The Traitors: New Blood

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The Traitors: New Blood
Season 5
The Traitors New Blood.png
Promotional poster
Presented by Alan Cumming
No. of contestants22
Location Ardross Castle, Scottish Highlands
No. of episodes7
Release
Original network NBC
Original releaseSeptember 17, 2026 (2026-09-17) –
present
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 4
Next →
Season 6

The fifth season (also known as The Traitors: New Blood) of the American television series The Traitors was announced on June 18, 2026. [1] The season premiered on September 17, 2026 on NBC with episodes releasing the next day on Peacock.

Contents

Format

The show retains the same format and missions as the The Traitors UK and its US Celebrity counterpart. The contestants, all ordinary people from all across the US, are invited to the same castle in the Scottish Highlands to play this all-civilian version of the game. They are split into two particular Groups: the "Faithful," who are tasked with playing the game and trying to avoid banishment and/or murder to make it to the end of the game and win the final prize pot, and the "Traitors," a group of contestants secretly selected by host Alan Cumming who will work with the Faithful to build up the pot but are secretly working to earn the prize themselves. Most nights, the Traitors decide who to eliminate from the game via a "murder" while working to remain undetected and avoid suspicion from the other players. Each day the contestants participate in various missions to add money to the prize fund which can reach a maximum of $250,000.

In this version there is an additional incentive: for every Traitor that is successfully banished from the game, the team will add an additional $15,000 to the prize fund. At the end of each day, the players participate in the Round Table, where they must decide who to banish from the game in the hope of identifying the Traitors.

If all remaining players are Faithful, the prize money is divided evenly among them. However, if even one Traitor remains, they win the entire pot. [2] [3]

Contestants

Xavier Scruggs Xavier Scruggs batting for the Memphis Redbirds in 2015 (Cropped).jpg
Xavier Scruggs

Unlike the previous seasons, this season's cast was composed entirely of civilian (not celebrity) participants. Entertainment Weekly announced the 22 cast members via social media on August 12, 2026. [4]

In the first episode, Cumming revealed that two contestants would be recruited as "Accomplices". They would have to complete a series of tasks before the original Traitors would make a final decision on who would join them in the turret.

List of The Traitors contestants
ContestantAgeHometownOccupationAffiliationFinish
Kim Daily37 Houston, Texas LawyerFaithfulMurdered
(Episode 2)
Madeline Kostopulos26 San Diego, California Construction managerFaithfulBanished
(Episode 2)
Xavier Scruggs 38 Wesley Chapel, Florida MLB analystAccomplice [a] Murdered
(Episode 3)
Arisa Thomas36 Los Angeles, California Dog groomerFaithfulBanished
(Episode 4)
Logan Smith26 Gatlinburg, Tennessee RealtorFaithfulMurdered
(Episode 4)
Sherry Kuehl65 Leawood, Kansas WriterFaithfulBanished
(Episode 5)
Niyyah Hayes29 Indianapolis, Indiana TherapistFaithfulMurdered
(Episode 6)
Michael Foote38 New York, New York LawyerFaithfulBanished
(Episode 6)
Mark Zgoda26 Phillipsburg, New Jersey Personal trainerFaithfulMurdered
(Episode 7)
Tomica Adams54 Boston, Massachusetts PilotTraitorTBA
Shane Beatty32 Staten Island, New York IronworkerFaithfulTBA
Abbey Benjamin37 Mangham, Louisiana NurseFaithfulTBA
Morgan Cook30 Midland, Michigan Content creatorFaithfulTBA
Katie Fites23 Jacksonville, Florida Marketing managerTraitor [a] TBA
Wyatt Gillespie26 Ligonier, Pennsylvania DesignerFaithfulTBA
Abby Lee29 Saint Paul, Minnesota AstrophysicistFaithfulTBA
Kriste Lewis52 Hattiesburg, Mississippi RealtorFaithfulTBA
Ben McDonnell34 Granbury, Texas Barrel racerFaithfulTBA
Clyde Moser32 Charleston, South Carolina TeacherFaithfulTBA
Joe Vanella44 Wantagh, New York Funeral directorTraitorTBA
Jay Vinnedge36 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma PhysicianFaithfulTBA
Victor Vollbrechthausen26 New York, New York Business executiveFaithfulTBA
Notes
  1. 1 2 Katie and Xavier were selected as potential Traitors but had to complete a series of tests before earning their cloak. Katie was selected to join the Traitors while Xavier was murdered.

Episodes

The Traitors: New Blood episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		Title  [5] Original release date  [5]
11"A New Dawn Is Rising"September 17, 2026 (2026-09-17)
22"I'm a Sweaty Boy"September 17, 2026 (2026-09-17)
33"The Traitors Are Watching"September 24, 2026 (2026-09-24)
44"The Death Parade"September 24, 2026 (2026-09-24)
55"Wake of the Living Dead"October 8, 2026 (2026-10-08)
66"A Murder of Necessity"October 15, 2026 (2026-10-15)
77"It's Like Fighting Two Pigs Under a Blanket"October 22, 2026 (2026-10-22)
88"A Bad Apple Spoils the Whole Bunch"October 29, 2026 (2026-10-29)
99"Playing Chess"November 5, 2026 (2026-11-05)

