A celebrity version of popular BBC gameshow The Traitors is being considered by producers.
The second season of The Traitors UK came to and end on Friday (January 26) night with Harry winning the series and taking home £95,000.
The first season of the BBC One show aired at the back end of 2022, concluding in December (2022).
Fans of the show had to wait over a year for the second season of The Traitors, which is filmed in Ardross, a castle in the Scottish Highlands, and hosted by Claudia Winkleman.
While a third series of the hit show has already been confirmed by the BBC.
Celebrity version of The Traitors UK a "possibility"
The Traitors executive producer has now revealed a celebrity version of the hit BBC One show is being considered.
Stephen Lambert’s production company is responsible for bringing the Dutch series De Verraders (The Traitors) to the UK, and the US.
For the UK gameshow contestants are selected from among the public following an application process.
It is slightly different in the US, where on the first series it was a combination of members of the public and celebrities, before being all famous faces for season two.
When asked whether there were any plans for a celebrity version of The Traitors in the UK, Lambert said it was a "possibility".
Speaking to Global’s The News Agents podcasts he said: “I think it would be pretty entertaining.
“We talk to the BBC about the future of all our shows and that’s obviously a possibility.”
He continued by explaining the original Dutch show had also used celebrities, but upon discussions with the BBC it was decided to keep the UK version of The Traitors celebrity free, for now.
Mr Lambert said: “So, it was really a decision that we made with the BBC to make the first British version without celebrities.
“Certainly, in America, it’s such a crowded marketplace and we’re on a streaming platform called Peacock, which is owned by NBC.
“They believed that celebrities or people that had achieved fame as a result of being in big, unscripted reality shows in America would help with press, it would help draw attention and it would get an audience to come and it seems to be working.
“In Britain, the decision was, maybe we’ll think about celebrities at some stage."
Thank you so so much for watching. We’ll see you next year. pic.twitter.com/qWTvZZG7Wj
— Claudia Winkleman (@ClaudiaWinkle) January 26, 2024
He said the decision was made due to fact "the prize pot matters" for members of the public, whereas with celebrities "it’s not as significant".
Mr Lambert said: “But the best shows, like The Apprentice, don’t have celebrities in them. If you don’t have celebrities, if you have real people, civilians, the prize pot matters.
“You know, if you’re a celebrity – £100,000 yes, obviously, it’s lovely – but it’s not as significant, as if you’re an ordinary person.
"They take the game more seriously and that we think is very important.”
The Traitors UK producer reveals how contestants are selected
For those who are hoping to be part of future series' of The Traitors, Mr Lambert outlined what they look for when selecting who is going to be on the show.
He explained the producers are "very strict” to not manage the contestants and said they cast people in the UK who they think had chemistry with other contestants, interesting backstories, and the “confidence to be a traitor”.
When it came to picking the Traitors for the show, Mr Lambert added: "The decision as to who the traitors are, is made at the very last moment after Claudia does an interview with each of them before they go into the meeting, where the traitors are chosen.
“Just at that last moment, we lock in as to who the traitors will be.”
The Traitors US and Australia
For those die-hard Traitors fans that are looking to fill the void left following the conclusion of season two of the UK series, don't worry BBC has the answer.
The Traitors US and Australia are both available to watch on BBC iPlayer, as well as all the UK episodes in case you missed any.
The American version of the show is set in the same castle, Adross in the Scottish Highlands, as the UK version.
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It is hosted by Scottish actor Alan Cumming (Spy Kids, James Bond: Goldeneye and The Good Wife) and has been described as “more brutal” than the UK version and "pure evil" by reviewers.
The second series of The Traitors US features Love Island winner Ekin-Su Culculoglu, former speaker of the commons John Bercow, RuPaul’s Drag Race star Peppermint and other US reality stars.
You can watch The Traitors UK, US and Australia on BBC iPlayer.
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