January is synonymous with many things: Veganuary, Blue Monday and, at the British Vogue offices, a deep breath before our plunge into the frenzy of awards season. But, the one thing that gets us (and me especially) through this trying month of restraint and self-flagellation is The Traitors. The BBC’s British edition of the gameshow – the one which sees an eccentric, rag-tag bunch decamp to a spooky Scottish castle, where some are named “traitors”, others “faithfuls” and instructed to eliminate each other from the contest in pursuit of a generous prize pot – is always a thrilling ride.
In series one, two contestants, an actor and a magician, turned out to be a couple and, when exposed to the group, had a full-on meltdown. A Welsh dragon became a national icon – and was then brutally slain. There was an explosive “parting gift”. And a nail-biting finale ended in tears and triumph.
Then came an even more brilliantly unhinged second series, featuring a jaw-dropping parental reveal; one player who completely unravelled after being labelled a “sheep” by his teammates; a lethal glass of fizzy rosé; an incredible final bow; the rise of Jazatha Christie; a hair-raising funeral; an all-too-brief quest for revenge; and then a supersized scorcher of a conclusion. This was when The Traitors truly became a phenomenon.
So, what could possibly happen this year, as the show returns with a hotly anticipated third instalment, airing from New Year’s Day? One woman has all the answers (not that she’ll divulge them): Claudia Winkleman, the jet black-fringed, heavily eyelinered, eternally tanned, delightfully deadpan queen of British TV – the co-host of Strictly Come Dancing, who also oversees the Channel 4 music competition series The Piano and, rightfully, won her first BAFTA back in 2023 for presenting The Traitors’ inaugural season.
She’s a madcap presence, cutting an instantly recognisable figure in her (sometimes comically) oversized knits, tweed blazers and plaid kilts, sticking out like a giant-Saint-Laurent-fringed-coat-and-red-fingerless-gloves-wearing sore thumb amongst the rolling hills and dense forests of the Scottish Highlands. (For the aforementioned funeral scene, she sported a long black coat, white shirt, skinny tie, a cane and mesh veil, naturally.)
As she oversees the games, interviewing players, offering clues, presiding over the roundtable and guiding them through challenges, she absolutely nails the tone of the show – deadly serious but also always gloriously camp. Best of all, though, she has a talent for saying exactly what you’re thinking as a viewer, whether she’s yelling at contestants to get a move on or, last season, chiding the male traitors for keeping women out of the tower.
It’s a joy, then, to discover that she’s equally warm, hilarious and razor-sharp in real life. “When I heard you wanted to talk to me I almost fainted!” she practically shouts down the phone line when I catch her just before Christmas. “They told me Vogue wanted a chat, and I was like, ‘Are you joking?’ We’ve obviously paid you.” No, no, I assure her, the pleasure is all ours.
As the nation hunkers down to watch the first new episode, she discusses feeling the pressure to live up to expectations, the snacks she relies on during filming, her unexpected fashion inspirations for this series, and whether or not she’d ever be a contestant.
From Brian’s “am or amn’t” moment, to Diane and Ross, last season was absolutely wild. Looking back on it now, what were your personal highlights?
Oh my God! Well, the funeral obviously, just because I like black and they said, “You’re going to officiate the funeral and lead a funeral march.” I was like, “Oh, I’m going to need a veil!” Any scene that requires a particular outfit, I’m into. But also, the cast, the players… everyone was amazing. I have to be quite cool to them but I’m also then really protective of them. If that doesn’t sound weird? [Laughs] There were so many moments – the fizzy rosé! That final when I just couldn’t look up! All of it! We were incredibly lucky. I’m now obviously completely paranoid about series three. What if people don’t like it? I’m terrified. We’re all terrified. You just don’t want to take it for granted, ever.
The last season really swept the nation – you couldn’t go anywhere without people talking about it. How much pressure does that add this time?
Enormous pressure! We never want to be cocky. I loved the first series, so I was like, to my bosses, “We’re done now. Let’s not go again. Let’s just be grateful people liked it and shut up shop. We do not need to go back to the castle.” And my boss just leaned over and took my temperature. She was like, “Have you lost your mind? We go again.” I was like, “Okay…” It is really nerve wracking, only because… if this doesn’t sound too nauseating, I love it so much. It’s such a privilege to stand by the roundtable and to welcome the players. I get really into it, whether it’s the fingerless gloves… I dunno what they do to me. I feel like it’s just the greatest game to watch, so I really hope people like it.
I’m sure they will. I know you can’t say much about the new series…
I mean, I could tell you everything, but you really don’t want me to. I promise!
…but can you say anything at all about the types of contestants we’ll see, or the different dynamics this time around?
The contestants are tremendous. There are new dynamics. The missions are epic. They’ve always been good, but the psychology is fully woven into the missions now. Not that they weren’t before, but the need for a shield is stronger than ever… maybe I can just say that.
I love that. Are there any moments this time that really rival the last two seasons in being totally jaw-dropping?
I think I’m too close to it to say. It’s really twisty. I love all the twists, and they start at the beginning and they do not let up. There are moments. You’ll have to call me back when it’s aired so we can talk about it. The contestants can’t relax.
This show has been great at evolving as contestants learn more about what can happen on it, so I’m guessing we should expect it to evolve again this time?
