Traitors - Black Contestants - WARNING, SPOILERS! (Title edited by MNHQ)

[Jimpson]

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Time and time again black contestants are voted out early doors on reality show. The latest series of the traitors has been on for 2 days and 2 black women have already gone. I even checked the statistics with AI:

Black contestants are statistically eliminated earlier in some reality shows, particularly Survivorand Big Brother, a pattern that has been documented in studies and fan analyses, often attributed to systemic bias or strategic targeting, with discussions on the topic growing as diverse casting increases. While some instances involve clear gameplay, many viewers and players observe a recurring trend where Black individuals, especially women, are targeted in the early stages, leading to deep discussions about racism, privilege, and gameplay within these shows.

Isn’t it about time that protections were put in place on these shows, to make it a fair for all?

We should be debating these kinds of things because it’s a reflection of our current society as a whole. It’s 2026 and unconscious bias is still very much at play highlighted loudly on prime time television

It is something i’ve noticed (also on Masterchef) but a few interesting counterpoints to throw into the mix:

-I believe it was actually Netty who was a key player in raising Judy as a suspect, and she admitted this in Uncloaked.

-Netty was a shit player, and should have held back a bit when she saw Ross. I thought murdering her was an obvious option to frame Ross with a double bluff and it has been done before

-I think Roxy is a terrible player. So if she goes early, would this be because she is black or terrible player?

-I know Cat Burns has been mentioned already, but I also remember Minah doing very well last year and being liked by viewers. And as a PP mentioned, David was a also a finalist in celeb version.

Judy was a massive loss. Still gutted.

I'd be surprised if there isn’t EDI training for contestants. It's a social experiment and in some ways the experiment is successful if it reflects society. The issue is that society is a steaming bin fire of hate and prejudice. Fixing that is the imperative, not a subset of 22 playing a game. When we all stop being racist, misogynist, classist, ageist horrors then that will be reflected on screen too.

Exactly. We can enjoy the show and reflect on trends - especially those that point towards real world harms.

Pretty sure Netty was instrumental in raising Judy as a suspect, and admitted it in Uncloaked. So where does the racism fit in there?

Yes, I totally agree. I’ve noticed this with Traitors and I’m sure other shows over the years.
Double whammy - black and female.
Though maybe triple as older too.

But the herd mentality is a thing too.

Just remembered that Tameka was also on strictly a while ago and got voted out either first or second I think.

i noticed that immediately
they at least should attempt to avoid this
one of the traitors should have been black
it is very jarring

I think it is unconscious bias and in the early episodes there’s very little actual evidence to go on. They haven’t formed relationships yet and everyone is more willing to jump on the bandwagon. I thought Judy did well at convincing people at the round table but there wasn’t anyone else with enough heat on them to vote for.

Hopefully people will remember and Sam will get banished soon.

One of the traitors being black doesn’t help anything though does it.

Nico and Tameka went early in celeb version and Cat was a traitor.

Maia was murdered pretty quickly in season 3 with Minah as a traitor.

Also we don’t actually know who the secret traitor is.

i thought the same on the last season . It’s always ‘ I don’t know why I don’t trust you but something in my gut’… I think we need more grown up conversations about unconscious bias .

I’m glad you have raised this point as I had also observed the same. I first noticed it on the last celebrity version, then looked back through previous series.

Remember Dr Kasim from S3, and how him being a DR was turned into a way he might want to murder someone. That sticks with me as I don’t think that was as funny as other people thought it was. And I don’t think a white person would have faced that accusation.

Last night it was like face slappingly obvious. Two black women were targeted and ultimately eliminated first, with another black person (Ross) being a clear target too.

It’s uncomfortable and I’m surprised more has not been made of this before. Though I shouldn’t be, should I.

My daughter and I were discussing as well how the two ladies who left exuded warmth and kindness. Out of everyone there they were the two people I would have loved to see stay in a long time

I hope the BBC think really hard what they can do about this

Sorry, not sorry. And fyi there is no such thing as “unconcious bias”. People are entitled to own their own bias, based on their own beliefs and preferences, just as the OP has done. The casual use nowadays of such pretentious BS is simply a patronising means of adopting the moral high ground and silencing opposing views. It’s light entertainment fhs. Lighten up.

I have a very conscious bias against adults who say things like ‘sorry, not sorry’.

Exactly. It’s ridiculous the takes on here

What do you want them to do? Rig the show so women stay in longer?

I have no idea what the solution is

3 of them were ringers.

Haha funny enough so do I! @Arcticienne clearly you’re happy to ignore the problems at hand so this discussion probably isn’t for you

@UniquePinkSwan It’s a conversation starter. Issues like this should be openly discussed especially when people want to say that we’re not a racist society or we’ve progressed past micro aggressions and being biased.

@Iocanepowder You’re right! Netty did. Ross also brought up Amanda and Hugo, Amanda brought up Jade and Reece brought up Adam. It’s funny how the one person everyone jumped on though was Judy especially when Sam, a white male, also started asserting that theory

I wonder if they have similar game shows in black or asian majority countries, whether white candidates are more likely to be voted out first

When they started voting and a few names came up I thought 'oh that's good, at least they haven't done that sheep thing of just latching onto a name that someone else has strongly asserted'. And then the rest of them voted for Judy 🤦‍♀️

In the first series the first banishment was of the woman who didn't raise her glass to toast the faithfuls (because she had one hand!) and that was another 'I don't know who is a traitor so I'm going with the crowd'. That player wasn't black.

However, like Labour never electing a female leader, while individual decisions/votes don't seem to have anything to do with race, there is a pattern that has emerged over time.

This is the 4th series. In the other 3 series the first contestant banished was white.

I don't see what the producers could do in any event. They already have a disproportionately diverse group of players. They can't interfere and put pressure on people to vote a certain way as that would spoil the premise of the game.

If I understand correctly - it’s the contestants who vote in this game / perhaps the contestants could be tested for unconscious bias and only given the part if they score well ? Ie neutral for various unconscious biases ?

Harvard university used to have a range of such tests

Science disagrees with you. There is overwhelming empirical evidence that unconscious bias exists, and that it influences far more vital things than the outcome of reality TV, like our justice system, access to health care and employment opportunities. It's nothing to do with the "moral high ground" by the way, there's no suggestion that unconscious bias is a moral failing on the part of the individual, it's a cognitive process. You can't just stamp your feet and say something which has been verified through decades of scientific research doesn't exist because it makes you feel uncomfortable.