Photo: Peacock/Euan Cherry/Peacock
Hold on to your cloaks, Traitors fans: We’re getting even more of this Alan Cumming–hosted competition show. In addition to the already-announced fourth and fifth seasons of The Traitors bound for Peacock, Vulture can exclusively report that linear sibling NBC has ordered its own cycle of the hit global format. And unlike in the versions produced for Peacock, the cast of the NBC series will be stocked with normies — that is, people who aren’t celebrities or veterans of past reality shows. Two things that won’t change: The NBC version will still film in the now-famous Scottish castle, and Cumming will host it.
As for when the civilian-led Traitors will hit screens, NBC is saying only that production will begin in 2026 (casting is now open, with applications available here) and that season four of the Peacock series is still on track to debut next year. However, assuming the Peacock season rolls out in early 2026 — either just before or just after coverage of the Winter Olympics from February 6 to 22 — it would be logical for an NBC version to hit the air sometime in the fourth quarter of 2026, when NBC can sell the most ads. The fifth Peacock season could then be ready in time for winter 2027. Again, though, this is speculation: NBC is not confirming airdates for its take on The Traitors and likely won’t lock them in until after production on season five of the Peacock version wraps next year.
Having a version of the Studio Lambert–produced Traitors packed with reality-TV virgins — and debuting on NBC — is a logical move on several fronts. From a creative standpoint, a season with newbies allows producers to find a new generation of talent, both for The Traitors and the extended universe of NBC, Peacock, and Bravo shows. It also aligns the series with other countries’: In the U.K., all Traitors seasons so far have been cast with normies and have been huge hits. (The first Peacock season was a mix of civilians and reality vets, while in the U.K., the BBC is planning The Celebrity Traitors for this fall.) For NBC, the move means the network gets the chance to benefit from an already-established reality hit, giving it a potential new tentpole every year. And Peacock wins because it will be the main streaming home for episodes of the NBC edition of The Traitors and because the format will be exposed to NBC’s much bigger, broader audience, theoretically gaining new fans who may then decide to subscribe to Peacock to watch the streamer-only seasons.
The Traitors has been a hit in both the U.S. and U.K. The most recent Peacock season debuted in January as the top-rated unscripted series here, per Nielsen, and currently has five Emmy nominations. The second season of the show won two Emmys in the reality-competition and host categories. The series also snagged honors from the PGA and the Television Critics Association.