By Lauren Morris

Published: Tuesday, 29 November 2022 at 12:00 am

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Brand new reality competition The Traitors airs on BBC One tonight, with Strictly‘s Claudia Winkleman fronting the game of smarts, suspects and deception.

Filmed in the Scottish Highlands, this new BBC show places 22 strangers in a grand castle and challenges them to work out who amongst them are the traitors – saboteurs who are given the power to eliminate their fellow players from the competition each night.

From actors and spa therapists, to estate agents and students, people from all different disciplines and parts of the UK are descending on a Scottish castle to take on this psychologically thrilling format.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press, the Strictly host revealed that she originally turned down The Traitors, but changed her mind after watching the Dutch original.

“I had to phone [BBC director of unscripted] Kate [Phillips] and I said, ‘I’ve booked a train, I’m going to Scotland now.’ She was like, ‘Filming doesn’t start for months.’”

Here’s everything you need to know about the cast of The Traitors.

Aaron 

Age: 24

Job: Property Agent

Location: Portsmouth

On what he’s bringing to the game, Aaron said that his background in sales should come in handy. “I’ll be able to read people quite well. Body language, personality, that aspect,” he said. “I’m also quite a happy chappy so I reckon I won’t be too intense. I’ll bring quite a lot of energy to the game.”

Aisha

BBC

Age: 23

Job: Masters Graduate

Location: Manchester

Master Graduate Aisha signed up for The Traitors after her friends told her she’d “be good on reality TV”.

“I’ve gone to university, I’ve got a Masters degree, but I do come out with some silly things at times,” she said. “I wanted to go on one of these shows to prove that I can do it and remind people not to underestimate me, that was one of my motivations.”

Alex

BBC

Age: 26

Job: Presenter and actor

Location: London

Despite being an actor, 26-year-old Alex revealed that she’s a “terrible liar.” “Even if I’m not lying and I’m being accused of something, I will stutter, I will stumble over my words, and I might even start crying,” she said “I don’t do well!”

“But ultimately, I’m a performer, I’m a presenter, I act. I’m really trying to drill it into my head that this is a game, this is a performance.”

Alyssa 

BBC

Age: 21

Job: Business Student

Location: From West Cork, living in Edinburgh

Business student Alyssa admitted that she’s “very competitive” and will give “100 per cent” when it comes to “lying, manipulating and getting what I want”.

“I’m five foot, half Chinese and half Irish, I’m Chirish! I look quite young and kind of innocent looking, I give off a very naïve vibe, I think. Growing up a lot of people saw this and they underestimated me,” she said. “I felt like all my life I’ve been trying to deter the misjudgment and be the loudest, boldest, and smartest in the room.”

Amanda 

BBC

Age: 54

Job: Estate Agent

Location: Swansea

Estate agent Amanda said that she plans on being “a good ambassador for 50-plus-year-old women” in reality TV.

“I like to call myself a Glam Ma, rather than a Grandma. Plus, I’ve met thousands of people through my career and I’m pretty good at reading between the lines of people,” she said. “I do have a game plan. I’m going to think of it as a sales venture so I’m not going to get over friendly with anybody and think of this as a work challenge.”

Amos

BBC

Age: 30

Job: Doctor

Location: North London

North London-based Amos wanted to do something “slightly different” after spending three years working as a doctor during the pandemic.

“I genuinely think that I’ll bring a fresh perspective. I always expect people to tell me the truth. This is essentially what this game is going to be about. I don’t know what the percentage of Traitors to Faithfuls is going to be, but I will be suspicious.”

Andrea

BBC

Age: 72

Job: Retired

Location: Belgium

Belgium-based Andrea is planning on bringing her age and experience to the game but has said that she doesn’t have a plan just yet.

“I thought it was best to see everybody else first. I’m probably the oldest, I could be a little old granny, or I could be less granny-like and more assertive, I don’t really know yet,” she said. “It may be a mix of the two, I don’t think I’m going to be totally myself but who knows.”

Claire 

BBC

Age: 43

Job: Ex-Police Officer and Entrepreneur

Location: Hull

Former police officer Claire is “used to reading people quite well” after spending time in the force and hopes to bring those skills to the competition.

“I’m going in with no game plan, I am going in predominantly as me. If I get picked as a Traitor then I’m going to have to think more strategically, but my plan is to go in as me,” she said. “I’m pretty switched on, even though my academic status is not great, I have lots of real-world and life experience and I will not change.”

Fay

BBC

Age: 59

Job: Suffolk

Location: Head of School Welfare

With 59-year-old Fay coming to the end of her career in education, she’s applied as she wants to know if she can “do anything else”.

“I’ve been doing this job for nearly 30 years, half my life. I play national league basketball too so aside from work and my sports, what can I do next? What am I going to do with all the knowledge that I’ve put together over the years? Am I the sort of person that can go out there and do something different? That’s the motivation for me.”

Hannah

BBC

Age: 32

Job: Comedian

Location: London

Describing herself as a “complete excitement seeker”, comedian Hannah said that she signed up to the show as she used to play a similar board game with her friends and as for a game plan, she’s hoping to be “the likeable one”.

“But I’m going to let someone else take the lead,” she added. “I’m not going be too loud but I’m not going to be quiet either, at least initially. If I am a Traitor, I’m going to take out the powerful ones and leave everyone else running around like headless chickens at my disposal.”

Imran 

BBC

Age: 23

Job: Scientist

Location: Cambridge

Cambridge-based scientist Imran hopes to bring logic problem solving to the show but plans to hide his academic background from his fellow competitors.

