The first series of The Traitors was first broadcast on BBC One on 29 November 2022. The series concluded on 22 December 2022 where Hannah Byczkowski, Aaron Evans and Meryl Williams won as Faithfuls, while Wilfred "Wilf" Webster placed as a runner-up, as a Traitor.
Contestants 22 contestants competed on the first series of The Traitors. In a minor twist, Alex and Tom had a pre-existing relationship as they were dating before competing in the series.
Amos and Kieran were apparently banished from the game on arrival at the castle, after placing themselves at the end of a line of most and least likely to win the show. However, they were both reintroduced to the show in a twist during episode 5.
+List of The Traitors contestantsContestantAgeResidenceOccupationAffiliationFinish23Manchester,EnglandMasters GraduateFaithfulMurdered(Episode 2)45South Croydon,EnglandAccounts supervisorFaithfulBanished(Episode 2)43Hull,EnglandEx-police officer & entrepreneurFaithfulMurdered(Episode 3)23Burgess Hill,EnglandScientistFaithfulBanished(Episode 3)32Polruan,EnglandAuthorFaithfulBanished(Episode 5)49Edinburgh,ScotlandSpa therapistFaithfulMurdered(Episode 5)24Chesham,EnglandMagicianFaithfulBanished(Episode 5)23Melbourn,EnglandBMX AthleteFaithfulMurdered(Episode 6)21Cork,IrelandBusiness studentTraitorBanished(Episode 6)25North London,EnglandTrainee lawyerFaithfulBanished(Episode 7)26London,EnglandPresenter & actressFaithfulMurdered(Episode 8)30North London,EnglandDoctorFaithfulMurdered(Episode 9)26Leeds,EnglandCheerleading coachFaithfulBanished(Episode 9)59Bury St Edmunds,EnglandHead of School WelfareFaithfulMurdered(Episode 10)54Swansea,WalesEstate agentTraitorBanished(Episode 10)72Brussels,BelgiumRetiredFaithfulMurdered(Episode 11)29Swanley,EnglandReceptionist & actressFaithfulBanished(Episode 11)42Stevenage,EnglandSolutions consultantTraitorBanished(Episode 12)28North London,EnglandSenior fundraiserTraitorBanished(Episode 12)Aaron Evans24Portsmouth,EnglandProperty agentFaithfulWinner(Episode 12)32London,EnglandComedianFaithfulWinner(Episode 12) 25Edinburgh,ScotlandCall centre agentFaithfulWinner Notes
Elimination history Key The contestant was a Faithful. The contestant was a Traitor. The contestant was murdered by the Traitors. The contestant was banished at the round table. The contestant was ineligible to vote. The contestant was immune for the banishment and subsequent murder.
Episode123456789101112Traitors'Decisionrowspan="5" AishaClaireJohnMattAlexAlexAmosFayKieranAndrearowspan="3" MurderMurderSeduceMurderUltimatumMurderImmunecolspan="3" AmandaFayMaddyMerylcolspan="3" BanishmentNickyImranIvanTomAlyssaRayanrowspan="2" TheoAmandaMaddyKieranVote6–2–24–2–1–14–24–1AaronNovoteImranImranAlexTomRayanMaddyNo voteTheoMaddyMaddyKieranHannahNickyImranAlexAlexAlyssaRayanMaddyAmandaMaddyKieranMerylNickyImranIvanTomMaddyRayanMaddyAmandaMaddyKieranWilfredNickyAaronIvanAlexAlyssaMaddyTheoAmandaMaddyKieranKieranEliminatedNo voteWilfredRayanTheoAmandaMerylWilfredMaddyNickyAaronWilfredWilfredWilfredMerylAaronAaronMerylBanished AndreaNickyAaronHannahTomAlyssaRayanTheoHannahMurdered (Episode 11)AmandaNickyImranIvanAlexAlyssaRayanTheoMaddyBanished (Episode 10)FayNickyImranAlexTomRayanMaddyTheoMurdered (Episode 10)TheoNickyImranAlexTomWilfredRayanAaronBanished (Episode 9)AmosEliminatedNo voteWilfredRayanMurdered (Episode 9)AlexNickyImranIvanRayanAlyssaAaronMurdered (Episode 8)RayanNickyAaronAlexTomAlyssaAaronBanished (Episode 7)AlyssaNickyAaronHannahAlexWilfredBanished (Episode 6)MattNickyImranIvanTomMurdered (Episode 6)TomNickyImranIvanAlyssaBanished (Episode 5)JohnNickyAaronIvanMurdered (Episode 5)IvanNickyImranAlexBanished (Episode 4)ImranNickyTheoBanished (Episode 3)ClaireNickyMurdered (Episode 3)NickyFayBanished (Episode 2)AishaMurdered (Episode 2)
End game Episode12DecisionBanishWilfredEnd gameGame OverFaithfuls WinVote2–23–13–0AaronBanishWilfredEnd gameWinnersHannahBanishWilfredEnd gameMerylEnd gameWilfredEnd gameWilfredEnd gameAaronBanished
