contestants left, that turned out to be the case.
Right, let’s look back at some of the big moments from the final episode.
First, we had the cliffhanger resolution, with Rachel being spared through sheer dumb luck.
Nick Hilton awards the finale four stars in his review:
The Traitors finale was dazzling, but the BBC must heed this warning – review
The Traitors cast react to historic result in show finale:
Two Traitors make history:
Rachel being quizzed on the “if I was a Faithful” slip-up.
Harriet: “I’ve been beaten by the master.”
(She means Rachel.)
Stephen, speaking now on Uncloaked: “Watching it back, I’m just so proud of the decision I made.”
“It’s so hard to trust someone in there whose job it is to lie. I was really struggling to see how Rachel could hold onto that pact for the whole came. Which is why towards the end I was wobbling big-time.”
A look back at that moment.
“At least I got one right.”
Lots of people sharing variations on this sentiment on social media...
It was so obviously Rachel. These faithfuls were shocking 😭 No one even called her out on the ‘if I were a faithful’ comment #Traitors #Traitorsuk
— T (@_Taylzzzz) January 23, 2026
pic.twitter.com/Jx2qBmAngG
That moment when Jade was going through it...
He’s a funny one, that James, isn’t he...
More details here:
God, that was a rush, wasn’t it?
“Two Traitors, but totally faithful.”
Stephen and Rachel have won it!!!!
Good on him!
God, if Stephen has picked Rachel, that’s absolutely heinous.
Also, Faraaz’s reaction to realising it was Stephen and Rachel was INCREDIBLY funny.
God it’s so interestingly poised.
Faraaz is gone. Stephen very apologetic. Lol.
Very small detail but the subtle drum beats in the soundtrack after Claudia hits a dramatic word are very well done. That’s good TV production right there, folks
WE KNOW THE RULES, CLAUDIA
A look back at that near-death experience
Something a bit brutal about the “what I’d do with the money” segments, this late in the game.
Faraaz might have overplayed his hand a bit. Jack getting a bit squirrelly.
If Stephen and Rachel can get the strategy right here, they can win it together.
Jade is gone. Two of the four remaining contestants are Traitors. Numerically, it’s not looking good.
Crunch time.
Rachel is sounding a little desperate here. Lots of “evidence” on her side. Too much.
Some great shifty-eye work from Rachel there.
The final prize kitty is in: £95,750.
Kind of wacky that a programme this big offers less than, like, Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Then again, if there was much more at stake, things might get absolutely feral
Ruthless! Faraaz plotting, seemingly to team up with Jack and whittle the crowd down to two.
Not the worst plan - if you’re either him or Jack.
“You know Faraaz hasn’t voted for a single Traitor.”
Oooooh, that’s not what they need. A very compelling, sudden, and completely errant thought.
That said, it does look pretty terrifying.
All a bit much of a muchness, these challenges, if you ask me
Almost papal, all this coloured smoke malarky, isn’t it...
Stephen really giving “loch” its full enunciation. Lovely.
Claudia looking particularly windswept in this segment.
An absolute Hail Mary from body language expert Rachel here. Sticking the knife into Stephen too.
“A Fiona moment”. That’s impact, right there.
The real Traitors, it seems, were the friends made along the way. For the next few minutes at least.
Really do rate Faraaz. Sharp as a scalpel. Some likeable faithfuls this year, especially among the finalists.
Feels a bit like they’re padding the show a bit with this clip reel. WHO’S NEXT? TELL US!
“I thought it was curtains for you.”
Feels like Rachel’s on borrowed time
“If I was a Faithful, I would murder me.”
Quite the slip from Rachel there...
OMG!
He is NOT buying it lol
James! Is! Out of there! He pulls the empty box. Rachel clings on for dear life.
And we’re off!
Right, everyone settled? One minute to go...
Suffice it to say some people weren’t happy about last night’s ending.
Not long to wait now though...
Traitors viewers left fuming over ‘worst possible end’ to dramatic episode
Just one hour to go! Who are you rooting for? I’m personally plumping for the Faithfuls this time around....
Could you spot a traitor? The sign that can confuse lying and nerves
Could you spot a traitor? The sign that can confuse lying and nerves
Five of the most shocking moments from The Traitors series four:
Five of the most shocking moments from The Traitors series four
A reminder of who’s left in the mix: the six contestants vying for glory tonight.
The final 6 Traitors contestants, from the master puppeteer to those under the radar
Just three hours to go!
All you need to know about the final tonight:
What do we know about Stephen, undoubtedly one of the main characters of this year’s Traitors?
“The worst faithful performance in Traitors history.”
A bit harsh! But this was a bit of a howler, it’s true.
I think the entire nation is excited to see her reaction when she finds out both Stephen and Rachel are traitors.
— Max (@MRMCB20) January 22, 2026
Without a doubt the worst faithful performance in the shows history.#TraitorsUK pic.twitter.com/lbzPck75IL
Ever wondered what the deal is with the famous Traitors castle?
Inside the Traitors castle: A wedding venue once owned by an opium trader
Fans are not sure that Stephen and Rachel made the right call murdering Roxy, with multiple X/Twitter users even branding it a “fatal mistake”.
“I think Stephen and Rachel made a fatal mistake murdering Roxy,” wrote @NikkiwittW. “She would have backed them all the way.
“I think she still thinks they’re faithfuls even now.”
The Traitors’ Roxy admits she was ‘shook’ after shock reveal
The Traitors’ Roxy admits she was ‘shook’ after shock reveal
Watch: Rachel turns on Stephen
Friday 23 January 2026 13:34 , Jacob StolworthyThe beginning of the end for the Traitors team?
Our columnist Charlotte Cripps is raising her kids to be mini Traitors – here’s why.
I’m raising my kids to be duplicitous little Traitors – lying is a vital life skill!
