The Traitors fans slam Secret Traitor plot twist as ‘cheap gimmick’

Another Faithful has bid a shocking farewell

VIEWERS have scolded the show’s Secret Traitor twist and slammed the move as a “mess”.

Fans of The Traitors have taken to social media to argue that the gameplay has ‘turned Columbo into a whodunnit’.

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Viewers have labelled the new format as “chaotic and unfocused”Credit: BBC

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The Traitors fans have slammed the Secret Traitor plot twistCredit: BBC
Sofa detectives have slammed the new Secret Traitor format and claim that by trying to trick the viewer, The Traitors producers have ‘accidentally broken’ the game.

One angry fan vented on Reddit: “This is nothing more than a cheap gimmick. The fact that the public doesn’t know the identity of the ST completely undermines the core premise of the show.”

They went on to explain that the series usually works because viewers share the journey of seeing how close the Faithfuls are to the truth, while simultaneously watching the Traitors’ strategies unfold.

“The show is fundamentally about studying the contestants’ thought processes and measuring how accurate, or misguided, they are,” the user argued.

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“Introducing the ST throws the entire format into a completely different loop. Instead of being invested in whether the Faithfuls will catch the Traitors, the audience is now reduced to guessing who the ST is.”

Drawing a comparison to classic television, they continued: “It’s like turning Columbo into a whodunnit.

“The brilliance of Columbo lies in the fact that we already know who the killer is and watch for the journey, how Columbo methodically outsmarts them.

“That’s exactly how The Traitors works for viewers… but alas the ST has taken away this focus.”

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The twist has resulted in a show that feels “chaotic and unfocused,” with claims that the Traitors has been “reduced to stooges obsessing over finding the ST instead of playing their own game.”

Another fan agreed: “Yeah, cheap engagement. The show was doing very well before they ruined it with the ST. Now 99% of the posts are about guessing who the ST is. What’s so fun about that?”

“As a viewer, I like it. However, if I were chosen to be a Traitor and found out about a Secret Traitor I would be pretty p***ed off,” argued a user.

“I agree that it’s messed up the power dynamics in the Turret and I do somewhat share your gripe about all of the secret connections, BUT on the other hand I’m having great fun trying to deduce who the secret traitor is,” shared another.

“The producers knew the gimmick could and would not last in the long scheme of things,” echoed a viewer.

The Traitors murdered their second Faithful last night, as speculation swirled over who wanted them out.

A trio of Faithfuls were selected to be put up for murder by The Traitors – Ben, Maz and Reece.

As the Traitors deliberated over which of the trio to strike next, they were left puzzling over the intense target painted on Maz’s back.

It was the second time Maz had been in the line of fire, having narrowly escaped the season’s opening murder unscathed.

Instead, the axe fell on Ben. Following in the footsteps of the first victim, Netty, Ben bid a shocking farewell to the castle.

Others on the programme deemed him as the “nicest guy” and couldn’t fathom how someone so inoffensive had been chosen to be killed.

Ben also said that he felt “heartbroken” to be murdered so soon into the BBC programme, but that he “has won anyway”.

Elsewhere, Hugo Lodge became the earliest ever Traitor to be banished in a UK series.

The fourth series of The Traitors wraps up with the grand finale on Friday, January 23, 2026, at 8pm on BBC One.

The contestants are once again competing for the chance to win a whopping £120,000.

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They will battle it out at the imposing Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands that has hosted the series since its inception.

Who are you cheering on to win? Vote here.

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The Traitors have murdered another Faithful – Ben – just days into the competitionCredit: BBC

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Other contestants on the show were shocked to hear he had leftCredit: PA
Claudia picked a secret fourth Traitor who nobody knows the identity of

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Series four kicked off on New Year’s Day 2026