A much-loved TV star suggested The Traitors format ‘doesn’t work’ – despite rumours they’ve signed up for the Celebrity version.
The hit BBC programme returned to screens last week with 22 new contestants for series three.
Speaking on his The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, Richard Osman, although a fan of the show, said its format “doesn’t really work”.
The House of Games host explained: “The lovely thing about The Traitors is, a huge hit, but the format doesn’t really work.
“Because there’s absolutely no reason why you would vote off the stupid people.
“And so season after season after season – Australia season two was the worst example of this – you end up with the people with no insight at all.
“Often people with no insight are also people with not the greatest personalities either. So that happens time after time after time.
“That’s a big flaw.”
He added: “Another big flaw, of course, is there’s three traitors and what if they get voted out immediately.
“Well, if they get voted out you just put new Traitors in.
“So actually, the early weeks of it – like the early sets in a game of tennis – are meaningless because they’re just going to get replaced.
“If you get a Traitor out on week one, you might as well not – because they’re immediately going to get replaced.
He concluded: “Despite those flaws, I still find it an incredibly compelling television show.”
It comes as Richard is among the rumoured names for the highly anticipated Celebrity version of The Traitors.
A source previously told The Mirror: “Richard would be a terrific signing.
“He reckons he knows how to commit the perfect murder, so could surely spot a Traitor from 100 paces or outsmart the others if he needs to?
“He also knows exactly how TV works.
“Anyone who’s seen him on Pointless or House of Games will know how clever he is. And his claim that he’s no good at lying seems unlikely.”
The Sun revealed last year that a celebrity spin-off of The Traitors was in the works.
The Traitors first launched in the UK in 2022, after the Dutch format was acquired by the BBC.
Claudia Winkleman is the show’s host, and has now hosted all three series to date.
How does it work?
It is a reality game show that involves 22 contestants, and some of them are chosen to be The Traitors.
The Traitors sees a group of contestants taking part in “the ultimate game of truth and deception”.
The group of contestants are competing for the chance to walk away with a huge cash prize.
While navigating through a series of challenges, the team are also tasked with figuring out who the Traitors are in the group (usually three contestants).
Each night, the Traitors gather to “eliminate” one of the Faithful, removing them from the competition
Meanwhile, the traitors can be “banished” if they’re successfully outed as a traitor by a faithful.
The winners of the show are either the Traitor who remains undetected or the Faithfuls if they successfully eliminate all the Traitors.
The prize sees the winner could get £120K.
It was officially confirmed at the Edinburgh TV Festival – with speculation rife about the celebrity line-up.
Other names in the mix include Alan Carr, Tom Daley, Clare Balding, Daisy May Cooper and her brother Charlie and journalist Robert Peston.
Who will be heading to that famous castle?
The Traitors airs on BBC One and iPlayer.
