How much do The Traitors contestants get paid to be on the show?
30 December 2025, 13:20 | Updated: 2 January 2026, 11:09
The Traitors contestants may not technically get paid to appear on the hit BBC show, but they are reimbursed for the days or weeks of work they miss.
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The Traitors series four is about to kick off with host Claudia Winkleman guiding us through four weeks of twists, murders and banishments.
In the latest chapter, viewers will meet 22 new contestants who agreed to put their personal and work lives on hold for two weeks in a bid to win a cash prize of up to £120,000.
By the end of the show, only a few players will remain in the running to win the money – but what about the other contestants who walk away with nothing? Did they at least get paid for their time on the show?
As it turns out, yes, the contestants on The Traitors do get paid to be on the show, explains one TV columnist, but it is not as much as you would expect.
The source revealed to the Mirror Online that while historical contestants such as Miles, Diane, Ross and Paul did not get paid a flat rate to take part in the show, they did get reimbursed for taking time away from work.
“The contestants don’t technically get paid, but obviously they have to take weeks off work, losing wages," she said: "It doesn’t seem fair that should lose money by taking part so they are reimbursed with around £100 a day."
Of course, £100 a day is only really put in place to help contestants out while they take time off work, but the real aim of the game is to walk away with the life-changing amount of £120,000.
The only problem is that £120,000 isn't usually the amount the winners of The Traitors walk away with, as most lose cash during missions over the 12 days.
The cash prize is stated as 'up to £120,000' as each day the contestants must take part in tasks to win mounting cash – if they were to complete all tasks correctly the money would add up to £120,000.
However, following slip-ups during missions, the cash prize usually dwindles and no series has ever seen the full amount accumulate by the end.
So who walks away with the life-changing money? Well, there are two possible outcomes of the show; either the remaining Faithfuls win the cash and split it between them, or the Traitor / Traitors (if they remain in the game until the end) take the entire pot.
- Read more: The Traitors final: How does it work and how do they win?
- Read more: Where do The Traitors sleep?