“The game plan going in is to not tell my competitors about my academic history, because I think that might perhaps put a bias on them, suggesting that I’m an overarching clever figure which I think will put a target on my back. I’m going in with the idea of telling a lie by telling the truth,” he said. “Now, that may sound sort of counterintuitive, but you lie by telling 90 percent of the truth.”

Ivan 

BBC

Age: 32

Job: Author

Location: Cornwall

Cornwall-based Ivan is “obsessed” with games, having written a couple of books on them and running games sessions, so he plans on testing out his skills in The Traitors.

“When you get to a certain age, people think that games and play are very surface level and childish. I suppose that’s not how I see it, I often see play as a safe space to practice real life and to try new realities and new personalities.

“To find new ways of interacting with people in a safe space before you actually enter into the quite terrifying real world, where you can make mistakes and upset people,” he added. “There are so many profound impacts of living a playful childhood and then taking that through to adulthood.”

John 

BBC

Age: 49

Job: Spa Therapist

Location: Edinburgh

Coming from a theatre background, 49-year-old John revealed that he believes he has the upper hand over his fellow contestants. “I had gone to London and worked in musical theatre. I’ve been used to the situation where you’re not portraying yourself, you’re playing a character.

“That’s what I found even more interesting, to see if I could challenge myself to be me, but not be me. If I am a Traitor and fool them into believing that I’m one of the team whilst I’m eliminating them one by one, I’d like to think I could do that in a really nice way. A smiling assassin! I might kill them with kindness!”

Kieran 

BBC

Age: 42

Job: Solutions Consultant

Location: Hertfordshire

Being a consultant, Herfordshire-based Kieran reckons he “absolutely” has a good poker face. “I’ve got to for my job, I have to go and do pitches in boardrooms in front of people and demonstrate software there.”

He added: “I’ll get people that are hard faced and people that dislike you, it’s just the way life is. I’m going to be Marmite to some people and I have to turn them around on the spot. I’m used to reading body language, persona, aura, and all those sorts things.”

Maddy 

BBC

Age: 29

Job: Receptionist

Location: Kent

Kent-based reception Maddy signed up for The Traitors due to her love of crime dramas and wants to show people that they shouldn’t underestimate her.

“A lot of people think I’m quite ditsy and silly. I want to show people I’m more with it and not to judge me straight away.”

Matt

BBC

Age: 23

Job: BMX Athlete

Location: Hertfordshire

On why he chose to take part in The Traitors, 23-year-old Matt admitted that he heard about the show when he was “really hungover on a train”.

“It came up and I thought it sounded like a laugh… and now I’m in Scotland,” he said. “All my mates say that I’m the idiot of the group and they think I’m a bit stupid. I think I will prove a point to them that I’m not as stupid as I make out sometimes… or maybe I am. I don’t know!”

Meryl 

BBC

Age: 25

Job: Call Centre Agent

Location: Edinburgh

Call centre agent Meryl is hoping to bring a different insight to The Traitors as she sees “the world differently”.

“I have dwarfism. So, in that sense, my different view of situations and a different perspective. And, I can bring my personality!”

Nicky

BBC

Age: 45

Job: Accounts Supervisor

Location: South Croydon

While up for a challenge, 45-year-old Nicky is also taking part in The Traitors to raise money for a bionic hand. “The fact that there is a substantial amount of money up for grabs, that would enable me to get the treatment that I need to get another hand.

“I had a severe nearly fatal car crash at the age of 22. My son was only four years old and I’ve had to be strong, I’ve had someone that’s dependent on me. I’ve had to permanently change the way my life is and the way I do things and also be a role model to my son.”

Rayan

BBC

Age: 25

Job: Trainee Lawyer

Location: North London

Trainee lawyer Rayan cites his “taste for drama” as the reason he’s signed up for The Traitors, revealing that he wants “something juicy, dramatic, tense and chaotic”.

“Not to humble brag but I think I’m quite smart. I was a student for seven years; I went to Oxford to study law and then went to Durham and did a Master’s in Law and I’m also quite street smart,” he said. “I’m quite good at reading people, analysing people, reading body language, that sort of stuff. I can bring a really good, investigative brain, and also a good ability to lie to people, which is quite key to this game.”

Theo 

BBC

Age: 26

Job: Cheerleading Coach

Location: Leeds

Cheerleading coach Theo plans on being himself on The Traitors and getting people to “fall in love” with him.

“I always like to be that strong character and tell people they can do it and make them believe. I’d definitely like to motivate others to help them succeed, that’s my game plan,” he said. “I’m used to helping and motivating people so going behind their backs would be hurtful, but at the end of the day, it’s for me as well.”

Tom

BBC

Age: 24

Job: Magician

Location: Buckinghamshire

Being a magician, Tom loves “fooling and tricking people” and so he likes the challenge of building up a fake character to “deceive people”.

“I think I’ll bring a unique form of thinking. I think of everything quite literally, I don’t let my emotions get the better of me,” he said. “I would much rather not make it to the final, than make it to the final and the Traitors still be there. My ego would say ‘You’ve failed Tom!’ I’ll bring a relaxed and less emotional form of thinking.”

Wilfred

BBC

Age: 28

Job: Senior Fundraiser

Location: North London

Senior fundraiser Wilfred plans on bringing fun and energy to the game, with his main motivation being his children and fiancée. “I’d also like to see if I can persuade people and slowly manipulate them. Even if I’m not a Traitor.”

“I love tactics, I love playing a game and I love coming up with strategies,” he said. “Being able to put the strategies that I’ve come up with into play is my motivation. And also, who doesn’t want to win loads of money, right? That’s a good motivation.”

The Traitors begins on BBC One tonight at 9:30pm before continuing on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Visit our dedicated Entertainment page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide.

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