How much are The Traitors getting paid?
Let the mind games commence
Last updated 15th Jan 2026
BBC's The Traitors has become the kind of show that takes over your group chat — a murderous game of 'trust and treachery' set in a spooky Scottish castle, where even breakfast feels like a crime scene.
Presided over by Claudia Winkleman in peak‑tartan and eyeliner, a group of ordinary players move into Ardross Castle and are secretly split into Faithfuls and Traitors, tasked with building a prize pot while lying through their teeth.
Season 4 of The Traitors brings back Claudia Winkleman, a fresh batch of 22 civilian players and a new twist in the form of a hidden Secret Traitor, all battling it out for up to £120,000.
Do The Traitors contestants get paid?
If you're wondering whether the civilian contestants are secretly cashing in just for showing up, the answer is: not really.
Unlike the celebrity line‑up, there is no big, splashy appearance fee — instead, contestants receive a modest daily payment that's closer to an expenses or lost‑earnings than a salary, with the real money only coming if they win the prize pot at the end.
Are food, expenses and accommodation covered?
Contestants don't have to fork out to live like lairds while they're playing the game.
Production covers their food and accommodation for the duration of filming, putting them up near Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands and taking care of on‑site costs so they're not paying to take part in the show.
Over on The Celebrity Traitors, it's a very different story
The famous faces are pocketing around £40,000 each as a flat fee on top of playing for a £100,000 charity jackpot, whereas civilian contestants are essentially on expenses and have to make it all the way to the final to walk away with a life‑changing sum.
What is The Traitors Season 4 about?
Season 4 once again drops a group of strangers into a Scottish castle and secretly divides them into Faithfuls and Traitors, with the Faithful trying to smoke out the liars before they are 'murdered' at night.
Each night, the Traitors sneak off to 'murder' one of their rivals, and each day the whole group gathers at that now‑iconic Round Table to banish whoever they think is playing dirty — with the twist that if even one Traitor makes it to the end, they steal the entire jackpot for themselves.
Per the BBC's synopsis, this season adds a 'sinister new Secret Traitor twist', with an unseen player drawing up murder shortlists in the shadows, ramping up paranoia as alliances fracture and every roundtable vote could be a costly mistake.
Who is in the cast this season?
Season 4 brings 22 new contestants to the castle, and this year includes some family connections – couples and relatives have been placed in the game with hidden relationships initially unknown to the rest of the group.
Ross
Ross Garshong. A sales executive from London. Aged 37.
Sam
Sam Little. An account manager from North Yorkshire. 34.
Roxy
Roxy Wilson. A recruiter from Amsterdam. 32.
Stephen
Stephen Libby. A cyber security consultant from London. Aged 32.
Rachel
Rachel Duffy, 42, Head of Communications from County Down.
Reece
Reece Ward, 27, a sweet shop assistant from Sheffield.
Netty
Netty Osterberg, 42, a nursery school teacher from Glasgow.
Maz
Marzook "Maz" Bana, 59, a civil servant from Preston.
Matthew
Matthew Hyndman, 35, a creative director from Edinburgh.
Judy
Judy Wilson, 60, a Child Liaison Officer from Doncaster.
Jessie
Jessie Stride, 28 from Hull. A hairstylist.
James
James Baker, 38 a gardener from Weymouth.
Jade
Jade Scott, 25, a PhD student from the West Midlands.
Hugo
Hugo Lodge, 51, a barrister from London.
Jack
Jack Butler, 29, a personal trainer from Essex.
Harriet
Harriet Tyce, 52, crime writer and former barrister from London.
Ellie
Ellie Buckley, 33, psychologist from London.
Faraaz
Faraaz Noor, 22, internal auditor from Middlesbrough.
Fiona
Fiona Hughes, 62, local Government officer from Swansea.
Ben
Ben, 66, retired (Armed Forces) from Hampshire.
Amanda
Amanda Collier, 57, a retired Police Detective from Brighton.
Adam
Adam Waughman, 34, a builder from Essex.
How can I watch The Traitors Season 4?
New episodes of The Traitors are available on iPlayer and BBC One on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8pm.
If you want to dig deeper, The Traitors: Uncloaked starts on iPlayer and BBC One straight after the main show, hosted by Ed Gamble with celebrities and players from previous series reacting to developments in the castle.
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