Notes
Missions EpisodeTask descriptionTime limitMoney earnedMoney availableRunning totalShield winner1Split into two teams to build a fuse and set fire to a wicker man. While one half of each team was searching debris on the side of the lake for rope to create the fuse, the other half had to row back across the lake with a torch to light their fuse. The first fuse lit was worth £10,000 and the second £5,000.30 minutes £15,000£15,000£15,000rowspan="4" 2Eight of the contestants had to ring the bells of the nearby chapel to play a tune, while the remaining contestants searched the Castle for a music box that was playing the same tune. Each music box contained an item – a larger version of which was hidden in the Castle. Each correct item brought back was worth £2,000 for the prize fund.rowspan= "2" £8,000£10,000£23,000(of £25,000)3Five contestants' names were randomly drawn from a tombola and they would be strapped to a revolving funfair wheel, while the remaining contestants answered Mr & Mrs-style questions. For each answer that matches with someone on the wheel, they would earn £100 for the prize fund – and they would also earn a £2,500 bonus if everyone stayed on the wheel for ten minutes. There are two rounds – each with a potential prize of £5,000 to be won. £8,700£10,000£31,700(of £35,000)4Split into three teams – led by those on Trial. Each team sent one person into a pen full of sheep while their team described a photo of one of the sheep. The person in the pen had to work out which sheep was being described – and each sheep was wearing a coat with the name of a contestant on it. After each round, more sheep were added. Each correct sheep identified by a team would earn £1,000 for the prize fund and the fastest team would be given the chance to earn an extra £1,000 if they could round up all of the sheep within two minutes.Unlimited2 minutes (final round) £8,000£10,000£39,700(of £45,000)5The contestants were split into two teams and one at a time went into the confessional booth to hear a page and paragraph reference from Claudia. They had to then bring that reference back to Claudia and use The Book of Traitors to find a riddle – leading to a clothing item worn by one member of the masked congregation. Only the first team to identify an item counted, and each correctly identified item earned £2,000 for the pot. The team who identifies the most correct items fastest would be given the first opportunity to visit the Armoury and potentially earn a Shield. In addition, Amos and Kieran were revealed after the challenge to be two of the masked congregation. After a fifth tiebreaker round, Alex, Amanda, Hannah, Meryl, Theo, Tom & Wilfred were sent to the Armoury.£8,000£8,000£47,700(of £53,000)Tom6Split into three teams, two members of each team were buried in underground graves and it was up to the remaining team members to uncover them within 45 minutes. Each person who escaped their grave was worth £1,500 for the prize fund and the fastest team to uncover their two teammates would win a trip to the Armoury. Aaron, Alex, Amanda, Hannah & Theo were the first team to be complete, and were sent to the Armoury.45 minutes£9,000£9,000£56,700(of £62,000)Amanda7As a group, the contestants had 90 minutes to transport whisky barrels to an old distillery on the top of a nearby hill. Along the way, they would find more barrels of increasing size worth more money, as well as five barrels, which would allow contestants of their choice to enter the Armoury. In addition to £8,400 worth of barrels, three of the five Armoury barrels crossed the finish line – and Andrea, Fay & Theo were chosen to enter the Armoury.90 minutes £8,400£10,000£65,100(of £72,000)Fay8Split into two teams, contestants had to escape a Fishing cabin-themed escape room. For each