The Traitors (Australian TV series)

Last updated

The Traitors
The Traitors Australia logo.png
The Logo used in Seasons 1 & 2.
Also known asThe Traitors Australia
Genre
  • Reality
  • Game show
Based on
De Verraders
/ The Traitors
by
Directed byGary Deans
Creative directorBen Skinner
Presented by Rodger Corser
Gretel Killeen
Composers
  • Dinesh Wicks
  • Adam Gock
  • Anthony Ammar
  • Rory Chenoweth
  • Brontë Horder
  • David Bruggeman
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes21
Production
Executive producers
  • AJ Johnson
  • Lisa Fardy
Producers
  • Matt Lovkis
  • Paul Soares
  • Ciaran Flannery
Production locations Robertson Hotel , Robertson,
New South Wales (2022-2023)
Castle Claremont, Timaru , Canterbury,
New Zealand (2026)
CinematographyBennie Cronje
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time50–80 minutes
Production companies Endemol Shine Australia (2022-2023)
South Pacific Pictures (2026-)
Original release
Network Network 10
Release16 October 2022 (2022-10-16) 
10 September 2023 (2023-09-10)
Related
Related

The Traitors (also known as The Traitors Australia outside of Australia) is an Australian reality television series broadcast on Network 10, based on the Dutch series De Verraders , which premiered on 16 October 2022. [1] [2]

Contents

Following the premise of other versions of De Verraders, the show features a group of contestants participating in a social deduction game similar to Mafia or Werewolf, as they stay in a luxurious heritage manor. During their stay, a small group of contestants become the titular "Traitors," and must work together to eliminate the other contestants to win a grand prize, while the remaining contestants become "Faithful" and are tasked to discover and banish the Traitors by voting them out of the game to win a grand prize worth up to $250,000.

Announced in 2022, the Australian edition was one of the first to be announced and aired, following the original Dutch version in 2021, with Endemol Shine producing the series. Two seasons hosted by actor Rodger Corser aired in 2022 and 2023. The series was axed in 2024, though 10 teased that the series may return in the future. [3] [4] In September 2025, 10 announced a third season, to air in 2026 with comedian and former Big Brother Australia host Gretel Killeen replacing Corser as host. This season will feature a full cast of reality television personalities. [5]

With the 2026 edition, production moved to New Zealand, making the series a sister show to the New Zealand version, both produced by South Pacific Pictures for Network 10 and Three. They are set to share the same location, props, and missions, with the main difference being the hosts and the cast.

Format

A group of contestants arrive at a mysterious luxurious mannor as "Faithful" contestants – hoping to share a prize fund worth up to A$250,000. [6] Among the group are the "Traitors" – a small group of contestants selected by the host on the first day, whose goal is to eliminate the Faithfuls and claim the prize for themselves. [7] Should the Faithful contestants eliminate all the Traitors, they will share the prize fund. If a Traitor makes it to the end, they steal the money.

Each night, the Traitors secretly meet in the "Traitors Tower" and decide upon one Faithful contestant to "murder" – and that person will leave the game immediately. The remaining Faithful contestants will not know who has been eliminated until the following day when they will not arrive for breakfast. The group then take part in a mission to win money for the prize fund (awarded in the form of silver bars). In some episodes, the group also participates in a Shield challenge to win individual player immunity from elimination. In season one, the shield awarded safety from both Murder and Banishment. In the second season, the shields only awarded immunity from murder.The second season introduced the Armoury, a hidden room in which, in some episodes, players from the winning team of the day's mission were rewarded with the chance for one player to be secretly awarded the shield of protection, which gives the player immunity from being murdered, but not the banishment vote. [8] An attempted murder on the shield holder will result in no player being eliminated.

At the end of each day, the group will participate in the Banishment Ceremony – where the players gather at the Round Table to discuss who they wish to vote out before individually voting for a player to banish. Players cast their votes privately before revealing their vote in turn to everyone. The person obtaining the most votes is banished from the game and must reveal their affiliation. In a tied vote, a run-off vote occurs between those tied with the highest vote tallies.

Occasionally, twists will impact the course of the game – most notably with Traitors being given opportunities to recruit new Traitors among remaining Faithful players.

End Game

After the final Banishment Ceremony, the remaining players (typically three or four) participate in the End Game. The players can choose to "Vote" or "Stop". A majority Stop vote would conclude the game, while a majority vote to "Vote" would result in another Banishment Vote. This voting process "Vote" or "Stop" continues until the players have voted to conclude the game or if two players remain. If the remaining players are all Faithful, they will share the prize.

In the event that the game ends with all Traitor players, they play the 'Traitors' Dilemma' - similar to the Prisoner's dilemma. Each player is given the option to "Share" or "Steal". If all voted to "Share", then everyone would equally share the pot. If at least one player voted to "Share" while others voted to "Steal", then each "Steal" voter would share the pot, while the "Share" voters get nothing. If all three voted to "Steal", then no one would win any money.

