“The Traitors UK” is a high-stakes psychological reality competition where players must unmask traitors among them, while traitors attempt to eliminate competitors covertly. In 2025, the BBC has expanded the format by launching the Celebrity Traitors UK version, with actors, TV personalities, and public figures competing for charity. With rising viewership, questions abound: who’s participating, how does the game work, and importantly, how much do contestants get paid? Let’s break it all down.

What Is The Traitors UK & Its Celebrity Spin-Off?

Core Format & Origins

• The Traitors franchise traces back to the Dutch show De Verraders, adapted globally.
  
• In the UK version, a group of contestants (initially civilians) arrive at a remote castle. A small number are secretly designated Traitors, while the rest are Faithfuls.
  
• Each night, Traitors “murder” one Faithful (eliminate them), without revealing their identities. The next morning, the group learns who was eliminated and then holds a round table where players vote to banish a suspected Traitor.
  
• Over successive rounds, Faithfuls attempt to deduce who the traitors are; traitors aim to remain hidden and control the eliminations.
  
• The prize pot is built via group missions and tasks, and the final winnings are shared among Faithfuls (if they succeed) or claimed by traitors (if they dominate).
  

Celebrity Edition (Celebrity Traitors UK)

• In October 2025, BBC premiered Celebrity Traitors UK, a variant where celebrities play, generally for charity instead of personal cash.
  
• The gameplay largely mirrors the civilian format: traitors vs faithful, murders, banishments, strategy, and daily challenges to build the prize pot.
  
• Because it’s celebrity people, the show may offer appearance fees in addition to the prize-for-charity model. Some reports suggest flat payments for celebrities.
  

Casts & Participants

Civilian / Regular Seasons

• The Traitors UK Series 3 aired on BBC One starting 1 January 2025 with 25 contestants.
  
• Some names: Jack Marriner-Brown, Yin Lü, Nathan Khider, Keith Stewart, Elen Wyn, Armani Gouveia (Traitor), etc.
  
• Early seasons had smaller casts: e.g. in earlier series, 22 contestants.
  

Celebrity Edition 2025 Cast

As of the confirmed line-up, Celebrity Traitors UK includes ~19 celebrities.
Some confirmed names:

• Alan Carr (comedian / TV presenter)
  
• Charlotte Church (singer / TV personality)
  
• Niko Omilana (Youtuber)
  
• Stephen Fry
  
• Paloma Faith
  
• Celia Imrie
  
• Kate Garraway
  

In celebrity edition, the prize fund will go to charity and contestants may get appearance payments. 

Finances & Payment: How Much Do Contestants Get Paid?

This is one of the more opaque areas, because BBC / producers rarely publicize full compensation. But from leaks and reporting, we can piece together plausible info.

Daily / Appearance Fee for Civilian Contestants

• According to one tabloid / entertainment reporting, The Traitors UK Season 3 contestants do not receive a one-time appearance fee. Instead, they reportedly get a per-day allowance of about £100 to cover expenses and compensate for taking time off work.
  
• If someone stays the full length (~12+ days), that might mean they receive around £1,200+ (12 × £100) just for days on show (in addition to the chance to win the pot).
  
• Some articles also refer to “reimbursement for days or weeks of work they miss” as compensation.
  

Celebrity Payment / Appearance Fee

• For Celebrity Traitors UK, a columnist (Marina Hyde) claimed each celebrity receives a flat fee of £40,000 for participating, beyond the prize money (which goes to charity).
  
• This figure is not confirmed by BBC or show producers publicly, but it’s widely reported in media as the celebrity pay rate.
  

Prize Fund

• For the civilian version, the top prize pot in some seasons is up to £120,000.
  
• The participants build the pot via missions; the final reward is split among the survivors (if Faithfuls win) or claimed by traitors (if they outlast).
  
• In the celebrity edition, the prize fund is similarly capped (reportedly up to £120,000) but awarded to charity.
  

Why the Payment Structure Works This Way

• Civilian model: since usual players might have regular jobs, a modest daily stipend helps offset lost income without overshadowing the appeal of winning the pot.
  
• Celebrity model: participating celebrities expect a fee for their public profile; they also play for charity to preserve prestige.
  
• Prize for charity: avoids controversies over celebrities profiting personally; aligns with public broadcasting ethos.
  
• Performance risk: if a celebrity is eliminated early, the appearance fee ensures they still receive compensation.
  

Camera, Location, Format & Production Details

• The Traitors UK films in Ardross Castle, in the Scottish Highlands.
  
• The celebrity edition was filmed earlier in 2025 with nine episodes planned.
  
• Companion show The Traitors: Uncloaked airs alongside to provide behind-the-scenes, analysis, and interviews.
  
• The game unleashes psychological tension, secrecy, alliances, betrayal, manipulation — making it compelling viewing. T
  

Challenges, Criticism & Uncertainties

• The claimant £100/day pay for civilian contestants is reported but not confirmed by producers. The Tab
  
• The £40,000 celebrity fee comes from media reports, not official BBC statements. Marie Claire UK
  
• Some viewers question whether big names demand more or special perks; the publicly disclosed numbers might be baseline.
  
• Reality TV editing, duty of care, mental health stress, and contestant contracts aren’t fully visible to the public.
  

Frequently Asked Questions