The Traitors significantly raised the bar in season 3, featuring a near-physical altercation during a tense banishment roundtable.
“Everything has been upped a bit, and the contestants bring their energy and their backstories.
So that makes it a whole new thing as well. I love the fact of how each season is so different to the one before, even though, structurally, it has a similarity,” host Alan Cumming told Newsweek on Thursday, January 9. “The ending to this one is not like anything we’ve seen in the previous two seasons.”
Cumming, 59, revealed his shock at how intense things became, adding, “There’s bits in it that are so intense and brutal. I actually thought I was going to have to break up a fight at the round table one time. It was really terrifying. I don’t break up many fights.”
Reflecting on the season, Cumming shared details about the behind-the-scenes efforts to elevate the show after its overwhelming success.
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“Partly because the second season was so successful, there was a pressure to not just repeat ourselves—it actually upped the ante. When you do a show like this, the first season nobody knows what’s going to happen. It’s virgin territory,” he explained.
“Then, of course, people watch it. So it’s a question of pulling the rug from under them and keeping it fresh, having these twists and surprises. Even with my costumes and everything, we upped the ante on that. I just think it was a combination of all these things.”
Cumming teased that season 3 has truly “hit its stride” in ways that will surprise viewers. “It is bigger. I’m sort of a cult leader. I have my followers.
I didn’t have followers in the other seasons,” he joked. “So now I’ve gone from just like a dandy, lord of the manor in his castle, to official cult leader. I’m fine with it.”
A Stellar Cast and a Cult-Inspired Twist
Inspired by the Dutch series De Verraders (which also spawned a popular UK version), The Traitors brings together a mix of celebrities, particularly reality TV stars from franchises like Survivor, Big Brother, and Real Housewives, as they compete in a high-stakes mafia-style game for up to $250,000.
This season’s lineup includes Wells Adams, Gabby Windey, Ciara Miller, Chrishell Stause, Jeremy Collins, Carolyn Wiger, Tony Vlachos, Bob the Drag Queen, Britney Haynes, and Danielle Reyes.
The group was further rounded out by Bob Harper, Dylan Efron, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, Sam Asghari, and Nikki Bella, with later additions Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano, Wes Bergmann, and Derrick Levasseur.
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With a new cast came a fresh version of Cumming’s hosting persona.
“It’s sort of about the language that he uses. It’s very flooded and kind of arcane. Instead of saying, ‘Hey everybody, quiet down,’ like I would say, he would say, ‘Players, there must only be one voice we hear at the round table,’” Cumming explained about his character’s evolving presence.
“It’s about this kind of language and authority that he has. I think that is the secret to it. It’s amazing, when you are playing a character, it’s sort of like doing drag.
When you’re doing drag, you have an alter ego, and so I’m kind of doing Traitors drag, and I have this character, and obviously it is quite draggy with all my swishing cloaks and everything.”
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Cumming elaborated further: “But also, it gives me the freedom to be this other person, to be much more heightened and aggressive. And I obviously play lots of big characters. In real life, I’m not shy, but I definitely don’t walk in and go, ‘Hello everybody. I’m here!’”
A Delicate Balancing Act for the Host
After season 1 debuted in 2023, featuring a mix of celebrity and non-celebrity contestants, creator Marc Pos outlined the unique guidelines for the host.
“The host is not there very much and has to be careful not to manipulate the game, influence viewers, or spark doubts within the minds of contestants who are in their bubble,” Pos told at the time. “But when they’re there, they have to be kind of a friendly yet intimidating figure.”
New episodes of The Traitors air Thursdays on Peacock at 9 p.m. ET.