Betrayal and Tears: ‘The Traitors’ Season 3 Shakes Up Reality TV

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The third season of “The Traitors” has delivered its most shocking twist yet, as betrayal and alliances crumble in the high-stakes reality competition. In a dramatic turn of events, the faithfuls successfully banished a traitor for the first time, but not without the help of a fellow traitor turning against their own team.

In the fourth episode, the traitors selected three faithfuls to lie in coffins outside the Scottish castle, a chilling ritual that left contestants and viewers on edge. Jeremy Collins, a “Survivor” winner, was ultimately “murdered” by the traitors, while suspicions swirled around “Summer House” star Ciara Miller and “Total Bellas” star Nikki Garcia. Danielle Reyes, a “Big Brother” alum, played a pivotal role in sealing Jeremy’s fate, convincing her fellow traitors to eliminate him as he grew suspicious of her.

The episode also saw the banishment of “RuPaul's Drag Race” winner Bob The Drag Queen, marking the first time a traitor was ousted by the faithfuls. Dylan Efron, brother of actor Zac Efron, initially raised suspicions about Bob, but it was “Survivor” legend Rob Mariano who sealed Bob’s fate by throwing him under the bus during the roundtable discussion. Carolyn Wiger, another “Survivor” finalist, and Danielle Reyes also voted to banish Bob, fearing they would appear guilty if they didn’t.

This season introduces a major gameplay change: banished players will no longer reveal their true allegiance in the finale, leaving the remaining contestants to guess whether any traitors remain. Host Claudia Winkleman teased the twist, stating, “At the end, I’ll thank somebody for taking part, and they will just walk out. You’re going to like the end, I hope. It throws it all on its head.”

The Emmy-winning series, set in a Scottish castle, pits a group of contestants against each other as they compete for a prize pot of at least $250,000. A few are secretly chosen as traitors, tasked with eliminating the faithfuls one by one. The faithfuls, meanwhile, must identify and banish the traitors before they are “murdered.”

Season 3 features a star-studded cast, including “Big Brother” star Danielle Reyes, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” winner Bob The Drag Queen (Christopher Delmar Caldwell), “Survivor” finalist Carolyn Wiger, and “Survivor” winner Rob Mariano. By the end of Episode 4, only three traitors remain, setting the stage for a tense and unpredictable finale.

All three seasons of “The Traitors,” along with the UK and Australian versions, are available to stream exclusively on Peacock, starting at $7.99 a month.