Claudia Winkleman is swapping the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom for the mysterious Scottish Highlands tonight on BBC One thanks to her brand new reality competition The Traitors.
The psychological series takes 22 strangers and puts them in a grand Scottish castle, where they must work out who among them are the traitors before those saboteurs pick them off one by one.
With the last remaining contestant winning £120,000, there’s everything to play for in this game of skill and deception.
While Winkleman revealed to RadioTimes.com and other press that she originally turned down the chance to host The Traitors, she 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.’”
Read on to learn everything about the filming locations used in BBC One’s The Traitors.
Where is The Traitors filmed?
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The Traitors was filmed in the Scottish Highlands, with the contestants living in Ardross Castle – a 19th century venue, located 25 miles north of Inverness.
Filming took place predominantly within the castle and on its grounds, with challenges taking place in the nearby area.
The Scottish Baronial style location has over 100 acres of parkland on the bank of the River Alness and was previously a hunting lodge for the 1st Duke of Sutherland.
It is now owned by the McTaggart family, who bought the property in 1983 and restored the gardens and estate.
If you fancy recreating your own game of The Traitors, Ardross Castle is available to rent out for luxury corporate retreats and as a wedding venue – you can find more information on the Ardross Castle website, or RadioTimes Travel‘s guide to Scottish castle trips.
On filming in Scotland, host Claudia Winkleman said that she has “never been anywhere more beautiful” than the Highlands.
“It felt sometimes like we were in a painting if that’s not too cheesy,” she said. “On day two, we saw a double rainbow and everyone was like oh my gosh, and the crew were crying, there were baby deer, there was beautiful heather, there were ancient trees, and an ancient loch. We were all taking pictures.
“I FaceTimed my kids to say ‘you’ve never seen anything like it, it’s magical’. And then by day four, there had been another three double rainbows. I mean, by the end of the three weeks where we had seen 50 it was like I don’t care. But it’s just the most beautiful landscape.”
The Traitors airs on Tuesday 29th November at 9:30pm on BBC One.
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