Alan Cumming, the Emmy-winning host of The Traitorsis revealing what really goes on behind the scenes as he selects the show’s Traitors. While it might look like the host makes the decision by tapping the contestants on their shoulders, the process is far more lengthy and complex than just that! According to Cumming, he needs to make sure that the traitors he picks can strike a balance between conflict and team spirit to ruthlessly take down the Faithfuls.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the Scottish actor revealed that the contestants are blindfolded for 40 minutes while he decides who to tap. Cumming admits that the process is nerve-wracking for him and the contestants. “It’s terrifying in case I f**** up,” he confessed. However, he also admitted that he loves leaning into the drama and deliberately creates tension as time passes. The host confessed that he ruffles his sleeves and makes sounds with his feet to keep the contestants on edge.
Cummings believes that he has to be a complete “trickster” while selecting the Traitors. According to him, the psychological aspect of the process is what makes it so much fun. He notes that when the contestants are blindfolded, their senses are heightened and their hearing becomes a lot more refined. The host admitted that he loves it when the contestants think he is going to tap them, only to be proven wrong.
Alan Cumming Opens About His Twisted Persona on ‘The Traitors’
As one of the producers of The Traitors, Alan Cumming is responsible for many of the unexpected twists that the show is known for. In an interview with Vanity Fair, the host opened up about how tough that is at times. In his exact words: “It’s always a tightrope between making lots of twists and turns and not losing the simplicity of the game.” However, he claims that The TraitorsSeason 3 takes things up a notch because the viewers and contestants are now familiar with the format.
The host noted that these twists push the contestants into a state of constant paranoia and they start reading too much into the smallest clues. According to him, everyone on the show exists in a bubble where they can’t think of anything besides the game — and this tension only keeps rising.
To make sure that this bubble is maintained, Cumming makes sure that he doesn’t interact with the contestants outside his character. The host describes his on-screen persona as the “stern daddy” of The Traitors. According to him, maintaining this boundary and keeping up the illusion of his role as the all-knowing puppeteer plays a great role in maintaining the game’s chaos. However, he made sure to credit the show’s production team for creating the complex mechanics that keep the contestants on their toes. The first three episodes of The Traitors Season 3 premiered on January 9, 2025, on Peacock. New episodes will stream on the platform every Thursday.
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The Traitors (US)
Contestants in the game move into a majestic castle and work as a team to complete a series of dramatic and challenging missions to earn money for the prize pot. Some contestants are traitors some are loyal.
Image via Peacock
English (US) ·