BBC presenter Claudia Winkleman has said there is "something" in the new run of The Traitors that "takes my breath away".
The third season begins on New Year’s Day and will see a new group of strangers play a game of strategy, suspicion, and backstabbing in a bid to win a cash prize of up to £120,000.
Earlier this year, viewers tuned in to watch "traitor" Harry Clark outwit his fellow contestants to win in a dramatic finale of the second season, which was an essential watch.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Winkleman said: "When people loved the first one we were amazed.
"I said to the BBC, ‘Let’s not do it again.’ I think it’s so chic just to do something once and do it well and then to say goodbye.
"The boss at the BBC literally came over and took my temperature and was like, ‘We go again.’
"But you can’t take its success for granted. I’ll twitch nervously until January 24, when the series ends.
"I can’t wait for you to see it. There’s something in it that takes my breath away.
"Chairs are tipped over. When everybody’s gone, the crew and I stand there and shake because we’ve just witnessed real emotion, real tension, a real release."
The BBC version of The Traitors, which is based on a Dutch format called De Verraders, involves Winkleman selecting a small number of players to be the traitors, while the rest of the players are the faithfuls and are unaware of the identity of the traitors.
While trying to avoid being eliminated, the faithfuls must figure out who is a traitor and vote them out so they can take the prize money for themselves.
The UK version of the show has won a host of awards including at the Bafta TV Awards in 2023 for best reality and constructed factual show.
The first two episodes of the new UK season will air at 8pm on BBC One on New Year’s Day, while the rest of the episodes, airing Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights, will begin at 9pm.
Source: Press Association
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