BBC has locked in multi-year renewals for The Traitors and The Celebrity Traitors, securing seasons into 2030 and confirming production and creative leadership
The BBC has agreed multi-year contracts that will keep The Traitors franchise on its schedules for several more seasons. Announced during Tim Davie‘s valedictory speech to the Royal Television Society, the deal formalises a three-year extension for both the civilian and celebrity editions, ensuring the format remains a central part of the broadcaster’s entertainment slate. The announcement was made in the presence of senior production figures, underscoring how broadcasters and makers are aligning around formats that deliver consistent mass audiences.
The agreements cover the return of The Traitors with Season 5 due to start early next year and a slate that will take the series to at least Season 8 by the end of the new deal. A parallel three-year commitment applies to The Celebrity Traitors, with its second celebrity season scheduled to air later this year and further celebrity editions planned through late 2029. These multi-season deals are typically reserved for the most dependable entertainment properties on UK TV and reflect the show’s commercial and audience strength.
The core of the arrangement is straightforward: the BBC will commission three further cycles for both the civilian and celebrity strands. For the civilian show this means Season 5 will be produced and broadcast under the new contract, with two additional seasons contracted afterwards, ensuring output through to 2030. For the celebrity variant the plan is similar, with Season 2 arriving this year and three more runs mapped out through late 2029. Executives at the BBC and Studio Lambert involved in the negotiations framed this as a long-term production partnership rather than an ad hoc renewal, signalling a steady pipeline of episodes and promotional investment.
Stephen Lambert, chief executive of Studio Lambert, said the format has the kind of durability that can sustain repeated seasons when refreshed creatively. Lambert — who has shepherded the show since Studio Lambert adapted the format from its Dutch origin — highlighted how the production gave the UK version its distinctive gothic setting at Ardross Castle in Scotland and secured Claudia Winkleman as presenter. He compares the rhythm of successful formats to shows like The Apprentice or versions of Big Brother, where familiarity and periodic novelty coexist; that dynamic, he argues, is central to longevity.
Lambert has emphasised the importance of strong casting and subtle format evolution. The casting for both civilian and celebrity versions has been widely praised, with the celebrity edition in particular drawing headline figures and memorable performances. Behind the scenes, the renewal was overseen at the BBC by Kalpna Patel-Knight, head of entertainment commissioning. Studio Lambert Scotland’s executive producers on the show include Mike Cotton, Sarah Fay, Lewis Thurlow and Darrell Olsen, while the BBC commissioning editors are Neil McCallum and Michael Jochnowitz. The format itself began life in the Netherlands with IDTV and was developed alongside the RTL Creative Unit; All3Media International remains the global partner handling sales.
The renewals arrive on the back of exceptional audience figures for the celebrity version. The BBC reports that The Celebrity Traitors averaged nearly 15 million viewers last year, with the finale drawing about 15.4 million, described by the broadcaster as the best-performing entertainment episode in Britain in almost a decade. Those numbers help explain why the BBC treats the programme as a priority, and why longer-term commissioning deals — the kind usually reserved for the biggest shows — were offered. The format’s resilience has also been reflected in industry awards and nominations at bodies such as the Royal Television Society, where the franchise was listed in the entertainment categories alongside other high-profile programmes.
The renewal sits against a wider backdrop of consolidation and format trading: All3Media, the parent of IDTV, was acquired by Banijay last week, a shift that will affect format ownership and distribution dynamics globally. Meanwhile, Studio Lambert — whose founder has created other global unscripted hits — retains production responsibility for the UK shows. The presence of Studio Lambert’s Stephen Lambert and Jane Turton, who runs All3Media, in the audience when the announcement was made emphasised the close working relationship between broadcaster, producer and distributor as the franchise expands.
Looking ahead, both the BBC and the makers have signalled a commitment to keep the format feeling fresh while safeguarding the familiar core that draws viewers. With several seasons now contractually guaranteed and a proven host in Claudia Winkleman, the franchise appears positioned for sustained prominence in UK entertainment schedules. Producers also stress that format evolution — through casting, setting and small structural tweaks — will be used to retain momentum and audience interest should the show continue beyond the newly secured term.