Claudia Winkleman is returning with hit BBC gameshow The Traitors – but this time with a celebrity twist. 

The Celebrity Traitors will see 19 famous faces go head-to-head in the ultimate game of strategy, lies and betrayal.

Here is everything we know about the hugely-anticipated show, including its cast, where The Celebrity Traitors is filmed and when it starts.

How does The Celebrity Traitors work?

The rules of The Celebrity Traitors are the same as its civilian counterpart. Contestants are divided into two camps: Traitors, and Faithfuls.

Each individual’s identity is decided by the producers and Claudia Winkleman. This follows an interview with the contestant, in which they says whether they would like to be a Faithful or Traitor. If the player specifically requests not to be a Traitor, they will not be considered for the position. But, saying you would like to be one does not necessarily mean you will be chosen, either.

During the day, all contestants are required to take part in challenges that add to the prize fund. These games can also grant cast members immunity from being ‘killed’ by the Traitors come nightfall.

Players are often on the lookout for anyone who is not fully participating in the missions. This could indicate that they’re trying to sabotage the prize pot, giving away their identity as a Traitor.

Each night, the players sit at the Roundtable. This when the real plotting, accusing and eliminating begins. The contestants will try to root out the Traitors in their midst.

The Traitors, meanwhile, will secretly conspire to manipulate and sabotage the Faithfuls in order to throw them off the scent.

After each Roundtable, the Traitors secretly gather under the cloak of darkness to decide which contestant they will ‘murder’ next. The Faithfuls only discover which one of them has gone when they do not turn up to breakfast the next morning.

The key question is whether the Faithfuls can trust each other for long enough to expose the Traitors in their midst.

Who is taking part in The Celebrity Traitors?

The first-ever celebrity edition of The Traitors brings together an eclectic mix of TV personalities. They include comedians, musicians, athletes and academics.

Stars set to face off against each other for a charity prize pot include comedian Alan Carr, singer-songwriter Charlotte Church, actor and writer Stephen Fry and Hollywood actress Celia Imrie. Film critic Jonathan Ross is also taking part, alongside singer Paloma Faith and Olympic hero Tom Daley.

They are joined by singer-songwriter Cat Burns, BBC broadcaster Clare Balding, BAFTA-winning filmmaker David Olusoga and former rugby champion Joe Marler.

Comedian Joe Wilkinson is in the line-up, alongside ITV presenter Kate Garraway, comedian Lucy Beaumont and Shetland star Mark Bonnar. Sky One comedy creator Nick Mohammed, YouTuber Niko Omilana, actress Ruth Codd and EastEnders star Tameka Empson complete the list.

In a new teaser, Claudia Winkleman warns the stars their “glamorous lives count for nothing” inside the castle, as “most of [them] will be murdered”.

Who hosts Celebrity Traitors?

Claudia Winkleman is set to resume her role as Traitors host. Since the BBC show launched in 2022, Claudia and her distinctive fringe have become synonymous with the franchise, and she is unlikely to be stepping away anytime soon.

Claudia’s dramatic performance at the helm of the series has already earned her acclaim. She has also won a television BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance and the RTS Entertainment Performance award. While she is already well-known for fronting Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One, The Traitors has allowed her to showcase a more theatrical side to her presenting style.

The presenter was born in London in 1972, and studied History of Art at Cambridge University. She started her career as a travel writer for The Sunday Times and The Independent. Claudia later moved into television.

Besides hosting The Traitors and Strictly, Claudia also heads up her own popular Saturday morning show on BBC Radio 2. She has worked extensively on Comic Relief as a presenter and trustee. Claudia is also the author of Quite, a Sunday Times bestselling book that shows off her self-deprecating sense of humour in a series of stories and advice.

Where is Celebrity Traitors filmed?

Both The Traitors and The Celebrity Traitors are filmed at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands. The 19th century estate boasts candlelit halls, spooky staircases and misty woodland surroundings which create the perfect gothic backdrop for a show full of secrets and suspense.

While the castle has become more famous thanks to the series, it is not open to guests. However, it can be hired as a wedding venue or for private events, although visitors cannot stay overnight. Boo!

Celebrity Traitors: What is the prize?

In The Traitors, the maximum prize contestants can win is £120,000. In The Celebrity Traitors, the prize pot stands at a maximum of £100,000.

The celebrity that wins the series will give the money to a charity of their choice.

Who won Celebrity Traitors US?

In America, The Traitors has already proved hugely popular. Unlike the British original, the US version of the show only features celebrities, not civilians.

Reality star Cirie Field won the first series after manipulate her fellow game-players into believing she was not a Traitor. However, after clinching the $250,000 (£200,000) prize she admitted she “was just sick” about having to lie to the co-stars she became friendly with.

Below Deck’s CT Tamburello and The Real World’s Trishelle Cannatella won season two. The Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Dolores Catania, Dylan Efron (Zac Efron’s younger brother), The Bachelor’s Gabby Windey and British aristocrat, Lord Ivar Mountbatten won season three. 

What is The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked?

After each episode of The Celebrity Traitors, fans can do a deep-dive into the action thanks to official visual companion podcast, Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked.

Comedian Ed Gamble will host the after show, which will air on BBC Two immediately after each episode. Fans can also listen on BBC Sounds and catch up on iPlayer. He’ll be chatting to celebs and former contestants to analyse the game.

Will there be a series 4 of The Traitors?

The celebrity edition comes as The Traitors, which launched in 2022, rockets in popularity in the UK. Series three aired at the start of the year. It averaged 10.3 million viewers across all 12 episodes.

The BBC confirmed a fourth series of The Traitors is in the works for 2026, which will be followed by a fifth. Applications are now open to the public. You can apply here.

The Traitors’ biggest winners

The first series of The Traitors saw Faithfuls Aaron, Hannah and Meryl triumph after a tense finale. The trio secured a £101,050 prize pot.

In season two, British Army engineer Harry Clark pulled off one of the show’s most ruthless betrayals. He tricked best friend and Faithful, Mollie Pearce, in the final moments and walked away with £95,150.

Series three ended with Faithfuls Jake Brown and Leanne Quigley sharing a £94,600 prize after outsmarting the last remaining Traitor, Charlotte Berman, in a nail-biting showdown.

When does The Celebrity Traitors start? How many episodes?

The Celebrity Traitors launches on Wednesday, October 8. It will air at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer. New episodes will land on the channel and the BBC’s streaming service every Wednesday and Thursday night.

The Celebrity Traitors will run for nine episodes in total. Each instalment will be an hour long, except for the first one. This will be 70-minutes. Exciting!

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The Celebrity Traitors starts airing at 9pm on October 8, 2025, on BBC One and iPlayer.