‘The Traitors’ U.S. Premiere Becomes Most-Watched BBC Three Show Since Linear Relaunch

For the BBC, spooky mystery format The Traitors is the gift that keeps on giving.

While BBC One’s UK version proved an outsized hit and ratings bonanza, the U.S. version’s premiere has just become the most-watched show on the relaunched BBC Three linear network.

With 1.2M consolidated viewers over the past two weeks, the opening episode, titled The Game is Afoot, sits atop the BBC Three charts, according to Barb data supplied by Liam Hamilton.

Separately, the U.S. version, which airs on Peacock and was acquired from All3 Media International, has also been available to watch in full on BBC iPlayer since the start of last month.

Hosted by Alan Cumming, the U.S. version differs from the UK’s in that it mixes a number of reality TV icons with non-celebrities. Having become the most-watched Peacock reality series, it was greenlit for a second season yesterday along with an Andy Cohen-hosted reunion special for later this month.

Set in the Scottish Highlands, the show takes 22 contestants – 19 faithfuls and three traitors – with traitors having to evade their fellow faithful’s watchful eyes while ‘murdering’ one per night and avoiding being ‘banished’ during intense roundtable sessions. In the daytime, they compete in challenges to increase the final cash prize.

BBC Three has had mixed results since relaunching on linear TV early last year. Shows such as RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and The Rap Game have performed well and kept focus on the channel but, as linear TV ratings continue to slide, many have fallen under the radar. BBC Three was online only between 2016 and 2021.