SPOILER FREE PLEASE The Secret Traitor Big Reveal? Place Your Bets | Traitors 2026 | Thread 3

[CaveMum]

Previous thread: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/5469362-red-cloak-dagger-were-all-being-played-traitors-2026-thread-2?page=1

Here we go, ready for the big reveal (maybe?) next episode - Wednesday 7 January.

Current Status

Confirmed Traitors
Hugo
Rachel
Stephen

Murdered
Netty
Ben

Banished
Judy (Faithful)
Hugo (Traitor)

Confirmed Faithful (still in)
James
Maz
Reece

Secret Traitor Suspects Remaining (in order of when named and who said it first)

Ross - *@maggieFS
Fiona - *@Empress13
Jessie - *@DandelionPockets
Roxy - *@CheerfulBunny
Jade - *@sleepeazie (technically it was CheerfulBunny who said it first, but you’ve already got one on the list!)
Amanda - @TokyoSushi
Sam - @lightanddreamy
Harriet - @Newgirls
Faraaz - @Ohcrap082024
Jack - *@Beachtastic
Ellie - *@Piggywaspushed

Only 2 players have not been named as ST suspects at this point (please provide screenshots if I’ve missed these being named!):

Adam
Matthew

It’s going to be a long 4 days!

That’s a smart move. Having seen the heat Ross got for knowing Netty and that last year a sister told others she thought her sister was a traitor (have forgotten their names) and the traitor was then banished Faraaz should try to get his dad murdered to give himself the best chance of succeeding as a traitor.

Forget Fiona’s too obvious winks and comments in the diary room - perhaps Hugo’s comment was a clue to the identity of the ST: Who is it who is so desperate to murder Maz?

That’s a smart move. Having seen the heat Ross got for knowing Netty and that last year a sister told others she thought her sister was a traitor (have forgotten their names) and the traitor was then banished Faraaz should try to get his dad murdered to give himself the best chance of succeeding as a traitor.

Forget Fiona’s too obvious winks and comments in the diary room - perhaps Hugo’s comment was a clue to the identity of the ST: Who is it who is so desperate to murder Maz?

I thought the same, and thought it was a snap decesions plan on seeing her, rather than premeditated, but by using the word plan when talking to others, he put himself in the firing line.

I think ST is Roxy.
Looking forward to seeing Rachel and Stephen's faces whoever it is.
Assuming that everyone has links with at least one person in the castle (and it may be more than 2 from a family) so it's not really going to be a massive reveal.
Reece surely toast, but R&S need to get through a day first. Surely they'll use the 'but that would be too obvious' defence about Rachel sending him away. This can work of course.

Does anyone else feel think the stuff around the edges is actually taking over, for example talk of the ST and talk of connections, because the core of the show has run its course.

I don’t mean it negatively, I’m just pondering because I was thinking “come on, let’s just get on with it really” but actually we’d probably be complaining about all the people who think they’re found clues but haven’t, all the people ignoring smart comments by older players etc.

It’s obviously now a huge show which they’ll want to keep going, but I wish they could keep it fresh and interesting int the core structure without the need these changes. I personally hope there are not more connections.

Thank you for this because my first response was ‘There’s a Matthew?!!’

I still think they swap the hat and earrings around and it’s actually only two people.

Who's Adam?

I think it should be like the Mole where the traitors have to sabotage the tasks in order to add to their own prize pot. As it is I actually find the tasks boring no matter how outlandish they make them

One of the blended interchangeables - the one with the Essex accent and often wearing a cap backwards. Bearded.

Reece is the one who is the most blonde and has the nose ring. Clean shaven.

Matthew has darker hair and an Irish accent. IIRC also has a trimmed beard.

Yes, I totally agree! Also, the specualtion around the ST is much bigger than the actual ST role warrants. The ST hasn't really done anything, and yet it's getting so much oxygen.

My mantra when the kids were little (to keep me sane after a house turned upside down) was - if the game took longer to play then the setting up, the mess and resultant tidying up was worth it. With the ST speculation, I'm very much getting a lot of mess and not much game play.

@TomHiddlestonBirthdayI love that. I wish I could apply it to my young DD and her arts and crafts 😬.

I’m glad they caught Hugo early because it could have become very repetitive (although a point oft made in previous series’ chats is that Claudia does engineer a lot of pressure about not getting traitors out, when fundamentally it doesn’t matter to an individual until nearer the end, as long as they themselves remain in. Actually it’s arguably better not getting any out, because you have more time to observe and they can’t recruit). However, getting Hugo out probably has really negated the ST role. We don’t get to the point where we really see them being able to be devious as they control the mud list and how uk have dropped the traitors in it. So I guess it was a good idea, but I won’t be sorry when it’s no longer a thing.

Yes I was thinking of you're playing to win it's better to go through with the original traitors as it should be clearer at the face off at the end.
It's fun to get a traitor out but not necessarily helpful to going home with the prize.

I would have enjoyed the ST more if we’d seen more of them - I don’t like not knowing how the shortlists were decided and it would have been good if they’d had to do something like a “shortlist in plain sight”. Perhaps that would have happened later if Hugo hadn’t been banished.

Thanks so much CaveMum for starting and maintaining these threads. They're really adding so much to watching this fab programme :)

As a family we weren't as impressed as most people seem to have been by what Harriet said to Hugo. She said - you're a barrister so have the skills to cross examine people and are therefore a target for murder but you're still here. Also, some people have said they are intimidated to take you on because of your professional experience. She called these 'hard facts'. Well I guess so but they're all pretty obvious and would have occurred to any of the faithful. Someone in the thread did say that this was part of longer speech she made which was brilliant - we just didn't think what we saw her saying was mindblowing, albeit she was very calm and controlled in how she spoke.

