Two more contestants said goodbye on The Traitors tonight in an episode that included a heated round table debate
20:56, 03 Jan 2026
An axed contestant admitted he cracked under the pressure and his game plan failed as he was kicked off the hit BBC show and revealed as one of the Traitors. In a thrilling episode of The Traitors tonight the game climaxed with the male star being voted off after a highly charged round table discussion between contestants.
Earlier in the BBC1 episode, Royal Navy veteran Ben, 66, had been murdered by the Traitors and also had to leave the competition. Then after the round table, it was barrister Hugo Lodge was sent packing.
Hugo, 51, paid the price for trying too hard to feel sympathy for Ben and asked others to remember what he had done on the previous mission during breakfast, which raised some eyebrows. He failed to move the suspicion elsewhere and there were joyful scenes of celebration when he was unmasked as a traitor at the end of the third episode. Reflecting on his time on the show, which also saw fellow traitor Stephen vote for him to leave, 51-year-old Hugo said: “I’ve got mixed feelings about leaving the game. I love the game, and I think it’s important that everyone plays to win. When I was there, it was such a fun time, I don’t think I fell out with anyone and I didn’t do anything particularly devious or dastardly. So yeah, it was a great fun time to be there, but a good time to go. Always leave them wanting more.”
Asked if he had a strategy he added: “I think it was Mike Tyson who said, ‘everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face’. I did have a plan, but I didn’t really stick to it, and I kept forgetting to pretend to be a Faithful which is ultimately what you must do as a Traitor. I forgot that I had a shield, because nobody put a coffin in my grave, and I just forgot to act like a Faithful would.”
Despite Stephen’s decision to vote for ‘one of his own’ Hugo insisted there were no hard feelings. Hugo said: “I would have done the same thing to Stephen. It’s only a game, but he’s a dude and he was the best dressed Traitor. I do hope the Traitors go on to win, notwithstanding that Stephen stabbed me in the front! I think it’s about time the Traitors bounce back. So yes, they’ve got my unqualified support.”
Hugo said he had been “excited to change my black barrister’s gown for a green Traitors cloak” and spoke about other secrets of the show.
He said: "The castle was better than I expected, and it was bigger than I expected. I was really intrigued to get to know if I'd ever see that turret, and it was fascinating. Walking into the turret for the first time was like being a star in my own production of Phantom of the Opera. I was so excited to change my black barrister gown for a green Traitors cloak."
Fellow departing contestant Ben, a faithful, admitted he would have loved the chance to be on the other side.
He explained: “I wanted to be a Traitor from minute one. I embraced my role as a Faithful, but I tried to give out a clue for the Traitors to recruit me, because I wanted to be a Traitor so bad.”
He added: “I’m absolutely gutted to be leaving the game so early, because I was totally under the radar. I played the dithery old guy who sounded clueless, but I wasn’t really. My name never got brought up, until the Traitors went and murdered me.
“I didn’t have a strategy as such; I just wanted to embrace the whole process of everything.”
A secret traitor who has been working alone could be unmasked on screen in the next episode on Wednesday. The Traitors continues next week on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer.
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