# NBC expansion of The Traitors franchise

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/nbc-expansion-of-the-traitors-franchise
> Updated: 2026-09-08T21:16:00.000Z. Sources: 21. Developments: 4.

NBC is expanding its ‘The Traitors’ franchise with a new iteration titled ‘The Traitors: New Blood,’ scheduled to premiere on September 17. Departing from previous celebrity-led seasons, this version will feature a cast of 22 non-celebrity contestants, including professionals such as an astrophysicist and a funeral director, selected from over 80,000 applicants.

Hosted by Alan Cumming, the competition takes place in a castle in the Scottish Highlands. Participants compete to build a prize pool of up to $250,000 by completing challenges while attempting to identify ‘Traitors’ who secretly eliminate players. The premiere will consist of a two-hour special on NBC, with subsequent episodes airing on Thursdays and available for streaming on Peacock the following day.

Recent updates clarify that the ‘New Blood’ season aims to increase deception and unpredictability by utilizing contestants without established television reputations. While the U.S. version focuses on these everyday civilians, the broader franchise is seeing simultaneous expansion in the United Kingdom, where the BBC is preparing for a second season of ‘Celebrity Traitors’ hosted by Claudia Winkleman. The BBC has secured a deal to keep the franchise on its networks until at least 2030.

In September 2026, the UK’s ‘The Celebrity Traitors’ won the award for Best Reality Competition at the National Television Awards, defeating the original version of the show. During the ceremony at The O2 in London, the celebrity spin-off cast, including winner Alan Carr, accepted the award from Gordon Ramsay. Charlotte Church praised the show’s finale, describing it as a ‘beautiful vignette of male tenderness and emotional expression’ regarding the performances of Alan Carr, Nick Mohammed, and David Olusoga. Alan Carr also received a Special Recognition Award during the event.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-08: The Celebrity Traitors wins Best Reality Competition at NTAs

The Celebrity Traitors won Best Reality Competition at the National Television Awards, beating the original series in a head-to-head matchup.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/the-celebrity-traitors-wins-best-reality-competition-at-ntas

### 2026-09-03: The Traitors franchise announces new celebrity and civilian seasons

The Traitors franchise is expanding with a celebrity edition on the BBC and a new civilian-led ‘New Blood’ season on NBC featuring everyday Americans competing for $250,000.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/the-celebrity-traitors-returns-with-new-cast-members

### 2026-08-16: NBC announces civilian cast for ‘The Traitors: New Blood’

NBC’s ‘The Traitors: New Blood’ premieres September 17, featuring a cast of 22 civilians competing for a $250,000 prize fund.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nbc-announces-civilian-cast-for-the-traitors-new-blood

### 2026-08-12: NBC expands 'The Traitors' franchise with non-celebrity cast

NBC's 'The Traitors: New Blood' premieres September 17, featuring a cast of 22 non-celebrities competing for a $250,000 prize in the Scottish Highlands.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nbc-expands-the-traitors-franchise-with-non-celebrity-cast

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Cite as: NBC expansion of The Traitors franchise. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/nbc-expansion-of-the-traitors-franchise