Traitors Season 4 has audiences captivated, perhaps more than director Rob Rausch’s famed snakes. In just six episodes, featuring Michael Rapaport’s unconventional eating habits and Maura Higgins’ sly remarks, viewers have been presented with numerous moments ripe for memes. The roundtable stirred both controversy and admiration, yet it was host Alan Cumming’s costume that became the unexpected star, outshining even Ardross Castle’s smoked salmon. However, what we see in the final edit is quite different from the reality experienced by the loyalists and traitors during filming in Scotland. They found the weeks there, cut off from the outside world, much tougher than anticipated.
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Roundtables Are Longer Than We Think
The roundtable exchanges in Traitors unfold much longer than the brief 10 to 15 minutes we see edited for our screens. Yum Yum Arocho noted that these discussions actually last between 35 minutes to an hour, while Tiffany Mitchell, eliminated in episode 4, felt her exit lasted “three hours.” “In my case, it would have been more than an hour. I thought they gathered all the evidence,” she shared, as Yum-Yum added, “Actually, it was about 40 minutes into the discussion before they brought up the ear incident. Then they took another 30 minutes.” Each time discussions escalate, Alan Cumming can be seen hovering nearby, sometimes needing to calm things down.
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Food Isn’t Great
Top chef winner Kristen Kish shared her feelings about cooking for the cast at Ardross Castle, acknowledging the challenges of catering to so many. “It was tough work,” she admitted, mentioning that she aimed for flavorful dishes but felt she only managed to achieve “basic tastelessness.” “A bit of salt would have really improved things,” Kish noted. “If I had prepared something for them, it would definitely have been delicious and satisfying.”
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There’s a Lot of Downtime
While episodes run about an hour, the filming days stretch much longer, sometimes up to 13 hours, according to Mark Ballas. Lisa Rinna indicated that contestants get dressed for breakfast, switch outfits for the tasks, and then return to their original attire for the roundtable discussions. “There’s a lot of waiting around,” Dorinda Medley explained. Sometimes, there’s even a two-hour gap between breakfast and challenges, with Kirsten Kish noting that meals often overlap awkwardly.
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No Game Chats!
Interestingly, players weren’t allowed to discuss the game off-camera. Mark Ballas shared that every time someone broke this rule, producers would announce, “No game chat!” If any sudden insights came to mind, players had to wait until filming resumed to express them. Dorinda Medley admitted it was particularly difficult not to talk about the proceedings, even in the car, as that was also off-limits.
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Dorinda Medley Had Fun Amidst Drama
In the world of Traitors, alliances are often fluid. For example, when Lisa Rinna (a traitor) voted against Porsha Williams at the table and collaborated with Candace Dillard Bassett to eliminate Caroline Stanbury, it created quite the shake-up. Yet, Dorinda Medley, the last one standing, remained unfazed, remembering, “It was unexpected that she voted for Porsha, but the elimination of Caroline was truly wild.” She reflected on the collective housewife style strategy, pondering if it was actually fun after all.
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Monet X Change’s Thoughts on Rob Rausch
Rob Rausch, the unexpected star of the season, surprised everyone with his gameplay, despite his previous reputation on Love Island USA. Calmer than expected, Monet X Change mused that he might be homeschooled due to his quiet demeanor. “He was so reserved,” she noted. Despite that, his charm won the hearts of many, especially when he adeptly helped Maura during challenges. Their interactions have led fans to speculate about a budding romance, while Rob and Natalie Anderson found a deeper bond through their shared experiences throughout the show.
New episodes of Traitors drop Thursdays at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT on Peacock.
