A Dagger to the Heart | Traitors 2026 | Thread 10 | Spoiler Free!

[CaveMum]

Link to previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/5476837-its-a-wicked-game-traitors-2026-thread-9-spoiler-free?page=1

Welcome to Thread 10 of Traitors 2026.

This thread runs at TV pace so do not read any further if you are not up to date with the live broadcast. Whilst most discussion will be on the current series, inevitably people will refer to previous series/players/winners so reader beware if you’ve not seen the 3 previous editions, or the celebrity version.

While we welcome posters discussing their theories and speculating on relationships/connections between players, please don’t post spoilers from elsewhere that may ruin things for those of us who like to see things unfold over the course of the series.

The story so far:

Traitors
Hugo
Rachel
Stephen
Fiona (Secret Traitor)

Murdered
Netty
Ben
Maz
Reece
Adam
Jessie

Banished
Judy (Faithful) - Roxy’s mum!
Hugo (Traitor)
Ross (Faithful) - Ellie’s boyfriend!
Amanda (Faithful)
Fiona (Traitor)
Harriet (Faithful)
Sam (Faithful)
Ellie (Faithful)

The floor is yours…

Yes i dont remember which one either, but i remember lots of pink??

I think he could win as part of a group of faithfuls. Don't know if a faithful will win on their own though.

Vinted? eBay?

I never thought James was gay, but was surprised that Jack isn't.
James does look his age, I think (sorry James, I don't mean to be ungallant) but has a youthful manner.

I don’t think they can. The game stops when there are 2 players left, unless everyone votes to end the game early. So although a single Traitor can win, there must be at least 2 faithfuls in a winning team.

Faraaz could always win as a single (recruited) Traitor, though

Cumming is one in everything I’ve see of those actors who I love in everything I’ve seen but whose off screen pontificating irritates the hell out of me. I’m not sure quite why - possibly its that “luvvy lecturer” tone he takes on.

I think he is pretty good on US Traitors as a presenter but the difficulty with a performance star like Cumming in the role is that they can dominate the show at the expense of showcasing the games/contestants. Claudia was not a mega star when she started doing Traitors and she is first and foremost a presenter - someone whose career focuses on presenting others, rather than an actor. She is incredibly skilled at doing this and not making herself the story, in much the way that big name presenters of the past like Wogan avoided dominating his own guests with a bit of wry self deprecating humour.

Has anyone watched the Canadian version(s)? I seen a few episodes but not a full season.

Yes someone found them on Vinted. I just thought it was a strange thing to put instead of sold out. Sounded like they were so horrified a traitor was wearing their earrings that they stopped selling them 😆

They are absolutely beautiful. I'm saving for one for my birthday 😍

Yes, as I wrote that I was wondering if I'd misremembered the rules!
Interesting idea about recruiting Faraaz. Unless they completely change the game plan, though, Steven and Rachel are obviously not interested in recruiting now, which I think is probably a good idea. I wonder if he would accept as well?

Edited: typo

I watched the Canadian one but didn't love it, it's fine, not a classic. You want Aus 1 and 2 for that. Also think US 3 is very good as it finally found its footing.

I hate the US ones because they are all reality stars with faces full of filler who cry a lot.
John Bercow was on one, and someone said "British people don't have filler" disparagingly. 😂

I love how the US version has random British and Irish people who are, at best, only vaguely heard of in their own countries.

@LittleBitofBread I feel like the worst thing that could happen for Rachel's game plan (other than being voted out herself) is losing Stephen before the final, having to recruit as they can't be down to one traitor before the endgame (I believe?!) therefore losing the chance of a final murder and having to either get someone out on zero notice or share the win with someone she hasn't had that loyalty/rapport with throughout. Be good to watch though!

Is it one banishment and two murders left till the final 5 or vice versa?

Aus and US I’ve seen (and agree with you) as well as Irish but the Beeb doesn’t seem to be buying the Canada versions (or the English language version at least). I guess that may change with the general boost the show received from Celeb Traitors if they have gaps between seasons.

I find it interesting just how similar are the assumptions and expectations are amongst the players and the differing budgets they seem to have.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I absolutely had him down as a carefree studenty type!!!!!!!!

I’ve finally caught up on threads 7, 8, 9 and now 10! I didn’t post on those ones, it went by so quick. Last week’s episodes were really interesting and I was fully engaged so wasn’t following the threads along. As a reminder to myself:

Episode 7 - Harriet banished. Mission was bringing the cherub statues back to the red fountain and tons of shields.
Episode 8 - Adam murdered, Sam banished. Mission was cabin or horrors.
Episode 9 - Jessie murdered, Ellie banished. Mission was the jack in the box questions about each other.

Remaining 8 contestants

1. Rachel
2. Stephen
3. Faraaz
4. James (bouncy duplicitous shield guy gardener)
5. Jack (feather earring glasses guy)
6. Matt (wannabe traitor, Father Ted cast)
7. Jade
8. Roxy

Cliffhanger - who gets the dagger.

I have no idea who they’ll give the dagger to. I think it’s a poisoned chalice too, anything that marks you out puts you in the spotlight and suspicious and up for banishment! I would give it to Jade, she will use it on whoever is naming her.

