The Traitors: Everything you ever wondered about hit BBC show including where contestants sleep, how much they get paid and where it is filmed
How much do The Traitors contestants get paid? Where is it filmed and where do they sleep? All of your most pressing questions about the hit BBC show are answered here...
It’s one of the hottest TV shows on television right now with millions of viewers tuning in to see if the faithfuls will triumph over the murderous traitors in their midst. The Traitors, hosted by Claudia Winkleman and based on the Dutch series De Verraders, first aired in the UK in 2022.
Since then its popularity has only grown. Its first celebrity spin-off aired in the autumn, achieving massive viewing figures with its final episode watched by an average of 11.1 million, with a peak of 12 million. The first episode of the new series was watched by an average of 6.4 million people, according to overnight figures from the BBC.
The highly anticipated BBC reality game show of deception returned to screens on New Year’s Day with its fourth series and, according to the broadcaster, it was the most watched debut episode for the show with a peak of 6.9 million viewers. An average of 7.3 million viewers tuned in to episode four to discover the identity of the secret traitor.
With such avid viewers, many of whom regard themselves as serious armchair detectives, the making of the show also comes under the spotlight. So if you have been watching the show for some time and have some questions left unanswered, here we address some of the most pressing matters when it comes to the production of the hit BBC show in the Scottish highlands.
Where is The Traitors filmed?
The Traitors UK is filmed in and around the magnificent Ardross Castle, as is the US version of the show. The 19th-century estate is located near Alness in the Scottish Highlands providing an iconic backdrop to the show’s banishments, murders, missions and dramas.
Tasks are mostly set outdoors in the surrounding countryside, including areas like Loch Glass, the estate’s woodlands, and the River Alness meaning contestants can one day be terrified in a secluded log cabin and the next, dropped out of a helicopter into freezing waters.
Where do The Traitors contestants sleep?
While the makers of the show go to great pains to make viewers believe contestants are going to bed each night, right there in the castle, sadly the truth is slightly less Agatha Christie. In fact, in order to keep everything under wraps, they are actually transported away to a hotel, sometimes blindfolded, to sleep elsewhere.
While the actual lodgings are undisclosed, it is understood they stay near Inverness Airport with speculation surrounding the Courtyard by Marriott being the real place contestants get some shut-eye during filming. This setup prevents communication between the players and preserves the game's integrity, according to Claudia.
It is understood that after the roundtable, each player is put in a separate car and driven to their individual lodgings. They are not permitted to use phones, and sometimes even TV remotes are removed to stop them from looking up information or contacting the outside world.
Those scenes you are thinking of showing contestants going to bed in the castle are actually filmed for dramatic effect - so it looks like it’s not just the faithful being duped when it comes to what’s really going on in the castle.
Do The Traitors contestants get paid?
Contestants don't get paid a flat rate for taking part in the show but they are reimbursed for loss of earnings while filming which is reported to be around £100 per day.
Aaron Evans, who was one of the winners of the first series, previously revealed: "They don't technically pay you, they subsidise what you would have got for work with the show, it's roughly like £100 a day. It's not that much... but it's definitely worth it."
The real aim of the show , of course, is to walk away with the prize pot which is anything up to £120,000, depending on how well they perform during the missions.
However, The Celebrity Traitors stars do receive substantial flat fees, regardless if they win or not. It is understood they each receive around £40,000, while playing for a prize pot which goes to charity.