Getting Up To Speed On The Traitors
In case you need to refresh your memory about what exactly was or is The Traitors, we've got you covered here. Knowledge about the series is an important part of getting cast for Season 5, as well as succeeding in the game itself.
The American version of the reality series The Traitors, which originated in the Netherlands as De Verraders, debuted on the streaming service Peacock on January 12, 2023, with all 10 episodes released at once. The first season featured 20 participants, half of which was already known to TV audiences from their participation in other reality shows in the past, while the other half were civilians from the general public. The main prize of the game they all were ultimately competing for - a cash prize up to $250,000.
Taking place at the grounds of Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, Scotland, the first season of the show presented all the participants as the Faithfuls. The immediate twist, though, was that the host of the series, actor Alan Cumming, had chosen a few of them as the Traitors. Unbeknownst to the others, Traitors then plotted every night which of the Faithfuls to eliminate from the game. During the day, all of the participants took various challenges that allowed them to increase the prize fund, as well as meet at the Round Table. At the Round Table, all of the participants had to make a decision on who to eliminate from the game, thus hoping to expose the Traitors amongst them. Once the participant count was reduced until only a handful remained, the cash prize was either divided amongst them, if all of them were Faithfuls, or the remaining Traitors could take it for themselves alone.
The second season of The Traitors premiered on January 12, 2024, with the first three episodes, with the remaining nine being released on a weekly basis. Not only did Season 2 expand the area of the game within the Scottish Highlands, but it also increased the participant count to 21. The show also changed the roster of the participants, with all of them being only public figures. The third season, which premiered on January 9, 2025, continued with the same exact format, yet featured a plot twist - two additional participants joined the game on the second episode of The Traitors. The upcoming season 4, which will be the last to air on Peacock, will also feature 23 participants, all of whom will be made up of celebrities and other public figures.
Getting The Opportunity To Join The Traitors
While the fourth season of The Traitors is already in production, the work for the follow-up season is already in works. On August 14, 2025, it was announced that the hit reality competition series would move to NBC with Season 5, as well as that it would, for the very first time, feature an all-civilian cast.
The prize fund, the host, and the setting will remain the same as the prior seasons, so the time to become a Faithful or Traitor is now.
Requirements For Be Eligible To Participate
Once the decision has been made to apply to the casting call for Season 5 of The Traitor, it is time to take another look at the checklist of everything required.
No way around it - NBC requires that on April 1, 2026, all cast participants are at least 21 years old. Also every candidate must be a United States citizen, or alternatively candidate may not be United States citizen but must have a valid United States immigration status, or a valid United States visa, which allows the respective candidate to legally stay, and re-enter in the U.S. Regardless what the case may be, the candidate also has to be eligible to legally travel to the United Kingdom.
The candidate also must be free to be available for the reality series Season 5 production, which is anticipated to take up to four weeks, most likely in May and June 2026, but the final dates are subject to change.
Bad news if you are an aspiring politician - holding a position in the public office, or even being a candidate for such a job, means the applicant is not eligible for participation. It goes without saying, but for extra clarity also let us also note that production staff members may not participate in the show themselves either.
If you fit all the requirements above, continue by filling in all the required personal information. All candidates are also required to film a video where they tell something about themselves, and reveal the reason they wish to participate in The Traitors, how they would play the game, as well as whether they would prefer to be a Traitor or Faithful. Finally, full-length and close-up photos must be included in the application too.
The casting call for Season 5 of The Traitor is open right now, up until March 10, 2026.
