Peacock the traitor There are more rules – and manufacturing secrets – than some fans may realize
Inspired by the Dutch series De Veraders, the traitor Brings together reality TV stars from various franchises — including Survivor, Big Brother, Real Housewives And more — as they compete mafia-style Games up to $250,000. The series premiered in 2023 but has already gone through multiple changes.
“My first idea was to do it on a ship in Australia,” the creator Mark Poss has been withdrawn from diversity In January 2023. “And if someone had to drop out of the game, he would have to jump into the water and swim to an island, but I thought that would be very difficult to make.”
For the American version, the actor Alan Cummings was tapped to host and It has its own guidelines.
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“The host isn't there much, and has to be careful not to direct the game, influence the audience, or raise doubts in the minds of the contestants in their bubble,” continued Pos. “But when they are there, they have to be a friendly but intimidating figure.”
despite the traitor Depending on the shroud of mysteryThe cast and crew talk about the rules and the behind-the-scenes secrets fans are not privy to Keep scrolling for a guide to all the surprising revelations — and possibly helpful answers to some burning questions the traitor Question:
What do cast members know about each other?
Casting Director Dina Katz Confirmed that Contestants don't know who else They are on show until they come to Scotland, says the time In January 2024, “You don't want them to be able to research each other or talk to each other or form alliances beforehand.”
Season 2 stars Sandra Diaz-SutliMeanwhile, at the time, the “Reality After Show” podcast explained that each player was later provided with photos and information on their fellow contestants to help narrow down who might be traitors.
Take a personality test
During a podcast appearance in January 2024, Mercedes “MJ” Javid Recall taking a 600-question psychological assessment. executive producer Mike Cotton details diversity The same month the tests also let the crew “look for traits that might make someone a good liar or particularly deceptive.”
“It's an interesting process. It's a big group thing,” he explained. “We actually don't know who the traitors are until the selection, where Alan turns around and taps them on the shoulder. We see how they interact when they reach the castle. Alan has these chats with them, sitting down and asking them if they want to be traitors and why. It has a really big impact on Alan's opinion as well.”
Cotton continued: “It's almost like a job interview to be a traitor, and we take all that into account and decide who it should be before we decide. We want to make sure we get an interesting mix of characters that will have their own unique skill set.”
Ari LuyendykWHO Appeared in the first seasonExclusively speaking our weekly “(It was) to see if we were able to complete the mission,” he said, about doing “a swim test” in January 2023.
A choice between a faithful or a traitor
It wasn't until Season 2 that the players were able to present their case to Alan as to whether they wanted to be traitors or loyalists. While viewers at home know who the traitors are (and how many have been tapped), Season 1 stars Siri Fields Manifest that Other contestants are placed In the dark about important details.
“We knew there were potentially three to five traitors in the game,” Siri said E! the news In January 2023. “It was explained to us from the beginning.”
drink limit
According to Season 2 Star Ekin-Su Cülcüloğluendless Drinks seen on the screen Actually come with strict guidelines.
“You could only have one drink a night anyway, it was pretty restrictive,” he said Entertainment Weekly In January 2024. “I remember everyone needed a drink from that round table, it was really intense.”
Filming schedule
Ari thinks he hasn't slept more than six hours that night. “It probably takes an hour for your brain to shut down,” he said our In February 2023. “You're in there for so long and it's one of those things where we probably started at 8 or earlier and we were probably up from 12 to 2 in the morning, depending on whether you're a traitor or not because traitors have to work after they're done for the whole day. .”
In addition to filming for long periods of time, costars also give away their phones and any other form of communication.
Taking up residence in the fort
The hit competition series takes place in the stunning and majestic Ardros Castle — but do they live there while filming? In short, no.
“How brilliant — you're in Scotland, and you're staying at the Inverness Airport Hotel,” said Alan. The Daily Beast Regarding actual accommodation offered to contestants in January 2023.
Meanwhile, Alan has a large changing room that he sometimes used as a place to sleep during production. But in the end, even he cannot stay in the castle overnight.
Also setup in the palace Created guidelines for players.
“You're not supposed to talk about the game unless the mic's ready or the camera's on,” Dan Ghisling Told from Season 2 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
The producers saw the response to season 1 Decided to give more space to the players In the palace, with kitchen and an outdoor terrace, in addition to the library, billiard room, bar and round table room.
“We got two new places this year,” said a producer parade In December 2023. “We call one the sculpture (basically a kitchen) and then there's a small area outside called the foley which is a little stone covered area. It's brilliant. You can sneak two or three people in there and you can have these great conversations.”
Catching a Chill in the Castle
Several players including Season 1 stars Cody Calafiore — Mentions how cold the castle is. “If they do the heat, it'll probably be a little better,” Cody joked to Reality Blurred in January 2023.
Restrictions on Self-Promotion
Just because everyone the traitor Being a reality show star doesn't mean they can promote their brand. Sherry Whitfield Told from Season 2 people in February 2024 that she was not allowed to wear clothes from her own brand – SHE by Shereé – while on camera.
“They said I couldn't!” He said about contract guidelines. “You can't wear your brand.”
Provide support
Peacocks have ensured that throughout the season Each competitor has their own Member of welfare team.
“They're always checking you out,” MJ said on the “Just Sayin'” podcast in December 2023. “They are very cheerful and professional. I always felt taken care of.” Meanwhile in a separate interview, Ekin-soo said she once “wept uncontrollably” to a member of the welfare team.
Security guards keep players in line
“It's a massive military operation to take the faithful to bed in separate rooms and bring the traitors back to their meetings,” said creator Cotton. diversity In January 2024 about trying to protect the “Secrets of Traitors”.
Kate Chastainwho appeared in three seasons the traitor Different powers, said Vanity Fair How security guards were always around in January 2023 Prevent players from leaving their hotel room.
“Once it was clear I wasn't getting the big bucks at the end, I was ready to go home because they ran a very tight ship. There were security guards to make sure you never left your room. And we had a long day, challenges from breakfast to deportation,” he detailed. “When you got into your bed, you just wanted to go to bed and get eight hours of sleep because I knew it was going to be a big day. Scotland's food was nothing to write home about, but I really missed the martinis for a while.”
From A-listers to Bachelor Nation and beyond, a number of celebrities were caught up in feuds this year — and it wasn't always pretty. 2024 was full of conflict in the reality TV world, with Dancing With the Stars pro Sasha Farber, Farber and (…) finding themselves in the middle following the breakup of Jane Tran and Devin Strader.
A deportation round table length
“It got really intense, you know, a lot of crying, a lot of finger pointing, a lot of below-the-belt stuff that they didn't show on TV,” Arie said. our In 2023. “I think they kept it pretty cool on TV, but I felt like it was a lot more intense in real life. … I think if it gets a little too raw or a little too bad, they just drop it, you know? They made 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 in season 2. (They've since split.) But just dating didn't mean they were treated like a production package deal, which meant they had to sleep in separate rooms and were Contact is not allowed with each other
“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 asked for a nail file and I was like, 'I'll just give him a nail. Going to send the file,” he 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 her with the nail file.