When we saw Harriet implore in Wednesday episode, we were just like what did she just decide she’d had enough and preferred her own sofa!? It seemed so out of the blue her behaviour at breakfast. She said she was going to play it so chill. In Uncloaked and her radio interview she did say she lost sight that it was a game. Fiona, Amanda and then Harriet - they did seem to take themselves out, with asking people to vote for them. Maybe they had enough!

Sam really did himself in didn’t he, and he came across really well on Uncloaked. He put himself out there at the beginning and suffered the consequences of that.

Jade’s story is so sad. I felt so sad for Ellie as well when she said at the RT that she was blindsided by Jade leaving nd went closer to Rachel for comfort.

Surprised by the Roxy hate. I see her behaviour as very insecure and that makes me feel sorry for her, especially given her background of being adopted at 6pm. Asking if she’s popular in that mission was a sign of seeking constant reassurance to me. The way Harriet spoke to her was not nice, so good on her and i can understand her reaction. Not sure why some people think Harriet had a right to have her pre-determined speech, when Roxy was just trying to tell her what the group had decided, I didn’t see that as Roxy trying to lead. Even Harriet says it wasn’t right now she’s out.

Thank you everyone for the discussion! Highlights for me have been that Golden Balls split or steal scene with Nick and Ibrahim, it’s fantastic. That popbitch blind must be about Reece because of the mention of being “outwardly sweet” and he works in a sweet shop. Loved the Observer article with the Executive Producer too, that they can’t get involved and even they don’t anticipate what the players will do.

Probably won’t be able to keep up with all the posts again this week. What’s everyone doing for the Friday night episode?

i think Rachel would have been quickly murdered if she had been a faithful, like Communications Scientist Yin from series 3. Agree Series 3 was awful, Yin and Kaz would have been fantastic in the latter half. Instead we got bully shout people down Leanne and Jake “doctors murder by night” logic.

Really interesting article, thanks for sharing!

This sounds sensible:
The cast also undergo psychological checks which series three contestant Yin Lu described as “having an MRI scan, but full-body, full-heart, full-brain, even full-soul MRI scan” and the production company has a welfare team, including psychologists, checking in daily. The team stays in touch with the cast afterwards to let them know which scenes will make the edit and ensure they are managing the transition to post-Traitors life, helping adjust to public attention.

I can imagine me needing plenty of aftercare when I emerged into the outside world to find that strangers in the street recognise me as "that absolute wanker from Traitors" 🫢😁

This is why I could never go on the tv-I would probably look bloody awful and would not cope with the aftermath at all.Mind you, I would likely be one of the first out so no one would care about me anyway ha!
I think it needs to be crisps and wine for the final on friday.

I do sometimes think the final and end game can be a bit of a let down(series 3) so I hope this one isn't

they can't be down to one traitor before the endgame (I believe?!)

I thought they could because one traitor can win?
But anyway, yes, they/she really needs not to have to recruit now.
I don't know how many of what are left. Are those numbers/rules fixed, or do they change every season?

@LittleBitofBread there can definitely be one traitor in the final, but I just thought if it gets down to one traitor before the final they were forced to recruit. I could be totally fabricating that though. Feel like I'm remembering it from a previous season.

I agree with the scariness of coming out after you had been banished or murdered and then finding out what everyone thinks about you.

I'd love to be in the castle, meet Claudia, do the tasks (except for the scary cottage in the woods one) and try and work out who the traitors are. But only if it wasn't televised. I'd have to be a multi millionaire to make that happen.

The same goes for taking part in Mastermind or Only Connect.

Hello can I join usually a lurker as sometimes find it hard keeping up with everything, I have really enjoyed this series I’m very much team traitor I love Rachel & Stephen they’ve played a good game, I know some felt that Rachel is quite cold I personally don’t feel that, she did appear to be genuinely upset when Ellie & jade were emotional also think she does like Stephen I’d like to see the both of them win & really hope they don’t throw each other under the bus.
My two Penny worth I’d be inclined to give Jade the dagger as she isn’t keen on Matthew think she would vote him out also possibly putting a bit of suspicion onto Jade so could be a win win? The interchangeable faithful still appear to be flailing around & easily swayed wouldn’t put money on any of them actually working as a team.
was agog at Harriet really thought she took all far to seriously & personally if she had lightened up a bit she would have been far more successful in hunting down the traitors.

To me it seems like people dislike Rachel (or Fiona or Jade or Roxy) when she reminds them of someone in their own life who is not nice. But a tv edit doesn’t really show us whether they’re like your mean colleague. Can’t wait to see Rachel and Stephen on Uncloaked.

Yes, and I rather liked Hugo because he reminded me of a very nice neighbour of mine, in some respects at least.

I admire cool, calm and collected people like Rachel and fully expect her to come across well in Uncloaked.

Fiona's accent probably helped her to appear sweet and naive when she wasn't.😁

Yy Also think that maybe to some peoples ears Rachel’s accent is quite harsh
Fiona got on my nerves from the start found her irritating even more so when she was the secret traitor her murder candidates were extremely random really don’t think ST added anything to the game especially when she was revealed to Rachel & Stephen she was very bossy & combative didn’t strike me as a team player at all.