The Traitors fans think they’ve already worked out the identity of the secret Traitor as they heap praise on ‘genius’ new twist in first episode of new series

The Traitors fans think they’ve already worked out the identity of the secret Traitor as they heaped praise on the ‘genius’ new twist as the first episode aired on Thursday night.

This year BBC bosses have decided to shake-up the format with a twist that will change the way the whole game will be played.

Host Claudia Winkleman revealed that alongside picking her three Traitors – who turned out to be Hugo, Rachel and Stephen -, she would also select a secret fourth Traitor, who will wear a new red cloak.

The secret Traitor will be the only player to know everyone’s true identity, and not even viewers will know who Claudia has chosen.

James, Netty and Maz are not the secret Traitor as they were put on the murder shortlist as the Traitors all met in the turret.

After the first episode many thought that other Sam could be the secret Traitor after an interesting comment he made.

After the first challenge he said he was glad he wasn’t up for murder as he wanted to stay ‘under the radar.’

In reaction many penned on X: ‘Why would Sam be worried about a ‘radar’ #TheTraitors.’,

‘The secret traitor is Sam. so many clues have been given #TheTraitors.’

Another said: ‘Why doesn’t Sam have anything next to his name? #TheTraitors.’,

‘I am convinced Sam is the secret traitor in locking that in now #TheTraitors.’,

‘Thinking Sam might be the secret traitor #TheTraitors.’,

‘I think Sam is the secret traitor… #TheTraitors.’,

‘The secret traitor is Sam, you heard it here first, I don’t know why I’m so convinced but I am #TheTraitorsUK #TheTraitors.’,

‘Three people who I think are potentially the secret traitor: Amanda, Sam or Fiona #TheTraitors.’,

‘Sam is the secret traitor, imo. #TheTraitors.’,

‘Posting for future reference. Sam is the Secret Traitor. #TheTraitors.’

Others also shared their theories that one of the Traitors could actually be the secret Traitor. 

Speaking on the decision to change the format this year, Mike Cotton, the Creative Director at Studio Lambert, explained: ‘Each series is like its own murder mystery. We never change the core game, but we always work in twists. We thought it would be interesting if you didn’t know who one of the Traitors was.

‘As Claudia says in the show, the secret Traitors reign will go on until the others earn the power back. The Traitors are used to having all of the power, so it will be interesting to see how they navigate that and if they can use it to their advantage.’

Claudia picked Stephen, Rachel, and Hugo to be her Traitors, but what viewers didn’t see was who she tapped on the shoulder to be the secret Traitor.

Claudia told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s nerve-racking, but I don’t choose them alone. I interview all the players and some are absolutely desperate to be faithful. Anyone who convinces me otherwise is in contention.

‘I then go into a small room with the bosses and an enormous tin of biscuits and we pick.

‘We picked someone who wanted it. Someone who sat in front of the fire and said, ‘I need to be a Traitor’. They have some fun’. She added that the game gets ‘brutal’ and the contestants play with their hearts.

During their first meeting, she told them: ‘I have a small confession. You are not the only Traitors in this castle. At the round table, I picked one other Traitor, the secret Traitor. You still have power, but not quite as much.

‘That secret Traitor will work alone. Each night, they will provide you with a murder shortlist. You can only murder one of the people who is on the murder short list. Because they are a Traitor, they won’t put themselves on it, and of course they won’t put you on it.

‘Let me add this, you don’t know who they are, but they know exactly who you are.

To which Stephen responds: ‘This is twisted,’ with Claudia smirking and adding, ‘Just the way I like it.’

Among the twenty-two players hoping to win the huge prize pot, which could be up to £120,000, is Judy and Roxy, who are mother and daughter. They are keeping their relationship secret from their fellow contestants but let viewers in on the secret in the first episode.

And two more contestants had an unexpected reunion when they arrived at the famous Scottish castle.

While Netty was delighted to see a familiar face among the 20 strangers, Ross was sceptical and already in game mode, despite the Traitors not even being chosen yet.

BBC Bosses told the Daily Mail that it was not planned to have a second pair of contestants on the show who already know each other, as it was also revealed in the first episode that there is a mother and daughter duo in the game.

When conducting background checks, producers did find that Netty and Ross followed each other on social media, but the link was tenuous and they didn’t want to not cast them because of it.

The end of the episode saw James, Netty and Maz be put on the murder shortlist by the secret Traitor who has the ultimate power.

They can only murder from these three names.

Fans wrote on X after the episode: ‘obsessed with the secret traitor twist. love that we get to play the game as viewers’; 

‘Keeping one secret even to us is a genius move. Now we getting to play along too! Interesting to see how it plays out’;

‘I wonder who the fourth secret traitor is!!! This is a riveting twist!’; 

‘So Claudia picked a secret Traitor. Oooh this’ll be good.’