The producers are so clever. If you were about to enter the castle now, you’d sort of think, “Okay, this is what’s going to happen,” or “This is how I’m gonna be,” but it never works out like that. That’s all I can tell you. The absolute star of the show is the game itself, and just when you think you’ve got it down, they throw something else in. And there is something new in this series, which I think is unbelievably clever and I can’t tell you what it is!
I’m very excited. One of my favourite moments from last season was when you called out the traitors for not choosing to recruit women. Does this come up again?
In the end, I guess the women on the show had to take it as a flattering thing, because the women were too smart. Those boys knew if they took a woman in there, they’d be toast [laughs]. For this season… I can’t say anything yet. But, I so want to! It’s so difficult.
I understand. What’s the most difficult part of doing this job for you, is it keeping all of these secrets?
I feel like the contestants are all my children. They call me auntie Claude or mummy. On Strictly, I’m allowed to hang out with them. I can say, “That dance was brilliant,” or “Don’t worry about the scores.” And then on The Piano, I’m with them and I can hold their hand every step of the way to the final. On this, we’re all absolutely in it and I can’t make them feel better. I can’t go, “I’m going to put you out of your misery. I’m going to tell you who the traitor is.” I find that very difficult, the fact that there has to be distance. And what’s so strange about The Traitors, and what I find so compelling, is that I want the traitors to get away with it and I want the faithful to find them, totally in equal measure. I both want Harry to get away with it, and I want Jaz to catch him. I want Wilf to walk away with the money, but I want Hannah to see through it. It’s confusing.
I think you toe the line perfectly in your presenting of the show, too – it’s both serious and very campy. Is it difficult to get the tone right?
I do have to be quite cold, and I don’t feel cold as a human. But I do also want them to take it seriously – and they do. So I’m like, “I hope they’re okay,” but I’m also like, “Get up that hill!!” Some might say that I take it too seriously, and I’ve never taken anything seriously before in my life.
When it comes to filming in Scotland, what are your on-set essentials? A hot water bottle must be non-negotiable, but what about snacks?
I like beef Hula Hoops, Skips and Ribena. I really like Cadbury’s chocolate buttons, more than I should. And also an M&S prawn sandwich – not the posh one, not the new one, but the old-school one. Or I like an egg sandwich. And that’s pretty much it. If I’ve got Ribena, I’m fine.
Amazing. Coming on to the fashion, what were your key references for your looks this time? What can we look forward to seeing?
I’ve gone a bit Sarah Brightman this series. Our base for Traitors is always Ronnie Corbett meets Princess Anne meets that phase when Madonna suddenly found the countryside through Guy Ritchie. Do you remember that? When she was holding a lamb in Vogue, wearing a dusky green kilt. We want that, but mixed with a little bit of golf sale – because we like a diamond pattern. It’s very specific. For this series, I wanted to wear like… an old battered lace skirt with wellies and an oversized khaki sweater. It’s a bit woman on the verge of something ugly in a castle left with just a bottle of spray tan and eyeliner. That’s what we’re going for. Oversized knitwear is key to all of it, too. I love the fact that we do half high street and half not. So I can wear the most extraordinary jumper from Purdey with a pair of leggings that we bought on Amazon for £8.
Have the red gloves stayed?
Oh, yes! Very much so. They have to. And the murder cloak – it’s made by Luxury Family Affair. It’s run by a woman called Tilla, and she also made me a jacket that said “Faithful” on it and a brilliant cape this time. She’s amazing.
And with your hair and make-up, what’s your formula for The Traitors?
A very heavy fringe, eyeliner that looks like I’ve slept in it and a sort of orangey patina to the skin.
How does your fringe stay in place when it’s so windy?
It’s weighty. That fringe is cut from way back in my head. We’re always like, whatever happens, protect the fringe. No, I’m joking [laughs]. I’ve got Lucy who does my face, and Sarah who does my hair, who’ve done all of Traitors with me. We all get really obsessed with it. We watch what’s happening, because I’ve got a monitor in my room at all times. So, even at 2am they say, “You can go home now. The conclave is empty.” And I’m like, “Nope. We’re staying here and watching just in case.”
It is the most addictive thing. What do you think is the key to its appeal?
As a game of psychology, it is fascinating to watch, because you are trying to work out who’s got the biggest voice. In series one, Maddy knew who the traitor was – she just didn’t know why she knew. In series two, it was the same with Jaz, but they couldn’t get people to agree on it. So just watching the friendships form and seeing what the traitors do next and wondering if the faithful will catch them – it’s so compelling. I can’t get enough of it. The other thing that makes the show interesting is that, all our lives, we’ve always been told to trust our gut. And people are like, “I like this person because I know my gut. I sat next to them. I spent all day with them.” Traitors teaches you that your gut knows absolutely nothing. It’s only in retrospect that you realise that. There’s something rather liberating and addictive about that. It’s wild.
If you were playing the game, would you want to be a traitor or a faithful?
I can’t decide. I thought I’d want to be a traitor, but you have to work really hard. You are tap dancing the entire time. I think the dream would be to be a faithful who happens to be best friends with a traitor.
What would your game plan be?
Well, that’s the thing – I think I know my game plan, but I’d go in there and get it all wrong. I think you have to be likeable and not put your neck out.
Would you ever consider going on the show in the future, in a celebrity edition?
I would love to. I’m so desperate to play. They were like, “No, Claude, you’ve got to stand here in your tweed and your Dr Martens.” I was like, “Okay, but I really want to play!”
The Traitors series three is airing now on BBC One and iPlayer.
