New contestants on Traitors are a detective, crime writer, and psychologist | Traitors

A retired police detective, a crime writer and a psychologist are among the next group of contestants to enter Castle of Traitors, as the BBC has revealed details of the latest series of its hit investigative show.

Among those to be divided will also be a sweet shop assistant, a cybersecurity expert and a personal trainer into conspiring “traitors” and “loyalists” tasked with exposing them.

The latest series, which launches on New Year’s Day on BBC One and iPlayer, will once again see the contestants take part in joint missions, nightly ‘murders’ and often failed attempts to identify and take out the traitors in their midst, as they battle over the £120,000 prize fund.

Host Claudia Winklemann has already said that the “brutal” final series has a new twist.

It follows the huge success of the celebrity version of the show in October and November, with comedian Alan Carr charting an unlikely path to victory.

This year’s lineup of 22 contestants includes a bestselling author experienced at crafting killer novels. Thriller writer Harriet Tice, 52, who is also a former criminal barrister, admits her CV has given her “a skill set that can be very useful”.

Her previous books include Lessons in Cruelty and the aptly titled Lies I Told.

“I spend my life inventing horrible ways for people to die and killing people on the page,” she said.

“The idea that I might be able to actually plan to kill people or track down a killer, but, you know, without actual bloodshed, it’s the closest I’ll get to that experience in real life. So quite frankly, what’s not to like?”

“I’m really good at putting evidence together, but I say all this and I could collapse into a puddle of anxiety and it could be a complete disaster.”

Despite her experience of betrayal and misguidance, she said her plan was to downplay her skills as a novelist and “enhance” her role as a housewife and mother, to take the stress out of her early on. “I will not be dishonest,” she said. “I’ll just keep it down.”

Accompanying her inside the Scottish castle hosting the show will be Amanda, a 57-year-old retired police detective from Brighton, who has spent her career uncovering deception and monitoring suspicious behaviour.

“I’ve done a lot of interviews with criminals and victims. You have to put the pieces together to find the truth and expose the lies,” she said.

“To be a traitor, you have to be good at lying, have a good face, and be good at deflecting to prevent recognition. I’ve learned a lot about being deceitful, deceitful, and cunning.”

Another contestant, Ellie, 33, is believed to be the show’s first female psychiatrist. She said she hopes to bring a “psychological perspective” to the infamous roundtable discussions, after which the contestant is voted out of the game.

She had hoped to use these skills as a traitor, through the tactic of winning friends early.

“It’s definitely about trying to make connections with people early on, because we know that roundtable voting isn’t just about who’s suspicious, it’s also about the connections you’ve made with people,” she said.

“I will also be hiding my profession because I don’t want people to make assumptions about me.”

Aspirants also include Adam, an outspoken builder, James, a poker-playing gardener, and Rhys, a 27-year-old sweet shop assistant.