The Traitors US: BBC announces hit reality show spin-off is coming this week with new cast and host
Get ready for more suspense and intrigue as the US version of The Traitors hits Peacock on January 12. (Peacock)
The Traitors US has been snapped up by the BBC, with the entire series dropping imminently.
Unless you’ve been living a very sad little life for the past few months, you’ll have not only watched but also been completely obsessed with The Traitors. ‘Mama Dragon’ Amanda, Maddy’s “traitor, traitor, faithful”, rant and Aaron’s tight, tight trousers already seem like a distant but very fond memory.
Not to worry, though – more madness, chaos, deception and tomfoolery is coming our way after the BBC confirmed that it will air all episodes of The Traitors US from Friday (13 January).
Earlier this month, US network Peacock dropped the first chaotic trailer for the American spin-off, revealing that the show will be hosted by the one and only Alan Cumming and set in the same Scottish castle that has become synonymous with Claudia Winkleman’s fringe. We miss her already.
Here’s everything you need to know about The Traitors US.
How do I watch The Traitors US in the UK?
Good news for all British fans hoping to get their fix of more roundtable insanity (Wilf, we’re still upset with you): The Traitors US has been acquired by the BBC, and all 12 episodes will be dropping as a complete boxset Friday (13 January).
According to the BBC, the show will also be shown on both BBC Three and BBC One in the coming days.
A hallmark of The Traitors‘s success was the dramatic cliffhangers each episode left us on, so we’ll have to see how a boxset impacts our collective enjoyment – spoiler: we’ll still watch it all.
Is the format the same as UK version of The Traitors?
In the unforgettable words of Laganja Estranja: “Yas gawd!”
The British version of the gameshow, which was based off the original Dutch format, saw 22 contestants build a prize fund of up to £120,000, with cast members being voted off or murdered by the traitors each night.
If there were any traitors in the ranks of the final un-murdered, un-banished cast members, they would steal the entire cash prize.
Judging by the trailer, the format of The Traitors US is literally exactly the same as the beloved BBC version – right down to the challenges which build up the group’s prize pot.
There are two minor alterations, aside from the host – there are two less cast members, and the prize fund can reach $250,000 rather than £120,000 – but the format looks largely unchanged.
Which celebrities are on the cast?
This is one of the only areas in which the series differs from its British blueprint. During The Traitors, the 22-strong cast was entirely made up regular people – including retired “sweary lesbian” Andrea and newly-appoint gay icon Amanda.
In The Traitors US, the cast is reduced to just 20 people, made of up ten normal Americans and ten celebrities from shows like The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Big Brother.
The stars taking part are:
- Arie Luyendyk Jr. (Bachelor/Bachelorette)
- Brandi Glanville (RHOBH)
- Cirie Fields (Survivor)
- Cody Calafiore (Big Brother)
- Kate Chastain (Below Deck)
- Kyle Cooke (Summer House)
- Rachel Reilly (Big Brother)
- Reza Farahan (Shahs of Sunset)
- Ryan Lochte (Olympian)
- Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick (Survivor)
We can’t wait to see what sort of vibe this will create. Eat the rich!
Who is hosting The Traitors US?
We miss Claudia, but we also understand that that fringe and eyeshadow must require some serious upkeep in between projects.
Luckily, the iconic Alan Cumming will be welcoming the Faithfuls and the Traitors into the Scottish castle in the Highlands, where trickery and deception await.
“You will need the strength of a liar and the stealth of a fox,” Cumming tells the contestants in the trailer.
“In this game the person sitting next to you may smile and smile… and be a villain.”
It’s all just very iconic, isn’t it. Bonus points for Alan’s various bits of gorge tartan clothing.
Excuse us while we cancel literally all of our weekend plans; we haven’t been this excited for something since Alyssa Edwards and Tatianna lipsynced to “Shut Up and Drive” on All Stars 2.
The Traitors US arrives on BBC iPlayer on Friday 13 January in the UK. Cloaks and daggers at the ready!