Production

The series and casting for the first season were first announced in February 2022, with the series set to be produced by Endemol Shine Australia. [9] By May, Rodger Corser was announced as the host, [10] with filming taking place in mid-2022 in the hertiage Robertson Hotel in Robertson in the Southern Highlands, and the season premiered on 16 October 2022. [11] [1]

Although the series was not formally renewed when the first season aired, casting for a potential second season was opened in January 2023. [12] [13] On 28 April 2023, the show was officially announced for renewal for a second season, which was teased to feature Celebrity contestatns among Civilian contestants. [14] [15] The second season premiered on 13 August 2023. The series was axed in 2024 due to low viewership despite the series' cult following and the continued international success of the franchise (including in the broardcast of the Australian version overseas), though 10 teased that the series may return in the future. [16] [17]

In August 2025, rumours surfaced that 10 were considering reviving the series for 2025, based on the continued international success of the The Traitors franchise. The new season would feature a cast of Reality TV personalities (much like the American version), and is set to be filmed in New Zealand, with South Pacific Pictures, the production team behind The Traitors NZ , producing the new season . [18] [19] [20] These rumours were later confirmed with 10 also announcing Gretel Killeen as host.. [21] The location was also revleaed as Castle Claremont, Timaru, Canterbury in New Zealand, with the site acting as a Production Hub for the Australian and New Zealnd versions (much like the Ardross Castle in Scotland for the American & British versions), with the hopes that the site will also host other versions, particualrly for other countries in the Asia–Pacific region. [22]

The series was distributed internationally by All3Media International and Endemol Shine International. [23]

Series overview

List of The Traitors Australia seasons
#Broadcast detailsGame detailsResultsHostContestants
EpsPremiereFinaleLocationPlayersOriginal TraitorsWinner(s)Runner(s) upPrize Fund
1 1216 October 202213 November 2022 Robertson Hotel, Robertson,
New South Wales
24Angus McNicol
Claire Sawyer
Marielle Intveld
Nigel Brennan
Alex Duggan
(Traitors)
Craig Carr
(Faithful)
$250,000/
$250,000
Rodger Corser Civilian players
2 913 August 202310 September 202320 Ash Pollard
Blake Willoughby
Sam McGlone
None [a] Blake Willoughby
Sam McGlone
Camille Chicheportiche
(Traitors)
$208,000/
$250,000 [a]
Celebrity & Civilian players
3 20262026Castle Claremont, Timaru, Canterbury, New Zealand 22 Gretel Killeen Celebrity players
Notes
  1. 1 2 After Finalist & Traitors Blake, Sam & Camille participated in the Traitor's Dilemma, and all elected to "Steal", the trio each walked away empty-handed. The prize fund earned was not awarded.

International broadcast

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Knox, David (3 October 2022). "Airdate: The Traitors". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  2. Perry, Kevin (4 October 2022). "Channel 10 confirms launch date for intense new psychological series The Traitors with Rodger Corsor". TV Blackbox. Archived from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  3. "Big overseas hits, so why did The Traitors and Gladiators fail on 10? | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  4. Knox, David (27 October 2023). "Axed: The Traitors -no decision on Five Bedrooms". TV Tonight . TV Tonight. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  5. "Gretel Killeen to host The Traitors for 10 | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. 28 September 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  6. Knox, David (14 October 2022). "The Traitors". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  7. "'You Don't Want To Get It Wrong': Rodger Corser Gets Hands-On In The Traitors". 10 Play . Network 10. 11 October 2022. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  8. Knox, David (10 August 2023). "Mischievous Rodger Corser ready to play more Traitors". TV Tonight . TV Tonight. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  9. https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/02/10-announces-the-traitors-for-2022.html
  10. https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/05/rodger-corser-to-host-the-traitors.html
  11. Knox, David (19 August 2023). "Rodger Corser on Traitors, Thai Cave Rescue and his next move". TV Tonight . TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  12. Knox, David (30 January 2023). "Programmers Wrap 2023: 10". TV Tonight . TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  13. Knox, David (26 January 2023). "Auditions: The Traitors". TV Tonight . TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  14. "Blue doors and Traitors: 10 gives a glimpse at its slate for the rest of 2023". Mediaweek . 28 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  15. Knox, David (30 April 2023). "Renewed: The Traitors, Amazing Race: Celebrity Edition. Returning: HYBPA?". TV Tonight . TV Tonight. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  16. "Big overseas hits, so why did The Traitors and Gladiators fail on 10? | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  17. Knox, David (27 October 2023). "Axed: The Traitors -no decision on Five Bedrooms". TV Tonight . TV Tonight. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  18. team, New Idea (28 July 2025). "Who's taking over The Traitors? Inside the host drama behind the reboot". New Idea. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  19. "Third time lucky for The Traitors? | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. 21 August 2025. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  20. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/media-insider/media-insider-tvnz-chair-alastair-carruthers-stepping-down-early-the-traitors-australia-defects-to-nz-former-herald-editor-urges-media-council-to-review-cold-case-story-ruling/P4EABMCVMZFN3IRO6TKHWJLT7E/
  21. "Gretel Killeen to host The Traitors for 10 | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. 28 September 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  22. https://tvtonight.com.au/2025/10/the-traitors-at-castle-claremont.html
  23. Knox, David (28 February 2022). "10 announces The Traitors for 2022". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  24. "UK, Australian versions of the Traitors uncovered by Peacock for US".
  25. "U.K., U.S. & Australian Versions of "The Traitors" Now Streaming on Crave". Memorable TV. 9 April 2023.
  26. Chase, Stephanie (23 June 2023). "The Traitors Australia confirmed to air on BBC this summer". Digital Spy . Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  27. Willix, Pierra (15 July 2023). "The Traitors Australia includes the most insane moments you didn't see in the UK version". Metro . London. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  28. "The Traitors Australia | REALITY". ThreeNow.
  29. "De Verraders Australië".
  30. "Ovo je trenutačno jedan od najpopularnijih reality showova na svijetu: Jeste li čuli za 'Traitors'?" [This is currently one of the most popular reality shows in the world: Have you heard of 'The Traitors'?]. RTL (in Croatian). 3 March 2025. Archived from the original on 23 March 2025. Retrieved 23 March 2025.