Traitors: Rules and behind-the-scenes secrets you didn’t know about

Peacock’s Traitors it has a lot more rules – and production secrets – than some fans may realize.

Inspired by a Dutch series Traitors, Traitors brings together reality TV stars from various franchises – including Survivor, Big Brother, Real Housewives and others – because they compete mafia-style game up to $250,000. The series premiered in 2023, but has already undergone several changes.

“My first idea was to do it on a boat in Australia,” the creator Marc Pos recalled to Variety in January 2023. “And if someone had to be out of the game, they had to jump into the water and swim to the island, but then I thought that would be too difficult to make.”

For the American version, the actor Alan Cumming was tapped as a host and has its own guidelines.

“The host is not there much and has to be careful not to manipulate the game, influence the audience or create doubt in the minds of the contestants who are in their bubble,” Pos continued. “But when they are there, they have to be friendly but intimidating at the same time.

Despite Traitors relying on a veil of secrecythe cast and crew talked about the rules and behind-the-scenes secrets that fans aren’t privy to. Keep scrolling for a guide to all the surprising revelations—and maybe some helpful answers to some burning questions Traitors questions:

What the cast members know about each other

Casting director Deena Katz he confirmed it contestants don’t know who else he’s on show until he arrives in scotland, narrative Time in January 2024: “You don’t want them to be able to explore each other or talk to each other or form alliances before.”

Season 2 stars Sandra Diaz-Twinmeanwhile, he explained on the “Reality After Show” podcast at the time that each player was later given photos and information about their fellow contestants to help determine who the Traitor might be.

Taking a personality test

During a January 2024 podcast appearance Mercedes “MJ” Javid recalled a psychological assessment of 600 questions. Executive producer Mike Cotton processed to Variety the same month the tests allowed the crew to “see characteristics that might make someone a good liar or particularly deceptive”.

“It’s an interesting process. It’s a big group thing,” he explained. “We don’t actually know who the Traitors are until that selection where Alan walks around and taps them on the shoulder. We watch them interact when they arrive at the castle. Alan chats with them, sits down and asks them if they would like to be a traitor and why. That has a really big influence on it, as does Alan’s opinion.’

Cotton continued, “Being a Traitor is almost like a job interview, and we take all of that into consideration and decide who it should be right before casting. We want to make sure we have an interesting mix of characters that bring their own unique skills to it.”

Arie LuyendykWHO appeared in the first seasonexclusively speaking My Weekly in January 2023 about conducting a “swim test”, adding: “(It was) to see if we were able to complete the mission.

The choice between loyal or traitor

It wasn’t until Season 2 that players were able to present their case to Alan as to whether they wanted to be a Traitor or a Loyalist. While viewers at home know who the Traitors are (and how many have been bugged), the Season 1 star Cirie Fields revealed it the other contestants remain in the dark about crucial details.

“We knew there could be three to five Traitors in the game,” Cirie said AND! News in January 2023. “That was explained to us from the very beginning.”

Drink limit

According to the Season 2 star Ekin-Su Cülcüloğluinfinitely drinks seen on the screen actually come up with strict guidelines.

“You can only have one drink a night anyway, it was pretty limited,” she said Entertainment Weekly in January 2024. “I remember everyone needing a drink from that round table, it was really intense.”

Shooting schedule

Arie remembered that he didn’t sleep more than six hours a night. “It takes about an hour for your brain to shut down,” he said Our in February 2023. “You’re there for so long and it’s one of those things where we probably started at 8 or earlier and we were probably up until about 12 to 2 in the morning, depending on if you’re a Traitor or not, because the Traitors had to do his business after he was done for the day.’

In addition to filming for long hours, the costars also give away their phones and any other forms of communication.

Accommodation at the castle

The hit competition series is set in the stunning and regal Ardross Castle – but do they really live there while filming? In short, no.

“How charming – you come to Scotland and stay in a hotel at Inverness Airport,” Alan joked. The Daily Beast in January 2023 about the actual accommodation offered by the contestant.

Meanwhile, Alan has a large dressing room that he occasionally used as a place to nap during production. But in the end even he can’t stay in the castle overnight.

Settings on the lock as well created guidelines for players.

“You shouldn’t talk about the game when the microphones aren’t ready or the cameras aren’t on,” Then Gheesling since season 2 he said Business Insider in February 2024. “Because if we say something that’s important and it’s not on camera, they can’t use it on the show.”

Finding a place to gather

After seeing the response to Season 1, the producers decided to offer players more space in the castle, including a kitchen and an outdoor terrace, as well as a library, billiards, a bar and a round table.

“We have two new spaces this year,” said the producer Procession in December 2023. “One we call the washroom (basically the kitchen) and then there’s a tiny little area outside called the hallway, which is a little area covered in rocks. It’s great. You can get two or three people sneaking in there and you get these great conversations.”

Get drunk at the castle

Several players – including the star of Season 1 Cody Calafiore — they mentioned how cold the castle was. “If the heat was working, it would probably be a little better,” Cody joked to Reality Blurred in January 2023.

Self Promotion Restrictions

Just because everyone on Traitors being a reality show star doesn’t mean they can promote their brands. Shereé Whitfield since season 2 he said People in February 2024 that she was not allowed to wear her own brand of clothing — SHE by Shereé — while on camera.

“They said I can’t!” she said of the contract directive. “You can’t wear your mark.

Providing support

Over the seasons, Peacock made sure of that each contestant has their own social team member.

“They check up on you all the time,” MJ said on the “Just Sayin’” podcast in December 2023. “They’re so cheerful and professional. I felt taken care of the whole time.” Meanwhile, in a separate interview, Ekin-Su said she once cried “overwhelming tears” to a member of the welfare team.

A security guard keeps players in line

“It’s a massive military operation every night to get the Loyalists to bed in individual rooms and to get the traitors back to the rendezvous,” creator Cotton said. Variety in January 2024 about trying to preserve the “secret of the traitors”.

Kate Chastainwhich appeared in three seasons Traitors in various capacities, he said Vanity Fair in January 2023 about how security was always around prevent players from leaving their hotel rooms.

“Once it became clear that I wasn’t going to get the big money in the end, I was ready to go home because the ship was very tight. There were security guards to make sure you never left your room. And we had long days, from breakfast to challenge to expulsion,” he describes. “Before you came to bed, you wanted to go to bed and sleep for eight hours because I knew the next day was going to be the big day.” The food in the Scottish Highlands is nothing to write home about, but it was good enough. I really missed the Martini. After a while I really missed a bit of freedom.’

Length of Round Table Expulsion

“It was really intense, you know, a lot of crying, a lot of name-calling, a lot of below-the-belt stuff that they didn’t show on TV,” Arie said. Our in 2023. “I feel like they kept it pretty cool on TV, but I felt like it was a lot more intense in real life. … I think if it was a little too raw or a little too ugly, they just left it out, you know? They kept it more about the game.”

Allowing couples to compete

Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan they were the first couple to compete on the show when they joined Season 2. (They’ve since broken up.) But just because they were dating didn’t mean they were treated like a package by production, which meant they had to sleep. separate rooms and were not allowed to communicate among themselves.

“Marcus asked me for a nail file and I put it in a paper bag – and they go through everything, you’re not supposed to send anything back and forth – but he wanted a nail file and I said, ‘I’ll just send him a nail file ,’ she recalled People. “And then I was like, ‘Oh, there’s a banana.’ He said he wanted a banana.’ So I (write) ‘I love you’ on the banana and send it to him with a file.”