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When does The Traitors series four start?
By order of The Traitors... you are cordially invited to series four.
30 December 2025, 11:59 | Updated: 2 January 2026, 11:10
The Traitors series four and its mysterious red cloak is right around the corner – here's when the next game begins.
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The Traitors is back for another addictive game of trust and treachery, with the new series kicking off imminently.
Hot of the heels of The Celebrity Traitors, in which a masterful Alan Carr dramatically stole the prize fund, the BBC has teased the gripping trailer for series four.
Claudia Winkleman will return to Scotland's mysterious Ardross Castle, delivering ruthless instructions to yet another set of Faithfuls and Traitors as the new year rings in.
But when exactly does The Traitors 2026 start? Here's everything you need to know about the show's upcoming launch.
When does The Traitors series four start?
TV execs have shared the confirmed start date for The Traitors series four – and fans are thrilled it's so soon.
The next mind-bending game of betrayal will kick off on Thursday 1st January at 8pm on BBC One, with episode two following on Friday 2nd January 2026 at 8pm.
Episode three will air on Saturday 3rd January 2026 at the slightly earlier time of 7.45pm.
As usual, all episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer straight after they have aired on BBC One.
- Read more: The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman officially lands her own chat show
- Read more: Celebrity Traitors series two confirmed as release date and rumoured cast revealed
Along with a fingerless-gloved Claudia, Ed Gamble will return to his role as host of The Traitors: Uncloaked – the show's visualised podcast featuring axed contestants, celebrities and players from previous years.
The popular spin-off will begin on BBC Two immediately after the first show on New Year's Day at 9.05pm.
Following the debut episode, it will move to BBC One for the remainder of The Traitors series four.
- Read more: Celebrity Traitors' Jonathan Ross reveals Alan Carr's 'horrible' unaired moment
- Read more: Alan Carr says he's 'most hated man in the UK' after controversial Traitors role
22 new players will join The Traitors hall of fame in the first few weeks of 2026, backstabbing each other while working in tandem to build a prize pot of up to £120,000.
Tackling a series of creepy and physically demanding missions, they'll need strength, agility and logic to succeed.
Viewers will have to wait to meet January's Faithfuls and Traitors as the contestants’ identities are being kept under wraps, plus there's a mysterious new red cloak that needs explaining.
What the BBC have promised through is "more twists, turns, secrets, deception, banishments and of course, murders aplenty" airing across 12 thrilling episodes.
