CASTING for the third BBC series of The Traitors has met a bump in the road as applicants were caught conspiring to win the show.
Producers had to reject potential Traitors and Faithfuls after candidates plotted on social media to bag the £120,000 jackpot as a group.
After a second round of interviews for the show hosted by Claudia Winkleman, some applicants formed group chats and spoke in code about their plans.
But one ratted out the plotters to producers Studio Lambert, and they were scolded for acting out of the “spirit of the game”.
A source said: “The group chats spoke about using code words. If they were chosen as a Traitor, they were going to say ‘I’m feeling hotter than usual today, anyone else?’
“They were planning to get to the final stages and agreed to split the prize pot after. Some had fake arguments planned.
“A few were more interested in the show not for the money, but for the fame.
“But they gave so much personal information away, they could be pinpointed directly to their auditions. One was a surgeon, so it was easy for casting to pick out applicants by name and give them the boot.
“The group involved are definitely out of the running for series three.”
All of those involved in the group chats were cut from The Traitors selection process.
The Traitors first season welcomed a modest 3,000 applications, but following its success and big awards at last year’s TV BAFTAs, the latest season shot up to 130,000 hopefuls.
Over 250,000 applications were made to take part in the third series, which is expected to air in 2025.