I don't think Harriet can be the ST because of the way she went for Hugo. My money is on Roxy and if not then maybe Ross or Jessie.

I love that. I wish I could apply it to my young DD and her arts and crafts 😬.
lol. The ST has hardly played the game and yet we're all spending an awfully long time putting the gluesticks away.

@MaggieFS yeah the show changes slightly each year in its gameplay focus. I thought the first year was more like Mole, there were people actually trying their best to win money and the prize pot, and they tried to figure out who was the traitor based on how they behaved in the challenges - I think it was mainly around behaviour about shields? I really liked that in the first series, the challenges were interesting and things actually happened during them. Now it’s more like a jolly. Clearly the back biting, diary room and round table were more popular than the challenges so that’s the way they’ve gone.

I don’t understand why the traitors were instantly offended and so focused on the Secret Traitor - were they guided by production? It just seemed like self sabotage. Why would a traitor have to worry about an ST? There was nothing said about how it would affect them winning the prize money. If they got through as a traitor, they’d still win. The comment from Rachael that the ST would direct heat to the known traitors was very flimsy I think.

Yes part of the fun is seeing them strategise in the turret - seems to be the only strategising that happens as they have the info. Whereas the faithfuls in the day are just accusing and stabbing in the dark. Seeing an ST stressing out on their own and seeing their thinking would have been fun.

The comment from Rachael that the ST would direct heat to the known traitors was very flimsy I think.

They don't know if the st is playing to making it hard for them or to help them. They didn't understand the first list they were given and as it wouldn't have been their shortlist it could be easy to imagine the ST has a different strategy to them, were being unhelpful or were clueless.

Having to choose from a list of 3 people you wouldn't have chosen from means the traitors were limited in their own strategy and game play.

If I were Reece I’d be extremely careful about what I say and try to use my knowledge to my advantage. His problem is that even if he tells everyone what he’s seen and heard, he’ll get murdered before both Rachel and Stephen can be banished. And that’s assuming everyone believes him. The challenge for the faithful is they can suffer from tall poppy syndrome and if they make public statements it can make them look suspicious. I think his best strategy is to privately tell Rachel and Stephen that he’s suspicious of them both because of what he saw and heard but he won’t say anything… but that he has told one other person (who he won’t name) so if he’s murdered then everyone will be told. I think this works as a way for him to survive and he doesn’t even need to tell anyone anything as long as Stephen and Rachel think he has. I think Reece is smart so I hope he works out this strategy.

Also my money is on Roxy as secret traitor. I think that’s why she was so upset about Judy being named and then banished - because as ST she thought she had all the power and could protect her own mum.

I’m also a fan of the multiple pairs theory … but I was also keen on it last season when there was only 1 connection so what do I know 🤪
My theories:
Jessie and James - siblings (neurodiversity runs in families plus they have a similar look)
Ross and Ellie - couple (they seem really comfortable together plus I think Ross having a secret relationship was why he was so freaked out by Nettie being there)
Rachel and Matthew- siblings (mainly cos they are both from NI but also cos he’s keeping a low low profile). That said, I also keep mistaking Matthew and Reece so I wonder if they are related?
I don’t think any of the remaining older folk have a ‘pair’ - I think they are big enough personalities to have been cast alone.

Incidentally, I think the edits are interesting because on Uncloaked (I think episode 2 bonus) the exited contestants commented that Sam is very quiet and sweet whereas the edits show him as full of himself and always talking.

Cannot wait for the big reveal tonight.

Yes, interesting re. Sam. Similar to how popular Paul was with the group but unpopular with the viewers.

An extra problem Reece will have is that people were starting to suspect he’s a traitor based on how he was about finding the shield during the task. It might be quite easy for the traitors to accuse him of trying to deflect attention away from himself if he accuses them

@Sc00byDont I’ve now forgotten which one Sam is 😂.

I don’t think that Reece should let on that he even registered Stephen and Rachel having a chat or asking him to leave, for his own survival. Ideally he’s tell one trusted person who can spill the beans if anything does happen, but time and time again we’ve also seen that backfire on people.

@MaggieFS Sam is the one who can’t keep his head straight always has his ear on his shoulder. Also the one who targeted Judy.

Ahh - the big overwhite smile who must have neckache. Thank you!

This is what I think of with each of the contestants and remember them

1. hugo traitor barrister BANISHED
2. rachel traitor mum with dementia
3. Stephen traitor isle of Hebrides London security consultant
4. Judy, foster and social worker BANISHED
5. Nettie, single mum and teacher, limb difference MURDERED
6. Ben, ex navy MURDERED
7. Sam - bloke who went for Judy and also got in the chariot in second episode for shield
8. Ross - PT who knows Nettie and also got in chariot in second episode for shield
9. James - random theory guy think he said he had adhd, and got in chariot in second episode for shield
10. Harriet - ex barrister crime writer, now I think of the three older women together
11. Fiona - lady trying to play dumb but seems sneaky in diary room
12. Amanda - ex detective now volunteer
13. Faraaz - young man who wants to take his family on Hajj and have a car. I don’t think they’ve shown us much more about him or any scheming he’s doing?
14. Maz - civil servant who does yoga. The ST wants him out! Or the ST thinks he’s inconsequential and a shortlist filler name.
15. Jade - PhD student in pregnancy and women’s health, why isn’t this mentioned rather than the gaming!
16. Jessie - colourful and fun dresser with stammer

Then I start to get shaky,

1. Reece - shield obsessed in painting game
2. Adam I think is the builder?

So remembered 18 names without looking. Who have I missed? Ellie (so quiet), Jack, Matthew can’t remember anything distinguishing those two … and ah Roxy! Should have remembered her! https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/the-traitors-series-4-contestants