team who escaped, they would add £3,000 to the prize fund – and the fastest team to escape would be given the opportunity to enter the Armoury. Only the Green Team – Fay, Hannah, Kieran, Maddy, Meryl and Wilfred – escaped in the time limit, and they entered the Armoury.25 minutes £3,000£6,000£68,100(of £78,000)Maddy9Split into three teams, contestants would drive a route and encounter True or False statements. If they pick the incorrect answer, they would hit a dead end. Teams had 45 minutes to complete their route, and each team who completed the route would earn £2,000 for the prize fund. The fastest team to complete the route would also be given the opportunity to enter the Armoury, where one of them would win the Shield. The Blue Team – Kieran, Meryl & Wilfred – were the first team back and won their tickets to the Armoury.45 minutes£6,000£6,000£74,100(of £84,000)Meryl10The contestants were given twenty minutes to individually make their way through a room and steal artifacts which were protected by lasers. Each artifact was worth a set amount of money for the prize fund. Breaking a laser would cost the group one minute of time and any artifacts being carried would be lost. After all eight contestants have made an attempt, they are then given a second opportunity. On their first pass, only Wilfred (£2,000) and Aaron (£1,000) collected artifacts and on their second pass, Wilfred (£400) and Kieran (£300) collected artifacts. There was a shield among the artifacts which would keep them safe from murder, but no-one went for it.20 minutes £3,700 £7,000£77,800(of £91,000)11Suspended over a rickety bridge above a river are bags with different values – ranging from £500 to £2,000. One at a time, blindfolded contestants will go out onto the bridge and be guided by their teammates to collect bags. They have eight minutes each to get their money across the bridge – anyone who falls is out, alongside their money. Only Meryl (£500), Maddy (£750) and Aaron (£2,000) got across the bridge – adding £3,250 to the prize fund.8 minutes each £3,250£7,000£81,050(of £98,000)rowspan="2" 12Dotted around Loch Glass are moneybags totalling £20,000. The two strongest swimmers – Aaron & Hannah – had to jump out of a helicopter to swim to a pair of buoys to get the combination to find speedboat keys and a map in a box. The remaining three then had to collect the swimmers before they used the speedboat to find the moneybags in four separate locations over the ten miles of coastline within 30 minutes.30 minutes£20,000£20,000£101,050(of £118,000)
Reception Series 1 of The Traitors received mixed-to-positive reception, with critics praising the work of host Claudia Winkleman, the season's atmosphere, and its entertaining moments. Primary criticisms were mainly aimed at the show's cast and struggle to choose an age demographic. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval rating of 67% based on 6 reviews, with an average rating of 8.00/10. Isobel Lewis of The Independent gave the show 3 out of 5 stars, embracing the show's entertainment factor, writing "The Traitors definitely isn’t a perfect reality show, or even the best in its genre right now, but it is pretty entertaining. Plus, there’s something incredibly satisfying about watching a contestant claim that their fellow player is “a really honest person”, while we sit at home smirking in the knowledge that they're really a traitor". Rating the series 5 stars out of 5, Michael Hogan of The Telegraph praised the show's finale, saying it was "dramatic, deliciously dark and just camp enough, this was old-fashioned event TV". Fiona Sturges of Financial Times praised the show for its twists and turns, writing "On paper, it might sound like a zhuzhed-up version of Cluedo or the children’s game wink murder. In practice, it is a brilliant recipe for multi-layered manoeuvring and top-tier bluffing."