Elimination history

Key
  The contestant was a Faithful
  The contestant was a Traitor
  The contestant was an Accomplice
  The contestant was ineligible to vote
Episode123/44/56789101112
Traitors'
decision		Katie
Xavier		KimKatieXavierLoganNiyyah [a] Mark
AccompliceMurderRecruitMurder
Shield
  • Abby L.
  • Madeline
  • Victor
NoneClyde
  • Abbey B.
  • Ben
  • Jay
  • Katie
  • Michael
  • Shane
  • Wyatt [b]
NoneNone
BanishmentNoneMadelineArisaSherryMichaelVictor [c]
Vote13–7–113–5–111–5–18–3–3–15–3–2–
1–1–1
Abbey B.No
Vote		MadelineArisaSherryMichaelVictor
Abby L.MadelineArisaSherryWyattWyatt
BenVictorArisaSherryMichaelKatie
ClydeVictorArisaSherryMichaelMorgan
JayMadelineVictorSherryVictorVictor
JoeVictorVictorSherryWyattVictor
KatieVictorArisaSherryMichaelTomica
KristeMadelineArisaJayWyattAbby L.
MorganMadelineVictorSherryMichaelWyatt
ShaneMadelineVictorJayMichaelVictor
TomicaMadelineVictorSherryVictorVictor
VictorKristeArisaMichaelTomicaTomica
WyattVictorArisaSherryMichaelTomica
MarkMadelineArisaJayMichaelMurdered
(Episode 7)
MichaelVictorArisaSherryVictorBanished
(Episode 6)
NiyyahMadelineArisaJayMurdered
(Episode 6)
SherryMadelineArisaJayBanished
(Episode 5)
LoganMadelineArisaMurdered
(Episode 4)
ArisaMadelineMichaelBanished
(Episode 4)
XavierMadelineMurdered
(Episode 3)
MadelineVictorBanished
(Episode 2)
KimMurdered
(Episode 2)

Missions

EpisodeTitleTime LimitMoney
available		Money
earned		Total
pot		Shield winner
1"A New Dawn is Rising"$50,000$50,000$50,000Abby L.
Madeline
Victor
The competitors are tasked with finding treasure chests on a ship in a time limit. Once the time ended, the ship would explode. The treasure chests could only be opened by clues around the ship.
3"The Traitors Are Watching"30 Minutes$30,000$15,000$65,000Clyde
The competitors are tasked with running through the grounds to three crypt locations. With a battering ram, they would open the crypts. They would then have to decide who to send in, depending on what the crypt said. At each crypt, only two players could enter. While the first crypt held no shield, the second crypt held a shield while the third held information pertaining to the traitors.
4"The Death Parade"N/A$24,000$12,000$77,000Abbey B.
Ben
Jay
Katie
Michael
Shane
Wyatt [d]
The competitors are tasked with taking barrels of gold up the hill without being caught by the death parade. Upon reaching the end, they must set a fire barrier which would stop the parade in its path. Those the parade catches would be up for a shortlist for murder. The first gate forced them to leave four players behind; those four are caught by the death parade. The second gate forced them to leave two players behind. The third gate forced them to leave four players behind.
6"A Murder of Necessity"30 Minutes$20,000$20,000$97,000N/a
The competitors are split into two teams for two different tasks. One team is inside going to see and listen to screams of former murdered contestants. The other team have to listen to graves screams to see if it matches what the other team has heard. Each correct answer adds $5,000 to the pot. The screams include Maura Higgins, Bob the Drag Queen, Phaedra Parks and Boston Rob.
7"It's Like Fighting Two Pigs Under a Blanket"15 minutes$15,300$112,300
The competitors must rip through the scare crows for money bags. They will not know what is in the bag and will place in with their named scarecrow. Players have the opportunity to sabotage other players if they come across a black heart and place it in the bin of another player. Whoever they sabotage retains the money, but will not be eligible to get an advantage for the round table and is out of the challenge. The players sabotaged were Victor, Morgan, Wyatt and Katie.

Production

Similar to the previous seasons, this season was primary filmed in Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands. [6]

Notes

  1. ↑ After the Round Table that began in Episode 4 and concluded in episode 5, the Traitors were tasked to murder someone in plain sight, by getting their victim to catch a "poisoned" apple. Joe was successful in getting a player, Niyyah, to catch it. The identity was not revealed at the end of episode 5. The following morning, the players were told that the victim's identity would be revealed at the end of the "Wake".
  2. ↑ In Episode 4, during the challenge, the contestants had to leave others behind causing those players to be shortlisted for possible murder. These players finished the mission without being shortlisted.
  3. ↑ The winner of the challenge gained the ability to choose whether the banishment stands or whether he gets to stay. This is not revealed until episode 8.
  4. ↑ In Episode 4, during the challenge, the contestants had to leave others behind causing those players to be shortlisted for possible murder. These players finished the mission without being shortlisted.

References

  1. ↑ "'The Traitors: New Blood' Sets September Premiere Date On NBC For Civilian Series". June 18, 2026. Retrieved August 12, 2026.
  2. ↑ SYFY Wire (April 29, 2022). "Peacock nabs psychological thriller competition 'The Traitors' hosted by 'Bond' vet Alan Cumming". SYFY Wire. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  3. ↑ USA (December 7, 2022). "Alan Cumming Hosts Peacock's 'The Traitors' In Remote Scottish Castle – What To Know". USA Network. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  4. ↑ "The Traitors: New Blood first ever all-civilian cast revealed (exclusive)". Entertainment Weekly. August 12, 2026. Retrieved August 12, 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Shows A-Z - The Traitors: New Blood on NBC". The Futon Critic . Retrieved October 20, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Where Is The Traitors Filmed?". Condé Nast Traveler. November 11, 2025. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
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