At a glance…
- The Traitors is back with a new host, Gretel Killeen, and a star-studded cast in 2026.
- A fan favourite was removed from the show in the first five minutes of episode one!
- Find out who was “murdered” or “banished” and left The Traitors here.
- WARNING: Spoilers Ahead!
I’m going to be honest (and very biased): Siobhán McSweeney is my number one host of The Traitors franchise. But Gretel Killeen is making the case for a very close second. She had the perfect blend of camp, drama, theatricality, and a touch of comedy to land the allure that we’ve come to expect from a host of The Traitors.
The first episode of the rebooted season started strong. It boasts a star-studded cast with Real Housewives, Australian Survivor, and MasterChef Australia alums in the mix.
Read on to find out who is the latest person to have left, been murdered, or banished on The Traitors 2026.
Episode Two: A murder and a banishment
The first official “murder” takes place in episode two. At the end of the first episode, the traitors – Kirby, Alvin, and Alex – were tasked to “kill” the first faithful. During their deliberations, Alvin tells Kirby that Kween was telling a lot of people that she could swear that she heard Kirby – who was sitting next to her during the traitor selection – get chosen. However, Alvin tells her that if they pick Kween, it might be obvious that Kirby is a traitor. However, Kirby points out that no one other than Alvin told her that Kween suspected her, so is there really a risk?
The choice was between Rob, Dicko, and Kween, but they decided to murder Kween. Classic survivor strategy there.
“These people got rid of competition before it even started; how cowardly of you?” Kween says after receiving the official notice of murder.
Later on in the episode, Dicko solidified his LSD (Loyalty, Secrecy, and Discipline) alliance and instructed them to vote out Shane Gould. When Dicko first arrived, he told Rhys that “no one wants an old man to win” (so Dicko hasn’t seen the Irish version of The Traitors). So, could this be anxiety about having another person of more mature years around?
Some other contestants, like AJ, watched Shane on Survivor and were therefore suspicious of her anyway. Plus, there was the whole Cam Merchant situation. Shane became the easy vote, and even though some contestants were starting to suspect Kirby, they went down the easy route.
Shane is the first person banished in the season.
“I don’t apologise for my bigness,” Shane said after her banishment. “I’m a Faithful.”
Immediately afterwards, the contestants start in-fighting. Looks like we’re in for a dramatic season…
Episode One: An unexpected twist and exit before the game even begins
Before the cast of The Traitors gets to meet each other properly, they have to send someone home!
As is standard with the franchise, the contestants all arrive in groups of four in very nondescript black SVU jeeps. They greet each other in front of The Traitors‘ manor. There’s a sweet Australian Idol reunion moment with Ian Dicko Dickinson and Cosima de Vito. However, Olympian and Australian Survivor winner Shane Gould goes about unnoticed by the gathered contestants. This strategy helped in her Survivor and could be of benefit in this arena.
Then Gretel emerges from a black coffin carried by four people in black cloaks and gold masks. To complete the macabre image, Gretel is dressed in a “blood-soaked” wedding dress.
She tasks them with choosing the “most virtuous” among them for a challenge. They chose Cam, aka a professional nice person. The former cricketer met and fell in love with Jules Robinson during season six of Nine’s Married at First Sight. However, the group changes their minds and chooses Shane Gould, whom AJ Antonios calls a “sly, cute little kitten…they definitely haven’t seen her season [of Survivor].”
Gretel tells Shane to hand out room keys to each of the contestants. She does…until she hands out the last one…and there’s none for herself.
“Are we one key short or one player too many?” Gretel asks, revealing the challenge. Will Shane take someone’s key, or will she take someone’s spot and their chance at winning $250,000?
She decides to take someone’s key, but does give them a chance to sacrifice themselves. No one does, and she lands on Cam!
“It’s virtue on virtue violence,” one of the cast says.
He has to leave immediately, and we have our first victim.
Watch The Traitors at 7.30 pm on weeknights on Channel 10 and 10 Play on demand.
