NBC made it official on April 24, 2026. A civilian version of The Traitors is coming to broadcast television — giving everyday players, not celebrities, the chance to scheme their way through Ardross Castle for the very first time.
This isn’t a rebrand. The new NBC version scraps the celebrity-stacked cast entirely. No reality TV vets, no Bravolebrities, no Olympic athletes — just regular fans who want to sit at the roundtable and survive. The celebrity edition, which wrapped its fourth season on Peacock in February, isn’t going anywhere. It’s already been renewed for Season 5, though no premiere date has been confirmed.
How It Happened — and When
The announcement had a quieter launch than you might expect. Emmy-winning host Alan Cumming first teased the civilian version at the inaugural Televerse 2025 conference on August 14, 2025 — during a Traitors FYC panel at the JW Marriott in downtown Los Angeles, where he revealed the show was going into production in 2026. NBC’s official greenlight came later, with the formal announcement on April 24, 2026. Casting opened shortly after the production news broke. Applications closed March 10, 2026.
The civilian season is expected to film in May or June 2026 for up to four weeks, at the same iconic Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands where the Peacock version shoots. NBC is targeting a fall 2026 premiere.
Cumming returns as host, bringing his signature dramatic flair — and those unforgettable kilts — to a whole new audience. He’ll also continue as an executive producer alongside Mike Cotton, Sam Rees-Jones, Rosie Franks, Jack Burgess, Stephen Lambert, and Tim Harcourt. Studio Lambert, part of All3Media, remains the production company behind both versions.
What the Network and Producers Are Saying
“We’re excited to bring along The Traitors’ highly addictive fan base as we discover the next generation of legendary gamers and schemers. With our resident host and gameplay master of ceremonies, Alan Cumming, on board to introduce complete strangers to new epic missions and twisted gameplay, this new version for NBC offers a unique opportunity for the cast and audience to meet each other for the first time and we know it will be incredible to watch.” — Sharon Vuong, Executive Vice President of Unscripted Programming, NBCUniversal Entertainment
“The Traitors format has proven itself as one of the most gripping and talked-about reality competition shows in the world. We’re thrilled to be working with NBC to open up the experience to a new group of civilian players, whose stories and strategies will make the gameplay even more unpredictable – and, we hope, even more addictive for viewers.” — Stephen Lambert, CEO of Studio Lambert
Why This Feels Like a Full-Circle Moment
Civilians aren’t actually new to the Traitors universe. When the Peacock version debuted in January 2023, it launched with a mixed cast — 10 non-celebrity players competing alongside reality TV alumni. The show pivoted to an all-celebrity format for Season 2 and never looked back.
The NBC version is essentially a return to the show’s roots. And if the UK edition is any indication, it works. The BBC’s civilian version of The Traitors has been a massive hit from day one — only recently launching its own celebrity spin-off, which is the reverse trajectory of what’s happening here in the States.
The franchise is also coming off its strongest run yet. The Traitors Season 3 on Peacock won five Emmys and debuted as the No. 1 unscripted series in the country, with a 67% viewership increase over Season 2. Season 4 — featuring Donna Kelce, Porsha Williams, Tara Lipinski, and Lisa Rinna, among others — concluded February 26, 2026, with Rob Rausch winning as a Traitor and Maura Higgins falling just short as a Faithful.
No civilian cast has been announced. NBC hasn’t locked in an exact premiere date either. But with production expected to wrap by late June, a fall 2026 window is looking very real.
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